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History suggests that Minnesota takes bowl games more seriously than many other teams.

The Golden Gophers will put that theory to the test when they kick off against Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

Minnesota (7-5) closed the regular season with five wins in seven games, including a 24-7 victory over Wisconsin in the regular-season finale.

Virginia Tech (6-6) lost three of its last four games but secured a bowl invitation with a 37-17 win against Virginia in the finale.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck knows he likely will deal with a short-handed roster because of injuries and opt-outs, but he is eager to maintain his program’s success in the postseason. The Golden Gophers have won seven consecutive bowl games dating to the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl, which marks the longest winning streak in the nation, not including title games.

Fleck said his players are looking forward to competing on the national stage.

“One, it’s a celebration of 2024, so you’re preparing for an elite opponent from the ACC in Virginia Tech,” he said. “Two, you want to continue to get other guys better, so it’s an extension of spring ball — it’s pre-spring ball.

“You want to be able to bring the floor of your program up, and you want to see who’s really going to help you next year.”

Virginia Tech also hopes to finish this season on a winning note and head into the 2025 campaign with momentum.

Hokies coach Brent Pry did not specify which players would opt out for the game, but he acknowledged that some younger and less experienced players could get an opportunity to play.

“It is challenging,” Pry said. “We’re going to be young in some places. We’re going to be inexperienced. But to me, these bowl practices have been awesome for these guys. I’m excited about the opportunity for a bunch of them. I also think that they are getting better practice-by-practice.

“There are young guys stepping up, making plays, executing better. So I’m excited about that part. Minnesota’s a really good team. They’re veterans, they’ve got good size, they’ve got good experience. So it’s going to be a challenge for us. But I like the way we’re approaching it right now.”

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer has committed to play in the bowl game. He threw for 2,617 yards and 17 touchdowns against five interceptions during the regular season.

Darius Taylor led the way in rushing with 873 yards and nine touchdowns.

Quarterback Kyron Drones paced Virginia Tech with 1,562 passing yards for 10 TDs, with six interceptions. He battled injuries that included a knee strain, a stress fracture and turf toe, Pry said.

Bhayshul Tuten topped the Hokies on the ground with 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media