Despite a 5-7 record, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are likely to go to a bowl game in December.
The Gophers after losing 28-14 to Wisconsin earlier on Saturday, received some help from around the country including Hawaii knocking off Colorado State on a 51-yard field goal. The loss for Colorado State meant there would be only 81 teams that finished with six wins this season, leaving one extra spot for a 5-7 program to make the cut.
The Gohpers helped themselves out with a 992 APR score according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press - APR rating is the tiebreaker when it comes to 5-7 teams and their bowl eligibility.
It's expected the Gophers will accept the bowl bid. "That's really more of a decision for Mark Coyle, but I think we're on the same page. We'll always accept a bowl bid. Always," Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said after the Gophers' loss on Saturday to Wisconsin. "There's so much beneficial things to a bowl game. Practices, development, and to be honest we may be our best football team in a month if we get everyone back," he added.
With the Gophers seeming likely to accept a bowl bid, it will mark the fifth consecutive full season in which the program has gone to a bowl game, they've won each of their previous four under head coach P.J. Fleck.
Last season, the Gophers defeated the ACC's Syracuse Orange in the Pinstripe Bowl 28-20. They also have a Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory over West Virginia 18-6, a ReliaQuest Bowl win over Auburn 31-24, and a Quick Lane Bowl win over Georgia Tech 34-10.
For this upcoming bowl season, the Gophers are likely going to be headed to the New Mexico Bowl where they'll likely play New Mexico State. The New Mexico Bowl is usually a Conference USA vs Mountain West conference matchup but with Colorado State not getting a bowl bid, it leaves a spot open for the Gophers.
New Mexico State is 10-2 this season and will play for the Conference USA title next weekend against No. 22 Liberty.
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