The Gophers beat Syracuse in 2012 and 2009.
The University of Minnesota has accepted an invitation to play Syracuse in the 2013 Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (CST) kickoff and will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Minnesota’s participation in the 2013 Texas Bowl marks the Golden Gophers’ 16th overall postseason bowl appearance and second straight under third-year coach Jerry Kill. The Gophers also played in the Texas Bowl in 2012.
Fans wishing to cheer on the Gophers in Houston are encouraged to visit Minnesota’s Bowl Central page on MyGopherSports.com for ticket information. Tickets are available for purchase online now. Fans can also buy tickets from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Athletics Ticket Office in Mariucci Arena or over the phone by calling 612-624-8080 or 1-800-846-7437.
Travel packages to the Texas Bowl, which include major bowl events and sight-seeing, will be available on MyGopherSports.com on Monday, Dec. 9.
The Gophers finished the regular season with an 8-4 record (4-4 Big Ten) and once again qualified for a bowl game under Kill. Minnesota, which was 3-9 two years ago and finished 6-7 last year, has become one of the best stories in college football after widely being picked to finish last in their division in Big Ten play.
After dropping conference games to Iowa and Michigan, Minnesota then won four straight Big Ten games, which is something it had not done since 1973. Included in the streak were wins against traditional powers Nebraska and Penn State. The Gophers ended a 16-game losing streak to the Huskers and claimed the Governor’s Victory Bell from the Nittany Lions for the first time since 2004. The Gophers have now won eight games 18 times overall and only seven times since 1960.
A win in the Texas Bowl would be Minnesota’s ninth win this season. It would also be the eighth time in program history and only the second time in the last 108 years that Minnesota would finish the season with nine wins. The Gophers won 10 games in 2003, but prior to that they last won nine games in one season in 1905.
Syracuse is 6-6 and became bowl eligible after a 34-31 home win against Boston College on Nov. 30. Minnesota is 3-1 all-time against Syracuse, recording wins in 1996, 2009 and 2012. The Gophers beat Syracuse 17-10 at home last season on the strength of two Donnell Kirkwood rushing touchdowns.