Rutgers is expected to receive the first opportunity to replace Texas A&M and face Wake Forest in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
The NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee will meet Thursday and determine the policy for a bowl replacement opponent for Wake Forest among 5-7 teams. If the committee uses Academic Progress Rate, Rutgers would be the first option because it has the highest score. Bowl selection criteria for teams that don't meet the six-win threshold typically goes to those with the highest APR scores.
Sources said the oversight committee also could defer to the Big Ten and the Gator Bowl about which team replaces Texas A&M, which withdrew from the game earlier Wednesday because of COVID-19 cases and other issues that impacted its roster of available players.