The Gophers football program got a dose of variety on Sunday when they accepted a spot in first bowl game in Charlotte, N.C.
Minnesota is headed to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl is Jan. 3 at Bank of America Stadium. The U (7-5) will play Virginia Tech out of the Atlantic Coast Conference at 6:30 p.m. CT that Friday night.
“We are thrilled to be headed to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte and represent the Big Ten against a great Virginia Tech team in the Queen City,” head coach P.J. Fleck said in a statement. “We are grateful to Duke’s Mayo for the invitation and to executive director Danny Morrison and everyone at the Charlotte Sports Foundation. We are looking forward to experiencing the pageantry of the bowl and the warm hospitality of Charlotte. I know Gopher fans are excited to watch their team compete, and our guys will be ready to play in January.”
The Gophers improved their bowl position with a 24-7 win over Wisconsin in the regular season finale on Nov. 29. Instead of a repeat trip to Detroit, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl emerged as the Gophers likely destination in November and that grew after winning Paul Bunyan’s Axe in Madison, Wis.
Fleck is 5-0 in bowl games with Minnesota, with victories in the Quick Lane (2018, ’23) Outback (2019), Guaranteed Rate (2021) and Pinstripe (2022). The U has won seven straight bowls, with Holiday (2016) and Quick Lane (2015).
The Charlotte bowl started in 2002 and added Duke’s Mayo as the sponsor in 2002. It was previous namesakes in the Belk, Mieneke Car Care and Continental Tire bowl.
Who’s playing?
Bowl games have become a battle of attrition in recent years with more players deciding to not play — either due to safe-guarding their NFL potential or because they have entered the NCAA transfer portal.
No key Gophers have entered the portal as of Sunday, while quarterback Max Brosmer and offensive lineman Quinn Carroll have said they will play in the bowl.
Left tackle Aireontae Ersery — a potential high NFL draft pick — was doubtful to play in the bowl game and that status likely increases after he left the Wisconsin win with an ankle injury.
Linebacker Cody Lindenberg — the U’s leading tackler — has not shared if he has made a decision to forgo his final year of eligibility for a shot at the NFL.
In the first hour after the win over the Badgers, cornerback Justin Walley and receiver Daniel Jackson did not share if they made decisions on playing in a bowl game.
More Koi?
Gophers freshman phenom safety and returner Koi Perich briefly dabbled on offense this season, but the 15 practices that lead to the bowl can a perfgect opportunity to tinker with the all-Big Ten performer on that side of the ball.
The Gophers have dialed up trick plays in previous bowl games and might come up with a new wrinkle or package for Perich. He lined up in the backfield for one play against Maryland and Illinois and had two plays at receiver (one target) against Penn State.
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