In an epic two-day battle with $100k at stake, one team earned bragging rights

Originally published at PlayVS.com

A new championship trio was crowned in the Fall 2020 PlayVS College Fortnite Championship (CFC) this weekend: University of Maryland. The team of Mаrs.Se7enn. and bhegs surprised the field after placing 4th in the semifinal heats on Saturday but followed that up with a resounding victory in the Finals on Sunday.

As champions, the UMD trio hauled in $15k in tuition prize money – a nice sum for a squad who hadn’t played together prior to the preseason.

“Leading up to the eight weeks of regular season, we played every week, and I think it’s important to build chemistry with people you’ve never played with before,” bhegs said after the Finals. “Practicing mechanics, team box fighting, et cetera. Fishing became really important, shockwaves rotations became clutch and everything else fell into place.” 

Everything was on the line as players faced off in 12 matches in two days. Based on our season rankings, North America’s top 66 college trios were invited – and they did not disappoint. It was the sort of high-level esports we expect will define PlayVS competition in the seasons yet to come.

With PracticeServer hosts MONSTERDFACE, SHYOWAGER and REISS calling all the shots over on the PlayVS Twitch channel, it was an intense and exciting weekend for viewers who watched the teams clash with some memorable moments and decisive playmaking which rewarded the top ten teams with prize money.

1st Place – $15,000 (Mаrs. Se7enn. and bhegs)
2nd Place – $12,500 (Cоntrol, Hаrsh, Наrmøny)
3rd Place – $10,000 (DMALaa, Sage E, Dip ッ)
4th Place – $6,000 (iamchario, ChrisDots, AJ ΣΧ)
5th Place – $4,000 (Fuzzy McWhiskers, CinnаmonPancakes, Steve McSweat)
6th Place – $3,000 (Millѕ, JaCrispy., smarty)
7th Place – $2,500 (Jеlly., MACKLE-K, CMU speedy23btw)
8th Place – $2,000 (Dictator Connor, ExceedOG, ɢage)
9th Place – $1,500 (Gwbdascrub, D u k e ., River AU)
10th Place – $1,250 (zed Floyd, Da.Schnoz, FGCU CopyPP)
11th-50th Place – $1,000 (each team receives $1,000)

UMD had to get creative with their drop spots in order to take the ‘W’ given the in-game content changes this season, not to mention surviving an onslaught of firepower from formidable teams like our second and third place trios, who averaged 5.00 and 6.00 eliminations respectively. The team provided one of the most incredible performances we’ve seen in collegiate esports, taking three Victory Royales on Saturday alone. 

It was a close run atop the standings with the +6 points going to teams for Victory Royales, and several teams made a proper run at securing the top spot in just about every match of the Finals.

“Even in the mid-game and the late game we were getting targeted super hard, and we built up a big enough lead that maybe it didn’t matter, but we were definitely worried there for a minute,” said UMD’s bhegs. “The games were really stacked with 50-something people moving every game, and the competition level was really high.”

Collegiate Fortnite on PlayVS is a unique experience, starting with a 2-week preseason followed by an 8-week regular season that culminates in the championships. If you missed out on the action and want to see the 2020 College Fortnite Championships, the apx. 3-hour match is still available to watch. 

And, to learn about our upcoming 2021 Spring season – or to sign up your school – visit our guide for College Fortnite.