Then on Sunday, they watched with the rest of the country while they waited for their 2025-26 bowl game destination and opponent to be revealed.

Heading into the weekend, almost all bowl experts had Minnesota landing in Phoenix, AZ, the post-Christmas Rate Bowl. So much so that by the time today’s final announcement was finally made Sunday afternoon, anybody paying attention got exactly what they expected.

Minnesota Gophers heading to the Rate Bowl, as expected

On December 26, the Minnesota Gophers will face the New Mexico Lobos down in the desert, looking for PJ Fleck’s second career Rate Bowl victory, and seventh-straight bowl victory as Golden Gopher football coach. Since being hired back in 2017, Fleck is 6-0 in bowl games.

HISTORY WILL BE MADE when @UNMLoboFB and @GopherFootball meet for the first-time ever in the 2025 Rate Bowl on Friday, Dec. 26!

Get your tickets now via @seatgeek to be a part of the action, kicking off at 2:30 pm AZ time in @downtownphoenix.

🎟️ https://t.co/Fyh4gXbYfn pic.twitter.com/QnfIRhT9vO

— Rate Bowl (@RateBowl) December 7, 2025

Essentially, the bowl game formula got pretty easy to predict, after it became clear that Michigan, Penn State, Iowa, and Nebraska were all being selected for the higher-tier Big Ten bowl destinations.

That left the those at the Rate Bowl to choose between Minnesota, Northwestern and Illinois. These days, bowl games are popularity contests… and college football in Illinois is not the type of fan draw those in Phoenix are looking for.

Gopher Football Rate Bowl history

The Rate Bowl has been in existence since 1989, only missing one year (2020 – COVID) since the first game was played in Tucson between Arizona and North Carolina State 36 years ago. Since, it has gone through quite a few name changes.

• 2024-25: Rate Bowl
• 2021-23: Guaranteed Rate Bowl
• 2018-19: Cheez-It Bowl
• 2015-17: Cactus Bowl
• 2014: Ticket City Cactus Bowl
• 2012-13: Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
• 1997-2011: Insight Bowl
• 1989-1996: Copper Bowl

Since its debut, the Minnesota Gophers have played in a version of the Rate Bowl a total of four times, prior to this year. Three of those appearances came in four years, from 2006-2009.

Glen Mason was fired after losing in a heartbreaker vs Texas Tech, before his predecessor Tim Brewster lost two straight in ’08 and ’09. Prior to Fleck’s victory over West Virginia in 2021, Minnesota was 0-3 down in Arizona.

• 2025: Minnesota vs New Mexico
• 2021: Minnesota 18, West Virginia 6
• 2009: Minnesota 13, Iowa State 14
• 2008: Minnesota 21, Kansas 42
• 2006: Minnesota 41, Texas Tech 44

Fleck, MN Gophers cannot overlook Lobos

We know PJ Fleck won’t let the Golden Gophers overlook any bowl opponent. His undefeated record in the postseason since being hired tells that story well enough. But the New Mexico Lobos are a different type of opponent.

Only once since Fleck was hired have his Gophers played a bowl game against a group of five school. That came in 2023, when the Gophers defeated Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl. But that Falcons team was 7-5 entering their loss to Minnesota.

The 2025 Lobos come into their Rate Bowl matchup vs Minnesota toting a 9-3 record behind an offense averaging 370 yards per game on offense, 155 of which came on the ground, where the Gophers have struggled defensively all season.

𝗢𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗧, 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗥𝗤𝗨𝗘‼️ pic.twitter.com/md5rFQlJv1

— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) November 29, 2025

Related: Gophers Take Axe Lead in Snow

There isn’t one running back god keeping the New Mexico run game pumping week to week, either. In fact, the Lobos have four running backs who received 75 or more carries this season, but none of them got more than 109 handoffs.

Fleck and his staff — which just dismissed a defensive line coach days ago — now have 2.5 weeks to figure out how they are going to slow the New Mexico Lobos rushing attack, additional time that has paid dividends for the Minnesota Gophers throughout PJ’s tenure.

Why not rename it the Minnesota Gophers Bowl?

Expectations for the Minnesota Gophers in 2024 aren’t exactly high. If P.J. Fleck’s squad compiles a .500 record, that would be seen as an achievement. New quarterback Max Brosmer is likely to be without star wide receiver Daniel Jackson, and star running back Darius Taylor to open the season. Any bowl game to follow may not be exciting, but it could take place in Detroit.

The Athletic’s preseason bowl predictions, prognosticated in part by Stewart Mandel, have the Gophers returning to what was once the Quick Lane Bowl.

“Once again, Academic Progress Rate (APR) data will determine which, if any, 5-7 teams will qualify for a bowl game. In our lineup, those consist of Minnesota and Stanford.“

The Athletic on the Minnesota Gophers bowl projection

The Quick Lane Bowl ended a decade-long title game sponsorship following the 2023 season. Currently named the “Detroit Bowl” there will be a new sponsor prior to kickoff. Minnesota has played in the Quick Lane Bowl in three of the ten seasons, and won each of their appearances. The Detroit Bowl is scheduled for December 26th.

Related: Best Food Options at Huntington Bank Stadium During Gophers Football Games

Fleck’s squad reaching bowl eligibility in the first year of the new Big Ten would be an accomplishment.

Can the Minnesota Gophers achieve more than an unnamed bowl?

Last season the Minnesota Gophers didn’t reach bowl eligibility, and even with their win over Bowling Green, finished under .500. A 6-6 record to end the regular season would be welcomed, but they will be up against it. USC and UCLA are somewhat of soft opponents from the joining Pac 12 teams, but good Big Ten foes litter the schedule.

Max Brosmer has a chance to be the best QB in the Big Ten this year.

Shockingly good film. pic.twitter.com/QeqX5LU1Br

— Christian Williams (@CWilliamsNFL) May 11, 2024

If Fleck can have his program run the table during the non-conference slate, the Gophers will be in a good spot. How Brosmer fares at the FBS level remains to be seen, but his uncertainty makes it difficult to project what level the offense will work.

Related: CFB Insider Has His Eye on QB Max Brosmer, 2024 Gophers

This is the first season of the College Football Playoff expansion. The Gophers certainly won’t factor into the 12-team tournament. Any ability to make noise and improve upon the 3-6 conference record last season will be welcomed.

But on Sunday, we found out what bowl they will play in and who their opponent will be. First, the College Football Playoff Committee named (1) Michigan, (2) Washington, (3) Texas and (4) Alabama as the four playoff teams, leaving an undefeated Florida State team out of the running for NCAA National Champion.

Related: How Much NIL Can Gophers Pay vs What Transfer QBs Actually Cost?

Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota Gophers vs Bowling Green Falcons

The Match Up is set!

2023 Quick Lane Bowl@BG_Football vs @GopherFootball
📅December 26, 2023
🕙2:00 P.M. EST
📍Detroit, MI pic.twitter.com/IFIK6dR3Wc

— Quick Lane Bowl (@quicklanebowl) December 3, 2023

Throughout the rest of the day, the entire slate of bowl matchups has been revealed. And just moments ago, we finally found out where and who the 5-7 Golden Gophers will play. Detroit, MI – Quick Lane Bowl vs (7-5) Bowling Green.

PJ Fleck is undefeated in bowl games (4-0), as Minnesota Gophers head coach and he’s 5-2 overall as a college football head coach (1-2 at Western Michigan).

• 2018 (7-6): Quick Lane Bowl vs Georgia Tech | (W) 34-10
• 2019 (11-2): Outback Bowl vs Auburn Tigers | (W) 31-24
• 2021 (9-4): Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs West Virginia | (W) 18-6
• 2022 (9-4): Pinstripe Bowl vs Syracuse | (W) 28-20
• 2023 (5-7): Quick Lane Bowl vs Bowling Green

Non-eligible Gophers bowling thanks to high APR

How? A very high APR (Academic Progress Rate), which measures academic success for student athletes, proving it pays off to excel in the classroom as a football program, something Fleck has always taken very seriously.

Related: How Much NIL Can Gophers Pay vs What Transfer QBs Actually Cost?

If all 6-win teams across FBS nation do not fill all of the spots during bowl season, the NCAA turns to APR to decide what 5-win teams they turn to next. Of all the 5-7 teams in the country, the Minnesota Gophers (.992 – 8th in CFB) have the highest APR.

Minnesota Gophers Bowl Projections 2023

So, where will they play and who will their opponent will be? Many of the most reliable projections changed course on their Minnesota bowl pick, after Alabama beat Georgia in Saturday’s SEC Championship game.

The bowl landscape’s latest shuffle now has the Gophers’ most likely destination, in pretty overwhelming fashion, as Phoenix, AZ for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, MI) had been the favorite, entering Saturday. It’s still possible, but much less likely.

Related: Phenom Freshman Darius Taylor Announces He’s Staying in Minnesota

Opponent projections line Minnesota up against a variety of teams, some power 5, some not. The Gophers’ most likely foe, according to the projections below, is the Kansas Jayhawks. Bleacher Report went outside the box and even has the Gophers in Nashville for the Music City Bowl vs Auburn.

Related: Minnesota Gophers Football Transfer Portal Tracker 2023

Read all of our Gopher football blogs

The Minnesota Gophers will decline any bowl game invitations they might receive today, per an official statement made by PJ Fleck and the University athletic department this morning.

No bowl game for the #Gophers. pic.twitter.com/Q78CpO3XxT

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 20, 2020

“The health and safety of our student-athletes has always been our first priority. They invested a tremendous amount of physical and mental energy into competing in the Big Ten season this year and proudly represented Minnesota. The season was filled with daily off-field adversity caused by the pandemic, but their desire to play never wavered and they sacrificed so much in their personal lives to be able to compete in the Maroon and Gold this year. Right now, our focus is strictly on their well-being off the field, and we look forward to them being able to responsibly spend some of the remaining holiday season with family and loved ones. We will return our attention to football when everyone is back on campus in mid-January.”

PJ Fleck Statement

This morning, the Minnesota Gophers were projected to get multiple bowl invites but their season will end at 3-4 instead. You can hear PJ Fleck talk about the difficult decision HERE.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Gophers walked into Camp Randall Stadium in Madison Wisconsin on Saturday as +12.5 point underdogs. After flushing a multitude of opportunities down the toilet in regulation, they finally lost grip in overtime and hung another “L” vs the Badgers.

It made for their 16th loss in the last 17 tries vs their border rival, by far the most one-sided stretch during the 130-year rivalry.

2020 bowl games are in flux?

There’s no such thing as “bowl eligible” in 2020 so a bowl invitation is certainly still plausible, especially with all of the uncertainty surrounding other teams around the nation.

The Minnesota Gophers are now 3-4 on the season and a bowl game seemed unlikely as recent as Saturday night. But it’s a weird year and, for now, most major media outlets have the Gophers going to a bowl game of one name or another (see below).

A few teams have preemptively opted out of the bowl season and more are expected to follow suit. That’s why the Gophers are projected to get an invitation, at the very least. But would PJ Fleck and Co accept?

Fleck talks bowl game invitations

PJ was asked that exact question after the loss to Wisconsin on Saturday and his answer was quite insightful. This isn’t a normal bowl year and he let us in on some of the decisions he, Mark Coyle, his team and other college programs are wrestling with.

Sounds like the #Gophers are much more likely to accept a bowl invitation if it’s hosted by a state that still allows freedom. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Lvq4gF70c7

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 20, 2020

2/2 pic.twitter.com/kWqESdza2w

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 20, 2020

I’ve seen other media outlets around Minnesota interpret PJ Fleck’s words in a different way than how I did. The Gophers want to play in a bowl game, according to PJ himself, but they also want to enjoy the experience of going.

If each player has to lock themselves in separate hotel rooms for two weeks, away from friends and family during the holidays, they’re probably not interested. If the invite comes from a bowl game hosted in a state that isn’t on COVID lockdown, it sounds like they’d be all in.

You know, somewhere pools/beaches, family, team dinners and freedom would be on the itinerary…

Possible Bowls Invitations

Selection Sunday is today so we will soon find out what possibilities could present themselves to the Minnesota Gophers. A surprise offering could be made during this weird year so bowl + conference affiliation may not play out as scheduled, especially if the entire PAC-12 opts out, which is a possibility.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl Projections

Chase Field – Phoenix, AZ | Dec. 26 – 9:15 PM (ESPN)

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Projections

Independence Stadium – Shreveport, LA | Dec. 26 – 6PM (ESPN)

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC | Dec. 30 – 11AM (ESPN)

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Auburn-Minnesota will play in Outback Bowl, sources told @Stadium

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 8, 2019

Florida, here we come.

See you New Year's Day, #Gophers. pic.twitter.com/9uPXxqn4YR

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 8, 2019

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It’s official. The Gophers will play in their 2nd New Year’s Day Bowl since they last won the Rose Bowl in 1961. They won’t get the Citrus Bowl vs Alabama but they will get their Rivals, the Auburn Tigers, in the Outback Bowl. This will be a bowl of first for the Gophers, who have never played in the Outback Bowl, nor have they ever played against the Auburn Tigers.

Celebrate Minnesota! It’s a historic day… and it’s only the beginning of even brighter days to come.

For more information, tickets, and events surrounding the Gophers’ trip to Tampa Bay, CLICK HERE.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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