Rutgers Replaces Texas A&M In Gator Bowl

Scarlet Knights to take on Wake Forest after Aggies pull out of bowl

The Gator Bowl will continue as planned with No. 17 Wake Forest and No. 25 Texas A&M watching from home. 

Rutgers is replacing the Aggies on Dec. 31 in Jacksonville, Fla. against the Demon Deacons. The Scarlet Knights finished the regular season 5-7 and did not initially qualify for a bowl.  

The Aggies (8-4) were unable to safely field a team due to an outbreak of COVID-19 and a number of season-ending injuries. The team had not practiced since last Saturday and sent players home Wednesday for the holiday season.  

According to A&M athletic director Ross Bjork, only 38 scholarship players were able to play due to COVID-related issues or opt-outs. The decision to not play was made by the school, not the NCAA or SEC officials. 

“It is unfortunate, but we just don’t have enough scholarship players available to field a team,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said in a statement.

The Scarlet Knights were the first option to replace Texas A&M because the program had the highest Academic Progress Rate score among all available 5-7 teams, according to reports. The NCAA’s football oversight committee signed off on Rutgers’ candidacy and player safety matters Thursday morning. 

Rutgers has not appeared in a bowl game since the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl against North Carolina. 

A&M would have been playing short-handed due to several starters electing to opt-out in favor of the 2022 NFL Draft. Among those going pro are defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal, defensive lineman Jayden Peevy, safety Leon O'Neal, offensive lineman Kenyon Green, tight end Jalen Wydermyer and running back Isaiah Spiller.

Starting quarterback Zach Calzada elected to transfer following the regular-season finale against LSU. Calzada took over for initial starter Haynes King, who suffered a broken leg in Week 2 against Colorado. 

King has returned to practice, but Fisher said that it was unlikely he would play in the bowl. Texas A&M was expected to start walk-on freshman Blake Bost, who played in two games.

A&M finished 2020 with a 9-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory over North Carolina and finished No. 4 in the AP poll, its highest ranking since 1939. 

The Aggies finished this season with an 8-4 record, 4-4 in the SEC, and are currently expected to finish with the No. 1 recruiting class on SI All-American's ranking, highlighted by 12 signees off SI99's list.

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