Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota Survives Against Bowling Green With Strong Run Game

Heading into Tuesday's Quick Lane Bowl, the Bowling Green State University Falcons had already secured their first season with a winning record since 2015. A bowl win would have been a nice cherry on top for Scot Loeffler's team. 

However, it simply wasn't to be for BGSU. 

PJ Fleck and the Golden Gophers held on for a 30-24 victory in Detroit. It's Minnesota's third consecutive bowl win and their fifth overall bowl victory under Fleck. Minnesota are undefeated in bowl games under Fleck.

Here's what stood out from the first bowl game of Tuesday's slate.

A Better Second Half for The Gophers

In the first half, Bowling Green more than held their own with Minnesota, even taking a one-point lead into the halftime break. The third and fourth quarters allowed for the Big Ten side to turn a corner. In the third quarter specifically, Minnesota ran 20 plays to gain 117 yards while Bowling Green ran nine plays to gain six yards. While Bowling Green did score with 2:33 remaining to make it a one-score game, their ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful.

A major catalyst for the Gophers' win was the performance of running back Darius Taylor, who carried 35 times for 208 yards and a touchdown. On that note...

No Passing Needed For Minnesota

BGSU had significantly more success passing the ball than Minnesota did on Tuesday. The Falcons passed for 221 yards, while Minnesota had 26 pass yards. However, Minnesota quarterback Cole Kramer passed for two touchdowns and one interception. The Gophers completed just one pass in the second half. 

What's particularly notable about Minnesota pulling away in the second half is how they did it with less than a handful of explosive plays. The Gophers had just one play go for more than 20 yards in the second half. 

What's Next For BGSU?

Under Loeffler, the Falcons have shown incremental improvement. While it didn't pan out this time, a winning season is a step in the right direction. The jump of the last two years could move the Falcons into a place where they can be more serious contender in the MAC for years to come.