ITG Next Partners With Sponsors to Send High School Athletes to Gator Bowl for Free
The 2020 Hughston Clinic TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Takeover presented by Vereen Rehabilitation Center was a resounding success. ITG Next partnered with sponsors to send 1,700 athletes from schools in South Georgia and North Florida to TIAA Bank Field for free to witness the thrilling game between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Indiana University Hoosiers.
The players arrived with their teams and were given a t-shirt provided by ITG Next and Baker Sports, as well as a free lunch provided by Chick-fil-A. Athletes then enjoyed activities at the Jaguars Flex Field, including live music and contests.
Kaleb Johnson of Terry Parker High School won a pair of AirPods, and Ryan Piersza of Bartram Trail won an iPad. Two students from Westside High School also won gift cards. Terry Parker High School and Brooks County High School also each received $1,000 scholarship checks courtesy of the Vereen Rehabilitation Center and the Hughston Clinic.
The game lived up to the bowl hype, as Tennessee came back down 22-9 in the fourth quarter to win the game 23-22. The comeback was the first time this season that a team came back from down 13 points or more with less than five minutes to go in the game. Teams were previously 0-471 in similar situations.
Volunteers running back Eric Gray was the catalyst behind the comeback, accounting for 120 total yards and the game-winning touchdown. He also had the key onside kick recovery with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
