In an expected result, the Gopher football team is headed to Houston to play in the Texas Bowl Dec. 27.
It is Minnesota’s second consecutive year playing their bowl game in Houston, as they lost to Texas Tech in the Meineke Car Care Bowl 34-31 last season.
Minnesota was projected to face Texas Tech again, but Syracuse won their final game to become bowl eligible, and the Texas Bowl elected to go that route, with the Orange accepting the invitation.
Early steam had the maroon and gold in the Gator Bowl, a more prestigious Jan. 1 game, but the Big Ten will be represented by Nebraska in that one, as they’ll take on Georgia.
The meeting between Minnesota and Syracuse will be of the something’s-got-to-give ilk, as the Gophers finished the season 34th in rushing yards, while the Orange didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher the entire season.
Syracuse also relies on the run, and they do it well, ranking 39th of 125 FBS teams.
What are the Gophers chances? Well, the Orange lost to No. 2 Florida State 59-3 last month and were shut out by unranked Georgia Tech 56-0 earlier this season.
That being said, they’ve taken care of business against the teams they should, beating Wake Forest and Maryland among others, in low scoring affairs.
The game is set for a 5 p.m. kickoff and will be shown on ESPN.
