Central Michigan Chippewas 14
Minnesota Gophers 21
The Minnesota Gophers beat Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl 21-14 Monday night in Detroit, Michigan.
Minnesota was invited to the bowl despite their 5-7 regular season record, qualifying for the 18th bowl game in program history and their fourth straight.
1. Bowl losing streak comes to an end
The win brings an end to Minnesota’s seven-game bowl losing streak. Prior to the Gophers’ victory Monday night they hadn’t won a bowl game since beating Alabama 20-16 in the 2006 Music City Bowl.
2. Leidner on target in the clutch
Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner played one of the best games of his college career. The junior connected on 24-of-30 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.
He looked to KJ Maye repeatedly for clutch third down conversions and Minnesota’s first touchdown.
He also broke free for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
Atta boy, Mitch. #QuickLaneBowl pic.twitter.com/1EG8UyaE0C
— Minnesota Golden Gophers (@GopherSports) December 29, 2015
He then found Maye once again on the two-point conversion.
Leidner was named the Capital One Player of the Game for his efforts.
3. Boddy-Calhoun ices it with a late INT
#BBC! pic.twitter.com/3XHjpEOaOc
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 29, 2015
Minnesota put the game away on an interception by Briean Boddy-Calhoun in the fourth quarter. The interception stopped a late Central Michigan drive and allowed the Gophers to nearly run out the clock.
Tweet of the Night:
Look who was back on the sidelines.
Great to have Coach Kill on the sidelines at today's @quicklanebowl! pic.twitter.com/Kr0inI2LLW
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) December 29, 2015
