Texas A&M will not participate in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl because of COVID-19 issues and season-ending injuries within the program, leaving Wake Forest without an opponent as officials try to find a replacement team, it was announced Wednesday.
“It is unfortunate, but we just don’t have enough scholarship players available to field a team,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said.
The game is scheduled for Dec. 31 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Wake Forest still wants to play, but the No. 17 Demon Deacons (10-3) would need another team to be freed up from a bowl game if another team were to drop out.
The Gator Bowl said it was “aggressively” working with the NCAA to find a replacement team over the next few days. Wake Forest said it also is working in collaboration with the Gator Bowl and the ACC to help find an opponent.
“While we are disappointed that we do not have the opportunity to play a talented Texas A&M football team next week in Jacksonville, our student-athletes and staff are still extremely excited and want to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl next week,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said in a statement. “… Our student-athletes, specifically our seniors, deserve this last opportunity to compete as a team for the chance to win a championship.”
Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork told ESPN that the No. 25 Aggies (8-4) were down to 38 scholarship position players, of which 20 were offensive and defensive linemen.
In addition to the outbreak and the injuries, Texas A&M also had tight end Jalen Wydermyer and running back Isaiah Spiller declare for the NFL draft. Quarterback Zach Calzada, who started 10 games this season, entered the transfer portal.
“So if you take running backs, receivers, quarterbacks and defensive backs, we had 13 of those guys and only 13 scholarship players on defense,” Bjork told ESPN. “We had over 40 guys out between COVID, season-ending injuries, transfers and opt-outs.
“We just didn’t have enough. You can’t put the other players that are healthy at risk.”
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and David Wilson contributed to this report.
