The 2021 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 2, 2021, with kickoff at noon EST on ESPN. It was the 76th edition of the Gator Bowl, and was one of the 2020âÂÂ21 bowl games concluding the 2020 FBS football season. Sponsored by financial technology company TaxSlayer, the game was officially known as the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Kentucky would go on to win the Taxslayer Gator Bowl against North Carolina State 23âÂÂ21. This was Kentucky's third straight bowl victory following the 2019 Citrus Bowl and the 2019 Belk Bowl. The last time the Kentucky football program won three straight bowl games was 2006 to 2008, winning back-to-back Music City Bowls and Liberty Bowl.
The bowl matchup was announced on December 20, featuring the NC State Wolfpack of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), consistent with the bowl's conference tie-ins. The teams had met twice previouslyâÂÂa win by NC State in 1909 and a win by Kentucky in 1970.
NC State entered the bowl with an 8âÂÂ3 record (7âÂÂ3 in ACC play), ranked 24th in the AP Poll and 23rd in CFP rankings. They also faced five ranked opponents during the season, defeating Pittsburgh and Liberty while falling to Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and Miami (FL). NC State had a 1âÂÂ3 record in four prior Gator Bowls.
Kentucky entered the bowl with a 4âÂÂ6 record, all in SEC contests. They were one of a limited number of teams to enter a bowl game with a losing record. The Wildcats were ranked 23rd in the AP Poll in late September. They faced five ranked opponents during the season, defeating Tennessee while losing to Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Kentucky had appeared in one prior Gator Bowl, losing the December 2016 edition.
Kentucky scored the first points of the bowl game with a twenty-five yard field goal at the 6:00 mark by Kicker Matt Ruffolo after a 9-minute, 68 yard drive. Kentucky had a 3âÂÂ0 lead at quarter's end.
Kentucky's lead increased to 10âÂÂ0 at the 6:23 mark via a four-yard touchdown run by Running Back Chris Rodriguez, Jr. Kentucky would again increase the lead to 13âÂÂ0 at the end of the half with another field goal by Ruffolo for twenty-six yards.
At the 2:56 mark, North Carolina State finally scored its first points to make it 13âÂÂ7 with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Receiver C.J. Riley from Quarterback Bailey Hockman.
Kentucky increased its lead with Ruffolo's third field goal of the game for twenty-yards to make it 16âÂÂ7 at the 5:45 mark. However, at the 4:46 mark NC State responded with a thirteen-yard touchdown run by Running Back Zonovan Knight to make it 16âÂÂ14. Kentucky increased its lead again with Running Back Rodriguez, Jr.s' second rushing touchdown of the game for twenty-six yards, making the score 23âÂÂ14 at the 2:55 mark. At the 1:10 mark, NC State responded again with a two-yard touchdown run by Running Back Jordan Houston to make the score 23âÂÂ21. Since NC State had used its final timeout at the 1:01 mark, Kentucky was able to run out the clock to seal the victory, winning 23âÂÂ21. Kentucky Running Back Asim Rose, Jr. was named the Gator Bowl MVP after rushing for 148 yards on only twelve carries, accounting for well more than half of Kentucky's 288 total rushing yards.