PHOENIX — When the Gophers football team woke up Sunday morning, outdoor temperatures in were in the single digits in Minnesota. But when their flight touched down in the afternoon, they were greeted with 75-degree weather in the Valley of the Sun.
That’s one of the biggest perks of the playing in the Rate Bowl in Arizona in December.
Head coach P.J. Fleck prides his program on not allowing the “circumstances affect their behavior,” but they couldn’t help themselves given their shivering amid a snowy and cold winter back home.
“Coming from Minnesota, our guys are so excited to be here, truly helped bowl prep as well knowing we were going to some place really warm,” Fleck said at the airport. “We’re so excited to be here.”
Minnesota (7-5) are a 2.5-point favorite against New Mexico (9-3) for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Friday at Chase Field. The U came out a day before the Lobos were set to arrive in Phoenix.
The Gophers sold roughly 4,000 tickets in an allotment fans when Minnesota beat West Virginia 18-6 in the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix. This year’s total for the U might end up being lower than four years ago, but it was trending to be more than New Mexico.
Albuquerque is approximately six hours from Phoenix.
Stars coming back?
The Gophers posted a photo of star defensive end Anthony Smith in a helmet and shoulder pads on Saturday with the title “Final Practice in Dinkytown.” It appears to be an indication the Big Ten’s second-leading tackler will play in bowl game.
On Sunday, Fleck continues to express confidence that Minnesota can retain its key players for 2026, including Smith and safety Koi Perich.
Without naming names, Fleck said: “Got to finish up one or two more, and I really love what we’ve done.”
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