The Minnesota Gophers ended an 11 year bowl winning drought as they defeated Central Michigan 21-14 on Monday in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

The last bowl game win for Minnesota came in 2004 at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, TN.

The defense seemed to be the difference for the Gophers as they held the Chippewas to only 248 total yards total offense and a average of 4.3 yards per play.

Offensively for Minnesota, QB Mitch Leidner played one of his better games as a Gopher as he completed 24 of 30 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown and only one INT as he led the Gophers to the win.

This was the first bowl game under Tracy Claeys who took over as head coach for Minnesota after Jerry Kill retired earlier this year because of health reasons.

Kill though was in the building to watch his Gophers end that losing streak in bowl games and send off the seniors that he had recruited to the university.

Minnesota ended the season still with a losing record as they were one of three teams entering the bowl season with a losing record.  They end the season with a 6-7 mark.

 

 

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