The Minnesota Golden Gophers head west to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers, in the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix. Minnesota is coming off of a huge upset win over ranked Wisconsin, to take back Paul Bunyan’s axe, and collective bragging rights. The Gophers did so by shutting down Badgers’ star running back Braelon Allen, and holding him to only 47 yards. But Minnesota won’t have to worry about stopping the run game, after West Virginia running back Leddie Brown opted out of the bowl game for Draft prep. 
Game Information
Game: Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Date: Tuesday, December 28
Time: 9:15 CT
Location: Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona
Spread: (Minnesota -5), O/U 45
What’s At Stake
Minnesota
The Gophers have had a season that you could say was crazy. From multiple running back injuries, to losing to Bowling Green it sure has been a wild one. The only thing Minnesota has left to do, is to send off their seniors with one last win.
West Virginia
West Virginia lost their main offensive weapon in Brown, and will have to try and find a different way to get yards from scrimmage. The Mountaineers will be relying on Tony Mathis to bring them yards in the run game. Mathis has 256 yards on 59 rushes this season, including an 100+ performance last week against Kansas.
Keys To The Game
Minnesota
The Gophers just need to keep doing what they’ve been doing the whole year, and trust their offense and defense. The trust issues have been a lingering problem all year for PJ Fleck, and has affected the offensive play calling all year. But since the Gophers are coming off a satisfactory win against Wisconsin, everything should be in tune for the last game of the 2021 season.
West Virginia
With Brown out, The Mountaineers will straight up just need to count on quarterback Jarret Doege to get the job done. Doege has been shaky all year, but has picked up through the last couple games of the season. Doege has recorded a multi-touchdown game in the air, in his past three games.
Prediction
Minnesota’s run game will remain strong, and will record two rushing touchdowns, including one from Ky Thomas and the other from Mar’Kiese Irving. Tanner Morgan will also have a strong game and dot two touchdown passes on his own. It will be a rather quiet game for West Virginia’s offense, as they will be put up to the test against Minnesota’s defense.
FINAL SCORE: Minnesota 34, West Virginia 17
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