No. 20/19 Virginia Accepts Invitation to Gator Bowl

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 20/19 Virginia (10-3) will play No. 25 Missouri (8-3) from the Southeastern Conference in the 2025 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on ABC. 

The 81st Annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will be played on Bill Gay Grounds at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

“We’re proud to be the Atlantic Coast Conference’s representative in the Gator Bowl,” UVA director of athletics Carla Williams said. “What Coach Elliott, the football staff and the student-athletes have accomplished this year has been historic on many levels. This gives us yet another opportunity to showcase Virginia football on a national stage and I’m excited to have our fans join us in Florida to support the Hoos.” 

Virginia will play in its 22nd bowl game and make its third appearance in the Gator Bowl (1991, 2008, 2025). After winning six of the first seven games of the 2025 season, the Cavaliers became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2021 and will play in its first bowl game since the 2019 Orange Bowl. The 2021 Fenway Bowl was canceled due to COVID issues. 

“We’re grateful for another opportunity to finish what has been such a special season for this program, the players, staff, alumni, donors and UVA fans,” Fralin Family Head Football Coach Tony Elliott said. “We want to send off our seniors, who have given everything to this program, the right way and that will be our focus going into this final game.”  

The Cavaliers reached 10 wins for only the second time in program history, matching the 1989 team for the school record. UVA finished alone atop the ACC regular season standings for the first time ever and clinched a berth into the ACC Championship game for the second time since game’s inception in 2005. Going into bowl season, Virginia is ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 19 in the week 16 College Football Playoff rankings. 

Virginia will square off against Missouri for only the second time in program history. The only other meeting took place in 1973 in Columbia, Mo. Virginia will play an SEC opponent for the first time since the 2023 season opener against Tennessee.