The UCLA Bruins are unable to play in tonight’s San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl due to COVID-19 protocols, the school announced just hours before kickoff on Tuesday.
UCLA was slated to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021 at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif.
“We are extremely grateful to the Holiday Bowl, students, fans, sponsors and the people of San Diego for their support this week,” UCLA Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond said. “We are deeply disappointed for our young men in the football program that worked extremely hard for this opportunity. My heart goes out to them. The health and safety of our students will always be our North Star.”
The Holiday Bowl is the seventh bowl game affected by COVID-19 this season. The Arizona Bowl, Military Bowl, Fenway Bowl, and EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl were all canceled.
Miami dropped out of the Sun Bowl and Boise State dropped out of the Arizona Bowl, leaving the Arizona Bowl canceled. As a result, Miami and Boise State’s opponents, Washington State and Central Michigan, will now meet in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
Additionally, Texas A&M dropped out of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl slated for New Year’s Eve and was replaced by Rutgers.