How did the Gophers get into a bowl game with a 5-7 record?
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was victorious Tuesday against the Bowling Green Falcons in the Quick Lane Bowl.
But with a 5-7 record this season, just how did the Gophers get into a bowl game in the first place?
The Gophers are certainly no strangers to bowl games. Including Tuesday's win, Minnesota has won seven-straight bowls, with five of those wins under current coach P.J. Fleck.
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But it wasn't about athletic prowess this time around. According to CBS Sports, Minnesota was picked for the Quick Lane Bowl because of all NCAA teams that have won five games this season, the Gophers have the best Academic Progress Rate (APR).
The Associated Press reports there were six teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision that had six wins or more: Alabama, Clemson, Mississippi, Northwestern, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
"Maybe on the field we didn't have enough wins, but we talk about why these men are student-athletes, celebrating their success not only on the field but also in the classroom," Fleck told the Associated Press earlier this week. "We're the example of that this year."
Darius Taylor rushed for 208 yards in Tuesday's bowl game, his first appearance since suffering a leg injury during the Gophers' win against Iowa on Oct. 21. The freshman also ran in a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped cement Minnesota's victory.
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In his first-ever start as quarterback, Cole Kramer threw for two TDs and also ran one in.
The Gophers' bowl game winning streak started with 2015's Quick Lane Bowl, when the team was led by Tracy Claeys. And just like in 2023, it was all about the team's APR. There was also a shortage of six-win teams across the country that year, according to AP.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Dec. 20, 2023.