2018 Gator Bowl

The 2018 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 31, 2018.^[8] It was the 74th edition of the Gator Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by the financial technology company TaxSlayer, the game was officially known as the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, after four seasons without "Gator" in the bowl name.

2018 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
74th Gator Bowl
NC State Wolfpack Texas A&M Aggies (9–3) (8–4) ACC SEC 13 52 Head coach:  Dave Doeren Head coach:  Jimbo Fisher AP Coaches CFP 21 20 19
1 2 3 4 Total NC State 3 10 0 0 13 Texas A&M 7 14 14 17 52
Date	December 31, 2018
Season	2018
Stadium	TIAA Bank Field
Location	Jacksonville, Florida
MVP	Trayveon Williams (RB, Texas A&M) & Ryan Finley (QB, NC State)[1]
Favorite	Texas A&M by 5[2]
Referee	Mark Duddy (Pac-12)
Halftime show	Fightin Texas Aggie Band [3] NC State Marching Band[4]
Attendance	38,206[5][6]
Payout	US$3,168,000 [7]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Adam Amin, Rod Gilmore and Quint Kessenich
Gator Bowl  < 2017 2020 >

Teams

The game featured the NC State Wolfpack from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Texas A&M Aggies from the Southeastern Conference (SEC); the teams had never played each other.^[9] This was Texas A&M's second Gator Bowl and NC State's fourth.

NC State Wolfpack

Main article: 2018 NC State Wolfpack football team

NC State received and accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl on December 2.^[9] The Wolfpack entered the bowl with a 9–3 record (5–3 in conference).

Texas A&M Aggies

Main article: 2018 Texas A&M Aggies football team

Texas A&M received and accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl on December 2.^[9] The Aggies entered the bowl with an 8–4 record (5–3 in conference).

Game summary

After holding a 21–13 lead at halftime, Texas A&M outscored NC State 31–0 in the second half, for a 52–13 final. Aggie running back Trayveon Williams set a new Gator Bowl rushing record with 236 yards, breaking the prior record of 216 that had been set in the 1966 edition^[10] by Floyd Little. The game's attendance of 38,206 was the smallest since the 1950s.^[5][11]

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP NCSU A&M 1 14:41 2 71 0:26 A&M Kellen Mond 62-yard touchdown run, Seth Small kick good 0 7 1 2:21 12 71 5:53 NCSU 43-yard field goal by Christopher Dunn 3 7 2 14:56 5 27 1:35 NCSU CJ Riley 9-yard touchdown reception from Ryan Finley, Christopher Dunn kick good 10 7 2 10:45 7 35 2:17 NCSU 49-yard field goal by Christopher Dunn 13 7 2 6:43 4 60 0:50 A&M Trayveon Williams 2-yard touchdown run, Seth Small kick good 13 14 2 0:32 11 72 5:15 A&M Kendrick Rogers 6-yard touchdown reception from Kellen Mond, Seth Small kick good 13 21 3 11:18 A&M Interception returned 78 yards for touchdown by Tyrel Dodson, Seth Small kick good 13 28 3 5:44 5 82 2:30 A&M Trayveon Williams 17-yard touchdown run, Seth Small kick good 13 35 4 13:56 1 93 0:13 A&M Trayveon Williams 93-yard touchdown run, Seth Small kick good 13 42 4 6:17 6 38 3:14 A&M 35-yard field goal by Seth Small 13 45 4 0:22 6 34 3:30 A&M Cullen Gillaspia 13-yard touchdown run, Daniel LaCamera kick good 13 52 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 13 52

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolfpack	3	10	0	0	13
No. 19 Aggies	7	14	14	17	52

Statistics	NCSU	A&M
First downs	15	18
Plays–yards	69–273	60–541
Rushes–yards	37–134	34–401
Passing yards	139	140
Passing: comp–att–int	19–32–2	14–26–1
Time of possession	32:57	27:03

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
NC State	Passing	Ryan Finley	19/32, 139 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Reggie Gallaspy	14 car, 79 yds
	Receiving	Emeka Emezie	6 rec, 36 yds
Texas A&M	Passing	Kellen Mond	14/26, 140 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Trayveon Williams	19 car, 236 yds, 3 TD
	Receiving	Kendrick Rogers	6 rec, 44 yds, 1 TD