The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will replace the Texas A&M Aggies in the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, the school announced on Thursday.
The Texas A&M Aggies had to withdraw from the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl due to COVID-19 issues at the school that lowered their scholarship numbers below the amount to field a team.
“We are disappointed that Texas A&M University and the Aggie fans will be unable to represent the Southeastern Conference in Jacksonville at this year’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game,” said TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Chairman John Duce in a statement. “However, the health and safety of the student-athletes, coaches and staff remains our primary concern.”
Texas A&M dropping out of the Gator Bowl opened up a spot for the 5-7 team with the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR), which happened to be Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights, who had concluded their season, jumped at the chance to play in a post-season bowl game.
Rutgers will take on the 17th-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Friday, Dec. 31 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. The game will be televised by ESPN at 11:00am ET.
The Scarlet Knights’ last post-season appearance came in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. Rutgers defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels in that contest, 40-21.
The 2021-22 College Football Bowl Schedule continues today with two games on the slate. North Texas takes on Miami (Ohio) in the Frisco Football Classic at 3:30pm ET, which is followed by UCF vs. Florida in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at 7:00pm ET, both on ESPN.