NC State Newsstand: Holiday Bowl to sue UCLA over 2021 cancellation

On3 imageby:Ethan McDowell06/01/23

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It’s officially the offseason for NC State football and basketball, but there will be no shortage of news between now and August. Our daily ‘Newsstands’ will be a way for our readers to catch up on what they missed from the day before. 

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TheWolfpacker.com’s Thursday Morning Newsstand

Over a year after the UCLA withdrew from its 2022 Holiday Bowl showdown with NC State due to a reported rise in positive Covid-19 tests the day of the game, the bowl organization is suing the Bruins.

“The Holiday Bowl has filed a lawsuit against the Pac-12 Conference and UCLA, seeking more than $3 million in damages because of the league’s refusal to reimburse the bowl after UCLA elected not to play the 2021 game hours before kickoff, Action Network has learned,” Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported Wednesday evening.

“The Holiday Bowl filed a suit in Superior Court in the county of San Diego Tuesday, claiming the non-profit San Diego Bowl Game Association lost more than $3 million from the cancellation of the 2021 game. This wiped out the 43-year-old bowl association’s reserves.”

According to McMurphy’s report, despite the news released hours before the game that Covid-19 was the reason for the cancellation, UCLA later informed the Holiday Bowl that just 3 athletes tested positive.

Texas, San Jose State, Kansas State and others were all contacted about potentially replacing the Bruins, but none of the backup plans worked out given the short time frame.

“I really think they could have played,” an anonymous NC State source told Action Network. “Chip said the day before the game, they were definitely playing, even if they only had 11 players. LSU only had 39 (scholarship players), and they didn’t quit.”

NC State did receive bowl rings and the Holiday Bowl trophy, but the game was not officially counted as the program’s tenth win of the season.

Tweets of the day

The Wolfpack’s 2023 season-opening showdown with UConn will kick off Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m..

NC State also announced a few additional kickoff times Wednesday.

Summer workouts are in full swing for the Pack.

NC State quote of the day

This quote is from Wolfpack men’s basketball coach Kevin Keatts discussing why fans should be excited about MJ Rice joining the program.

“Very talented, McDonald’s All-American,” Keatts said. “Obviously, he’s from Durham. (He) didn’t get the opportunity to play because they had a very good Kansas team with some very good players that played in front of him.”

“I personally think that he’s one of the most underrated transfers in the portal. He was a McDonald’s All-American and you really don’t hear a lot about him. Talented. I think he can play any guard position. He’s strong, he’s physical. He’s working really hard. A tremendous kid, has a great body, can score inside and out. I think he’s going to be really good.”

Today’s top NC State headlines

Kevin Keatts believes MJ Rice is among most underrated transfer additions

The Wolfpacker NC State football recruiting mailbag: May 31

NC State football to be on national television four times to start year

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