The Sugar Bowl took an unexpected turn last night, with a late start and a looming late finish that left football fans across the nation groaning in unison. Scheduled to kick off at around 8:45 p.m. ET, the clash between Texas and Washington faced a delay, courtesy of an overtime showdown in the Rose Bowl featuring Michigan and Alabama.
As a result, the second College Football Playoff semifinal promised to stretch well beyond midnight on the East Coast. In the midst of this prolonged affair, Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports couldn’t help but express his exasperation, stating, “It’s midnight in the East and we have 11:19 left on the game clock of a CFP semifinal. Ridiculous.”
It’s Midnight in the East and we have 11:19 left on the game clock of a CFP semifinal.
Ridiculous.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2024
Many shared Dellenger’s sentiment, grumbling about the late hour at which the game would conclude. Fortunately, there is a silver lining on the horizon: next Monday’s national championship game is set to kick off around 7:45 p.m. ET, ensuring it will indeed end on Monday night, rather than bleeding into the wee hours of Tuesday.
It’s midnight January 2 and I have to go back to work in a few hours. Why is sugar bowl still on with 10 minutes left?
— macaroni (@EnjoyCinci) January 2, 2024
hate to be straight on main, but this damn sugar bowl game is going to send me to an early grave. why am i up at midnight sitting here, watching this stupid orange team LOOSE
— ila ⎕ 🛰️ (@fiImoutv) January 2, 2024
Scheduling the Sugar Bowl so that it won’t end until midnight on a Monday night is insane
— Dylan Holt (@DylanHolt_) January 2, 2024
And when the Rose Bowl goes into overtime it pushes the Sugar Bowl start time after 9:00 with the game to finish after midnight now. All because the Rose Bowl didn’t start until after 5:00.
— John Lux (@JohnLuxFL) January 2, 2024
In the meantime, the action in New Orleans was far from over, with roughly half a quarter remaining. Washington maintained a 34-28 lead over Texas, displaying their dominance throughout the second half. However, the Longhorns rallied and managed to narrow the gap to just one score.
For those dedicated souls still awake and craving a thrilling conclusion, ESPN was the place to be to witness the climax of this exciting Sugar Bowl showdown. As the clock ticked away, fans held their breath, hoping for a memorable finish to a night filled with unexpected twists and turns.