Official: Rutgers Replaces Texas A&M in Gator Bowl
It’s officially, official! Rutgers is going bowling!
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights(5-7) have accepted an invitation to take on Wake Forest (10-3) in the 77th Annual Taxslayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 31. Kick-off is at 11:00 a.m.
Better late than never 😃
— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) December 23, 2021
The Scarlet Knights are going BOWLING 🎳 🪓 pic.twitter.com/cJw3mrqsCu
For the past month, many assumed Rutgers 2021 campaign was over after the team failed to earn a bowl bid when they lost to Maryland 40-16 in the regular season finale. However after the COVID-19/Omicron variant hit Texas A&M, the Aggies backed out. Rutgers got the invite due to the programs outstanding Academic Progress Rate.
The Bowl game will be Rutgers first appearance in a bowl game in seven years. Their last coming in 2014 in the Quicken Loan Bowl against North Carolina, a game Rutgers won. Rutgers is 5-1 in bowl games under Greg Schiano.
PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 02: Noah Vedral #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights hands the ball off to Isaih Pacheco #1 of Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium on October 02, 2021 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Should Rutgers win this one, it would be a tremendous upset considering, 1) Rutgers has less than a week to prepare for the game, whereas Wake Forest has known for a month it was going to a bowl game.
And, 2) Wake Forest, at one point this year, was challenging for the College Football Playoff when the opened the season 8-0 before dropping three of its last five games, including the ACC Championship game to Pittsburgh.
Wake will be no easy task; they have scored 40 or more points in eight of their 13 games this year. They are 7-1 in those games.
The Demon Deacons have been led by quarterback Sam Hartman, who threw for 3,924 yards and 36 touchdowns. Receivers A.T. Perry and Jaquari Roberson both had 1,000-yard seasons.
Rutgers certainly packs some punch offensively. Running back Isaih Pacheco (672 total yards) and receiver Bo Melton are both considered NFL prospects for this year’s NFL draft.
Several Rutgers players took to Twitter posting their excitement about the opportunity, including linebacker Deion Jennings, quarterback Noah Vedral and Gavin Wimsett.
https://twitter.com/DLJ_era/status/1474110019637501960?s=20
I love bowling😁🎳@RFootball
— Gavin Wimsatt (@GavinWimsatt) December 23, 2021
Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano said in a statement: “This is an exciting time for Rutgers. I’m so happy for our players to be able to experience a great bowl game atmosphere. Anytime you can go out and test yourself against the country’s top talent, it creates a tremendous opportunity for our players to grow and develop.”
Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said in a statement. “[Rutgers] coach Greg Schiano does a great job and I have tremendous respect for him and his staff. We expect a very tough game against a talented and well-coached team.”
Rutgers and Wake Forest have only met twice in college football history. Their first meeting took place November 8, 1997, a game Wake won 28-14 in Piscataway. Wake won the second match-up in 1999, 17-10 down in North Carolina.
Be sure to follow FOX Sports Radio New Jersey for the latest on this game, and listen live December 31 to the action on 93.5 FM and 1450 AM beginning at 9:30 a.m. with Rutgers Gameday, followed by the Learfield Pregame show at 10 a.m. and kickoff at 11.
