JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Rutgers University will replace Texas A&M in the upcoming TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, according to a press release on Thursday.
Rutgers is set to face off against Wake Forrest University.
The Scarlet Knights will play in Jacksonville on Friday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. on Bill Gay Grounds at TIAA Bank Field.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
“Our team is very grateful to the NCAA Oversight Committee for providing a team to fill the slot in this year’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. We want to extend special thanks to our partners and the Northeast Florida community for their tremendous support over the past 24 hours,” said TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Chairman John Duce.
“The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl team is ready to welcome Rutgers student-athletes, coaching staff and fans to sunny Florida.”
The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl announced the Aggies withdrew from the bowl game held at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville due to an outbreak of COVID-19 on the team.
Texas A&M is the most notable team to withdraw from a bowl game due to COVID-19.
At 5-7, Rutgers, who plays in the Big 10, was not among the bowl eligible teams entering bowl season. However, a rule allows for a non-bowl eligble team to play in a bowl game if there are not enough teams to fill that year's slots. If that becomes the case, the 5-7 team with highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) will be selected to partipate in post-season play.
The rule was passed in 2016.
