Gator Bowl Game Day Hub: Game Preview, Odds, How to Watch + More for Rutgers vs. Wake Forest
Rutgers (5-7, 2-7 Big Ten) will face Wake Forest (10-3, 7-1 ACC) in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Dec. 31.
Texas A&M, which was originally scheduled to play with Wake Forest, was forced to withdraw because it couldn't field enough players to compete due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program, opening a search for the Gator Bowl to find a new opponent.
The Scarlet Knights hard work in the classroom paid off. Rutgers earned the right of first refusal because it recorded the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) among teams that finished the regular season with a 5-7 record.
This will be Rutgers' first bowl game appearance since the Scarlet Knights defeated North Carolina in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl.
About the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl came to be after Maurice Cherry looked out his window in downtown Jacksonville in 1944 and decided that excitement needed to be brought to the city. The first Gator Bowl game was held in 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl game. The inaugural Gator Bowl was also the first bowl game nationally televised. TIAA Bank Stadium has been home to the Gator Bowl since January, 1996. In 2015, the Gator Bowl decided on an six-year, alternating tie-in arrangement: SEC teams will play ACC teams for three years and Big Ten teams the other three years.
How to Watch: Rutgers vs. Wake Forest
Date: Friday, Dec. 31
Time: 11:00 a.m. ET
Location: TIAA Bank Field; Jacksonville, Fla.
TV: ESPN
Stream: FuboTV
Follow @SIWildcatsDaily on Twitter for live game updates and exclusive content throughout game day.
Betting Odds + Information
Spread: Wake Forest -14.5
Over/Under Total: 62
How to Bet: Find the latest odds and place your bets on the Gator Bowl at SISportsbook.
Game Preview
When Rutgers has the ball:
Three Rutgers QBs have thrown more than 10 passes this season, but Noah Vedral is more than likely going to get the start in the Gator Bowl. Vedral isn't the most efficient passer, only posting a 59.3% completion percentage, but where Vedral does most of his damage is on the ground. Vedral has run for 280 yards and two touchdowns to complement RB Isaiah Pacheco's five touchdowns on the ground. In the air, Bo Melton is the go to guy. in the regular season, Melton averaged 11.2 yards per reception and three receiving touchdowns.
When Wake Forest has the ball:
Wake Forest has one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, and they're anchored by their starting QB Sam Hartman. Hartman is sixth in the nation in touchdown passes and eighth in the nation in passing yards, and accounted for 47 touchdowns on the air and on the ground. Hartman's go-to receiver is A.T. Perry, who caught 14 of Hartman's 36 touchdowns, and had 1,166 receiving yards in the regular season. The Scarlet Knights will have their hands full with the Demon Deacon offense.
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