▁Jackson ville , ▁Florida . ▁It ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁college ▁bow ls , ▁held ▁continu ously ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁This ▁edition ' s ▁full ▁name ▁was ▁the ▁Kon ica ▁Min olta ▁G ator ▁Bowl ▁after ▁its ▁spons or , ▁Kon ica ▁Min olta . ▁ ▁Over view ▁The ▁G ator ▁Bowl ▁has ▁tie - ins ▁from ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Coast ▁Conference ▁( AC C ), ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁Conference , ▁and ▁Big ▁East ▁Con ferences , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁independent ▁Notre ▁D ame . ▁ ▁They ▁have ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁the ▁third ▁pick ▁of ▁a ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁A CC , ▁and ▁have ▁the ▁option ▁to ▁offer ▁the ▁other ▁spot ▁to ▁the ▁second ▁pick ▁from ▁the ▁Big ▁East , ▁the ▁fourth ▁pick ▁from ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 , ▁or ▁Notre ▁D ame . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁game ▁featured ▁the ▁A CC ' s ▁Virginia ▁Cav ali ers , ▁who ▁finished ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season ▁with ▁an ▁overall ▁record ▁of ▁ 9 – 3 ▁( 6 – 2 ▁in ▁the ▁A CC ) ▁playing ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ' s ▁Texas ▁Te ch ▁Red ▁Ra iders , ▁who ▁finished ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season ▁with ▁an ▁overall ▁record ▁of ▁ 8 – 4 ▁( 4 – 4 ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ). ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁the ▁e ighth ▁straight ▁post ▁season ▁appearance ▁for ▁the ▁Red ▁Ra iders . ▁ ▁Virginia ▁returned ▁to ▁a