Gasparilla Bowl Canceled Due To Covid Issues With South Carolina: UAB Now a Team Without a Bowl

December 22, 2020 by Gamecocksonline.com

South Carolina, which finished the season 2-8, has paused all football activities and has withdrawn from the Gasparilla Bowl. The Gamecocks were scheduled to meet UAB on Saturday in the Tampa postseason game.

"We looked into a number of options for UAB, but ultimately could not identify any opportunities for them to play at this time," said Scott Glaser, Executive Director of the bowl game,

The Blazers (6-3) were crowned Conference USA champions after Saturday's 22-13 win at Marshall.

UAB seems to be resigned to calling this the end of their season, but did not specifically say if they would consider filling in for another team if one had to bow out.

A statement on the Gamecocksonline.com website from South Carolina DIrector of Athletics Ray Tanner, included the following verbatim remarks:

"The team was excited to learn Sunday that it would play in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa on Saturday. However, between members of the coaching staff and student-athletes, COVID and contact tracing has taken a toll too high for us to overcome. I have notified the bowl and the SEC office that we are not able to play in the game on Saturday."

The postseason will now consist of 27 bowls, plus the national championship.

The bowl season opened on Monday with Appalachian State defeating North Texas 56-28 in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl, played in the home stadium  of Coastal Carolina University in Conway.

On Tuesday afternoon, Nevada knocked off Tulane 38-27 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise. UCF and BYU clash tonight in the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida.