P.J. Fleck and the Gophers prepare for the Pinstripe Bowl

MINNEAPOLIS – The Gopher football team will hope to avoid getting lost in New York when they play Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium at the end of December.

It's Minnesota's fourth bowl game in the last four full seasons, and they have a perfect 3-0 record in that span. 

But as we know, this tier of a bowl game means a couple things. Of course, it's one final game for players like Mo Ibrahim, but also valuable experience for next season's impact players, according to Coach P.J. Fleck.  

"But as you can see in college football, the way it's changed, there's a lot of people who have entered the portal, there's a lot of people who are finding new destinations, and that gives an opportunity for a lot of young players who, they might have played three games and still have an opportunity to red shirt," Fleck said. "A lot of young players might get their first opportunity in the bowl game, and so it is an extension going into next year."

Fleck says the team is planning to leave for New York on Christmas Day. The Pinstripe Bowl is on Dec. 29 and 1 p.m. CT.