Minnesota Vs. New Mexico - Rate Bowl - Media Predictions

[IceBoxGopher]

Bowl season predictions, let's go.

ESPN sides with New Mexico, 24-20
When it comes to outsized coaching personalities, few bowl matchups will deliver better than Jason Eck (New Mexico) and P.J. Fleck (Minnesota). Eck, a former Wisconsin lineman who is familiar with Minnesota from his playing days, won Mountain West Coach of the Year honors in his debut season with New Mexico, which tied for first in the league and went 6-0 at home for the first time since 1934.

The Lobos haven't played in a bowl outside their home state since 2004, but will be well-represented in Phoenix. My lean is New Mexico, but Fleck is excellent in bowls, going 6-0 at Minnesota with a Rate Bowl victory in 2021. Tough call here, but I'm riding with the Lobos, who win their 10th game for the first time since 1982

Sporting News has New Mexico winning 28-26
P.J. Fleck wins bowl games. He's led the Gophers to six straight bowl victories, and he is 7-2 in the postseason as a head coach. Will New Mexico – led by Jason Eck – cap off a 10-win season here? The Lobos have allowed 113.4 rushing yards per game and closed the season on a six-game winning streak.

College Football News picks Minnesota, 34-16
This might be my favorite bowl matchup. Minnesota ALWAYS brings it in the bowl season under PJ Fleck, and New Mexico super-nasty with its defense and running game. The Big Ten team wins, but it’s a fight.

Sports Book Wire (USA Today) takes New Mexico, 26-22
New Mexico has won three of the six games it has played as an underdog this season.

 

[restovich]

I do like the fact that *some* national commentators are noticing that we win Bowl Games.

Really difficult to do better than 8 in a row! Let's make it nine!

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

NM has some decent wins, but they also lost to a terrible SJSU team. If the Gophers show up interested in beating the Lobos, they should win by two scores.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

If you're there you might as well win! Lets go!

 

[LesBolstad]

Gophers open 3.5 favorites; current line -2.5

Should be a close game. We better get the run game going and have a pass rush

 

[caliGopher]

If we show up and play football ala Nebraska, the game will be fun to watch, and we should be able to give some reps to younger players who didn't see the field too much without burning eligibility.

If we look at the metrics, decide we should win, show up, and play to let them make mistakes, that let us win, aka play Fleckball (or Temu Tressel Ball if you prefer), the game will be slow, the score tight, and boring as hell to watch. Hopefully, we won't need heroics like Purdue or Michigan State to seal the deal, and we don't lose DT for the first game next year because he runs 35 times.

 

[gopherphil]

Definitely some dinks in that group.