2021 LendingTree Bowl

2021 LendingTree Bowl
23rd LendingTree Bowl
Eastern Michigan Eagles Liberty Flames
(7–5) (7–5)
MAC Independent
20 56
Head coach: 
Chris Creighton		 Head coach: 
Hugh Freeze
1234 Total
Eastern Michigan 37010 20
Liberty 1320167 56
DateDecember 18, 2021
Season2021
StadiumHancock Whitney Stadium[1]
LocationMobile, Alabama
MVPMalik Willis (QB, Liberty)[2]
FavoriteLiberty by 8.5
RefereeTrennis Livingston (Sun Belt) [3]
Attendance15,186
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersChris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), and Jalyn Johnson (sideline)
LendingTree Bowl
 < 2020 (Dec.) 2022 > 

The 2021 LendingTree Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 18, 2021, and televised on ESPN.[4] It was the 23rd edition of the LendingTree Bowl, and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Online lending marketplace LendingTree was the game's title sponsor. This was the first LendingTree bowl to be played at Hancock Whitney Stadium, following 22 editions at Ladd–Peebles Stadium.

Originally scheduled to kickoff at 5:45 p.m. EST (4:45 p.m. local CST), the start of the game was pushed back 15 minutes due to local weather conditions.[5] Liberty defeated Eastern Michigan, 56–20, to claim their third consecutive bowl victory.[6][7][8][9]

  1. ^ "LendingTree Bowl Moving to Hancock Whitney Stadium". LendingTreeBowl.com. November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  2. ^ @CregStephenson (December 18, 2021). "Malik Willis is your game MVP after accounting for 289 yards & 5 TDs" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "2021-22 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "2021 College Football Bowl Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  5. ^ @CregStephenson (December 18, 2021). "Due to a short weather delay, the LendingTree Bowl between Liberty & Eastern Michigan will kick off at 5 p.m. (rather than 4:45 as originally scheduled)" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Sordelett, Damien (December 18, 2021). "Willis shines as Liberty wins LendingTree Bowl". The News & Advance. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Wickliffe, Greg (December 19, 2021). "Eastern Michigan can't contain Liberty QB Malik Willis in Lending Tree Bowl loss". MLive.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Stephenson, Craig (December 18, 2021). "Eastern Michigan football burned by Liberty, QB Malik Willis, 56-20, in Lending Tree Bowl". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  9. ^ Stephenson, Creg (December 18, 2021). "Liberty QB Willis accounts for five touchdowns in rout of Eastern Michigan". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.