Quick Lane Bowl Media Prediction Thread: Minnesota vs Bowling Green

BleedGopher

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ESPN first out of the gate:

Tuesday, Dec. 26

Quick Lane Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Minnesota


Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

The Gophers are the only five-win team in this year's bowl field, and they head to Detroit to face a Bowling Green squad that beat them in 2021 and is making consecutive appearances in the Quick Lane Bowl. Coach Scot Loeffler's team leads the FBS in takeaways with 27, and will lean on a defense featuring linebacker Darren Anders and cornerbacks Jordan Oladokun and Jalen Huskey, who each have four interceptions. Minnesota dropped its final four games and lost quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to the portal. Bowling Green scores late for the win.

Prediction: Bowling Green 23, Minnesota 21


Go Gophers!!
 

Sporting News chimes in:

Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota (-5.5) vs. Bowling Green
Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2 p.m., ESPN, Detroit

Bowling Green beat Minnesota 14-10 in 2021, and chances are P.J. Fleck has not forgotten about that. The question for the Gophers is whether a defense that allowed 35.2 ppg. in four straight losses to end the season holds up against the Falcons – who have a top-50 scoring defense. Big Ten teams are 3-1 S/U in the Quick Lane Bowl.

Pick: Minnesota wins 29-22 and COVERS the spread.


Go Gophers!!
 

CFN chimes in:

Quick Lane Bowl​

Minnesota vs Bowling Green
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
2:00 pm ET, ESPN

No Research Instant Analysis: Minnesota might be 5-7, and it might not be very good offensively, and Bowling Green has a D to keep this close, and … full Power Five snob time. There might be a ton of problems with the Gophers, but they’ll run, rely on the D, and they don't lose bowl games, taking down their last six.

First Thought Bowl Prediction: Minnesota 24, Bowling Green 16


Go Gophers!!
 

PJ gets teams ready for Bowl Games. He seems to place a high value on them.
can Cole Kramer pass? Have we ever seen him pass? had been a wild cat QB until recently.
Does Cody Lindenberg play? the drop off after him is enormous.

Gophers 21-17.
 

This is going to be an interesting game to see how the predictions go because it is going to be tough for anyone to say what our offense is going to look like. Assuming Taylor is back for the bowl game that should really help but Kramer will have to show he can throw enough to keep BG from just loading up to stop the run.
 


Does anyone think Shikenjanski might get a little time? I am already intrigued to watch this game. Hope to see plenty of Taylor.......
 

PJ gets teams ready for Bowl Games. He seems to place a high value on them.
can Cole Kramer pass? Have we ever seen him pass? had been a wild cat QB until recently.
Does Cody Lindenberg play? the drop off after him is enormous.

Gophers 21-17.
Did you watch the game at UNC?
 


Does anyone think Shikenjanski might get a little time? I am already intrigued to watch this game. Hope to see plenty of Taylor.......
If he does it means the game is an absolute blowout or things went really really sideways.
 



This is going to be an interesting game to see how the predictions go because it is going to be tough for anyone to say what our offense is going to look like. Assuming Taylor is back for the bowl game that should really help but Kramer will have to show he can throw enough to keep BG from just loading up to stop the run.
Like they were able to do in 2021.
 






PJ gets teams ready for Bowl Games. He seems to place a high value on them.
can Cole Kramer pass? Have we ever seen him pass? had been a wild cat QB until recently.
Does Cody Lindenberg play? the drop off after him is enormous.

Gophers 21-17.
What media outlet do you work for?
 



Does anyone think Shikenjanski might get a little time? I am already intrigued to watch this game. Hope to see plenty of Taylor.......
It's so PJ to play his back-ups. I mean, he wouldn't put a backup in this past season even at the end of a blowout. It would have made sense then. Maybe after 7 seasons he's learning his lesson?

If Taylor plays in this game, PJ should be fired*. Taylor is the only offensive weapon we have for next year. He's been banged up. Playing in this meaningless game makes no sense.

So I expect he'll get 35 carries.

*I don't think PJ Fleck would actually be fired, so calm down Flecktites. His ability to run running backs into the ground borders on legendary. This is not the game or situation to risk 2024 on.
 
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Is Lindenberg still injured? He hardly played this year due to injury(s). Was it one serious injury, or several ones that kept him out of games? What is his injury that might keep him out of the bowl game?
 

A lot of these bowls games are won by the team that is more motivated for it and I think the Gophers are very motivated right now. They want to erase all the bad feelings of the last 4 games and I think PJ Fleck really goes for these bowl games. Add to the fact it's a chance to avenge maybe his most embarrassing loss during his Gopher tenure. They should be able to run on the Falcons and I think the Gophers take them 24-17.

Book another bowl victory for the Gophers!!
 


Some more predictions as we get closer to gameday
Fox Sports is going with Minnesota
BGSU has been among the more overlooked teams in the MAC this season, coming closer than expected to capturing a division title. There is still have a tall task at hand, however, even with the Gophers backing into the bowl at 5-7.

Sports Illustrated’s College Football HQ has Bowling Green getting the victory
Bowling Green over Minnesota, in a big win over a Power Five team thanks to its aggressive defense and the Gophers' change at QB.

Hero Sports is taking Bowling Green
I’m picking Bowling Green to win and cover the spread at +4. I believe the defenses for Bowling Green and Minnesota will thrive in this matchup. The Falcons were in the top five in the MAC in scoring defense (23.5 points per game allowed) while the Gophers gave up 26.9 points per game, which was 10th in the Big Ten.

But I think Bowling Green is simply playing better recently. The Gophers haven’t won since October, while the Falcons have won each of their last six contests except their one-point loss against Toledo.

I also believe Bowling Green’s offense, which ranked second in the MAC with 26.3 points per game scored in 2023, will score just enough to earn an upset.


Clutch Points is predicting a Bowling Green win
Minnesota is the favorite in this game and the public money is moving more towards them, possibly considering they are a Big Ten school against Bowling Green. Still, Bowling Green has a solid defense that can get to the passer.

Minnesota is missing a lot of the production on their offense, including not having a solid quarterback. It has already been seen in bowl season that not having the quarterback may not have an impact, but without any other playmakers, it will be in this one.


SportsKeeda has Minnesota coming away with the win
As the odds suggest, this should be a low-scoring and close game, as both teams are dealing with plenty of key players leaving in the transfer portal.

The Falcons' run game has been key to their success, and losing Keith is a big blow, as well as losing some key players in the secondary. Although Minnesota's starting quarterback is out of the game, the Golden Gophers will rely on running back Jordan Nubin to lead them to the win.


Sharp Football Analysis has picked Minnesota to win

At USA Today, four out of six writers are picking Minnesota to win.
 

STrib chimes in:

My expectation: Bowling Green has won five of six, so it won't be a pushover. This one goes overtime.

Gophers 23, Bowling Green 20, OT


Go Gophers!!
 




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