What originally started in 1946 as the Gator Bowl is now known as the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The college bowl game is played annually in Florida and is the sixth oldest of all the college bowl games. It’s no coincidence that schools from Florida typically play in the game, as Florida, Clemson and Florida State rank near the top of the list for most appearances in the game.
Prior to being played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, the game was played at Gator Bowl Stadium from 1946 to 1993, and was played once in 1994 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The inaugural game in this college bowl series saw Wake Forest defeat South Carolina 26-14.
The TaxSlayer Bowl has a history of one-sided games, as from 1991 to 2015, 18 of the games were decided by double digits. This is a trend that carried over from the early days of the bowl game, as 13 of the games from 1946 to 1965 were decided by 10 points or more. Surprisingly, though, the game didn’t see one double-digit spread between 1995 and 2016.
Many standout players have played in the TaxSlayer Bowl over the years, including Archie Manning, Earl Campbell, Thurman Thomas, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Philip Rivers and Calvin Johnson. All were named MVP of the games they competed in.
This year’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl features the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Texas A&M Aggies. For the latest odds, a free pick and handicapping information, visit our TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Game Center.
Year | Bowl | Team | Score | Team | Score | Spread | ATS Sportsbook | SU Sportsbook |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Gator Bowl | Syracuse | 41 | Clemson | 0 | -2 | SYRACU | SYRACU |
1996 | Gator Bowl | North Carolina | 20 | West Virginia | 13 | +6 | UNC | UNC |
1997 | Gator Bowl | Virginia Tech | 3 | North Carolina | 42 | -9 | UNC | UNC |
1998 | Gator Bowl | Georgia Tech | 35 | Notre Dame | 28 | +2.5 | GATECH | GATECH |
1999 | Gator Bowl | Miami | 28 | Georgia Tech | 13 | -4.5 | MIAMI | MIAMI |
2000 | Gator Bowl | Clemson | 20 | Virginia Tech | 41 | -6.5 | VTECH | VTECH |
2001 | Gator Bowl | Virginia Tech | 17 | Florida State | 30 | Ev | FLAST | FLAST |
2002 | Gator Bowl | North Carolina State | 28 | Notre Dame | 6 | +2 | N.C.ST | N.C.ST |
2003 | Gator Bowl | West Virginia | 7 | Maryland | 41 | -4.5 | MARYL | MARYL |
2004 | Gator Bowl | West Virginia | 18 | Florida State | 30 | -9.5 | FLAST | FLAST |
2005 | Gator Bowl | Louisville | 24 | Virginia Tech | 35 | -9.5 | VTECH | VTECH |
2006 | Gator Bowl | Georgia Tech | 35 | West Virginia | 38 | -9 | GATECH | WESTV |
2007 | Gator Bowl | Texas Tech | 31 | Virginia | 28 | +6.5 | VIRGNA | TXTECH |
2008 | Gator Bowl | Clemson | 21 | Nebraska | 26 | -1 | NEBR | NEBR |
2009 | Gator Bowl | Florida State | 33 | West Virginia | 21 | -2.5 | FLAST | FLAST |
2010 | Gator Bowl | Michigan | 14 | Mississippi State | 52 | -3 | MIS.ST | MIS.ST |
2011 | Gator Bowl | Florida | 24 | Ohio State | 17 | +2.5 | FLA | FLA |
2012 | Gator Bowl | Northwestern | 34 | Mississippi State | 20 | -1 | NWEST | NWEST |
2013 | Gator Bowl | Georgia | 19 | Nebraska | 24 | +8.5 | NEB | NEB |
2014 | TaxSlayer Bowl | Iowa | 28 | Tennessee | 45 | -3 | TENN | TENN |
2015 | TaxSlayer Bowl | Georgia | 24 | Penn State | 17 | +6.5 | GEORGIA | GEORGIA |
2016 | TaxSlayer Bowl | Georgia Tech | 33 | Kentucky | 18 | +3 | GATECH | GATECH |
2017 | TaxSlayer Bowl | Louisville | 27 | Mississippi State | 31 | +6.5 | MISS ST | MISS ST |
2018 | TaxSlayer Gator Bowl | NC State | 13 | Texas A&M | 52 | -7.5 | Texas A&M | Texas A&M |