7:30 p.m. update:

The head coaches and athletics directors of NC State and Kentucky met with the media over Zoom Sunday evening to discuss their respective selections to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. NC State AD Boo Corrigan said he was “excited” to get the team one last game to cap off this season. 

“It’s been such a crazy year, but, again, we’ve been so united in where we’ve been this year,” Corrigan said. “The opportunity to play one more, to play against the University of Kentucky, to play in Jacksonville. All year, coach Doeren has been talking about not blinking. This wasn’t an opportunity to blink, it was an opportunity to move forward.”

The bowl will only host 25% of TIAA Bank Field’s capacity and payouts have been adjusted given the expected change in revenue, according to Rick Catlett, the president and CEO of the Gator Bowl. With nearly a third of ACC teams opting out of bowl games, head coach Dave Doeren consistently said the team was willing to play. Doeren said getting selected to the Gator Bowl, one of the top bowl affiliations for the ACC, was “rewarding.”

“Our players and coaches felt like we weren’t done yet,” Doeren said. “It’s another opportunity to compete. We’ve invested a lot to this point. It’s the last time this group will get to play together, and we wanted to have one more ride and a chance to play a team outside of our league.”

5:40 p.m. update:

The Gator Bowl announced on its Twitter account that the Wolfpack’s opponent for the bowl will be the 4-6 Kentucky Wildcats.

Original 3:15 p.m., Dec. 20:

The NC State football team will play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida on Jan. 2, 2021 following its 8-3 regular-season performance, the ACC announced Sunday, Dec. 20. The Wolfpack’s opponent for the bowl has not been announced yet.

The Wolfpack previously appeared in the Gator Bowl two years ago, its most recent bowl appearance, falling to Texas A&M 52-13.