JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl announced today that an agreement has been reached with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl to share selections for one of its participating teams with the Big Ten Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, which includes the University of Notre Dame, for a term of six years following the 2014 college football regular season.

The unique partnership with these conferences signifies the Bowl’s efforts to offer flexibility in the team selection process.

Previously, the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl had an agreement with the Big Ten Conference and the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl had an agreement with the Atlantic Coast Conference.  This unique partnership allows the Conference teams the flexibility to participate in both Bowl games three times each in a six-year period.

The TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl and the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl will join the College Football Playoff bowls as two of very few major postseason games with multiple conference affiliations.

The two Bowls are still working on their relationship with a Conference to provide an opponent for the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten Conference.

“This is an exciting partnership we have forged with our friends from the Music City Bowl to create the very best match-ups possible for the schools fans and our local communities,” said Rick Catlett, President and CEO of the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl.

“Everyone associated with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl is looking forward to our partnership with the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl and the City of Jacksonville.  We feel like this partnership will be mutually beneficial for all parties by delivering match-ups that will appeal to both the traveling fans and to the local fans; and as a result, create maximum economic impact for both of our communities on a regular basis,” said Scott Ramsey, President and CEO, Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.

“For 68 years, the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl and the Jacksonville community have provided college football teams and their fans with a wonderful destination to celebrate postseason football,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said.  “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Gator Bowl, which will in partnership with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville provide Big Ten fans a meaningful postseason experience, one that adds to the Big Ten’s national slate of bowl games.”

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl and renew our relationship with the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “Nashville and Jacksonville are both quality destinations that provide our teams and fans with a first-class experience both from a venue and hospitality perspective.”

The 69th Annual TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl game will be played at Everbank Field in Jacksonville Jan. 1, 2014. The game will kickoff at noon and will be televised nationally on ESPN2. The Gator Bowl will pair the fifth selection after the BCS from the Southeastern Conference and the fourth selection after the BCS from the Big Ten Conference.