Texas A&M Accepts Invitation to TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Dec 05, 2021 | Football
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M Football (8-4) has accepted a berth to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida and will face off against No. 17 Wake Forest (10-3) of the Atlantic Coast Conference at 10 a.m. (CT) on Dec. 31, 2021 on ESPN.
"We are excited about going to Florida to play in the Gator Bowl," head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "Wake Forest is an outstanding opponent and our players will have the opportunity to play in another pro stadium. Our group of seniors will be looking to win their fourth consecutive bowl and we look forward to the challenge."
"We are always honored to accept a postseason invitation, and we are proud and excited to continue our season in the prestigious Gator Bowl," Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said. "Our fans are thrilled about traveling to Jacksonville to support our players and have an amazing bowl experience. This is the fifth bowl game in the state of Florida in the history of our program, so the 12th Man is eager to make the return. On behalf of our entire program we are looking forward to the chance to play Wake Forest in the home of the Jaguars."
Tickets for the Gator Bowl are available now and can be ordered at 12thMan.com/bowltickets. The priority deadline for tickets is Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. (CT). All tickets for the game will be digital and additional information will be sent to buyers at a later date.
The Gator Bowl will be the 43rd bowl game for Texas A&M, and the Aggies are in the midst of a school-record 13-year streak of bowl game invitations. The Aggies' 13-year streak is the seventh-longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is more than a decade longer than the next-longest streak of any of the 12 FBS schools in the state of Texas (Houston & UTSA, two straight bowl games).
The bowl matchup will be the second in program history for the Aggies and Demon Deacons, Wake Forest claimed a 55-52 win in the previous matchup at the Belk Bowl in Charlotte at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Texas A&M will play in the Gator Bowl for the third time in program history, playing there last in 2018 as the Aggies topped NC State, 52-13.
Texas A&M Bowl Game Notables:
"We are excited about going to Florida to play in the Gator Bowl," head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "Wake Forest is an outstanding opponent and our players will have the opportunity to play in another pro stadium. Our group of seniors will be looking to win their fourth consecutive bowl and we look forward to the challenge."
"We are always honored to accept a postseason invitation, and we are proud and excited to continue our season in the prestigious Gator Bowl," Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said. "Our fans are thrilled about traveling to Jacksonville to support our players and have an amazing bowl experience. This is the fifth bowl game in the state of Florida in the history of our program, so the 12th Man is eager to make the return. On behalf of our entire program we are looking forward to the chance to play Wake Forest in the home of the Jaguars."
Tickets for the Gator Bowl are available now and can be ordered at 12thMan.com/bowltickets. The priority deadline for tickets is Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. (CT). All tickets for the game will be digital and additional information will be sent to buyers at a later date.
The Gator Bowl will be the 43rd bowl game for Texas A&M, and the Aggies are in the midst of a school-record 13-year streak of bowl game invitations. The Aggies' 13-year streak is the seventh-longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is more than a decade longer than the next-longest streak of any of the 12 FBS schools in the state of Texas (Houston & UTSA, two straight bowl games).
The bowl matchup will be the second in program history for the Aggies and Demon Deacons, Wake Forest claimed a 55-52 win in the previous matchup at the Belk Bowl in Charlotte at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Texas A&M will play in the Gator Bowl for the third time in program history, playing there last in 2018 as the Aggies topped NC State, 52-13.
Texas A&M Bowl Game Notables:
- Texas A&M's invitation to the Gator Bowl marks the 43rd bowl game in program history.
- The Aggies' 43 bowl game appearances are tied for 18th-most among college football programs.
- Texas A&M's 20 bowl victories are also tied for 17th-most among FBS programs.
- It is the 13th straight season with a bowl game appearance for the Aggies, which is a school record (Next longest streak is five seasons – 1989-93 and 1997-2001).
- The Aggies' 13-year streak of bowl appearances is the seventh-longest among FBS programs.
- The 13-year streak is more than a decade longer than any FBS school in the state of Texas. The next longest is UTSA and Houston with a two-year streak of bowl games.
- Jimbo Fisher's postseason record as a head coach is 8-2 including a 1-0 mark in the Gator Bowl (def. NC State 52-13 in 2018).
- Fisher's .800 bowl winning percentage for his career is tied for No. 1 among head coaches all-time (with Urban Meyer and Tom O'Brien) with 10 or more bowls.
- Fisher's winning percentage outpaces Utah's Kyle Whittingham (.786, 11-3) and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy (.667, 10-5) for the active leader among head coaches with at least 10 bowl appearances.