The Bowling Green Falcons (7-5) had their first winning season in eight years, and their reward is a date with the Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-7) in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. The Golden Gophers got a bowl bid on the basis of Academic Progress Rate, which is used to pick from among five-win teams when there are not enough six-win programs to fill the bowl slots. The sports betting line opened at Minnesota -4 ½ but has dropped a point since then. These two teams last met in 2021, and Bowling Green won despite entering as a 31-point underdog. Bowling Green is the only team from the MAC with more than one win over Minnesota. Can they do it again? Don’t miss our NCAAF Quick Lane Bowl betting prediction between Bowling Green vs Minnesota.
2023 College Football Quick Lane Bowl Odds: Bowling Green vs Minnesota
When: Tuesday, December 26, 2023, 1:00 pm ET
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
TV: ESPN
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: ESPN+
NCAAF Odds: Minnesota -3.5 / O/U 39.5 // Bowling Green +155 / Minnesota -180
Why should you bet on the Bowling Green Falcons?
Bowling Green won five of their last six games to finish the season strong; they opened just 2-3, but their losses came against Michigan and Georgia Tech. They also had a tough 32-31 loss to Toledo in November. Quarterback Connor Bazelak improved over the course of the season, throwing for 286 and 217 yards in his last two games, respectively. He also broke the 300-yard mark once and threw for 1,714 yards on the season with an 11:7 TD:INT ratio.
The Falcons’ offense focuses more on the run, though. Terion Stewart ran for 762 yards on the season, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and he ran for over 100 yards in two of his last three games. He will be a game-time decision on Tuesday, though. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr has 573 receiving yards, with at least 89 yards in three of his last four contests. The Falcons have hit 30 points in three consecutive games. On defense, they only allowed more than 27 points three times in conference play, and they only allowed Western Michigan to score 10 points. They did lose top cornerback Jalen Huskey to the transfer portal, along with linebacker Cashius Howell, who led the team with 9 ½ sacks.
Bet on Bowling Green to Win Today
| 2023 Quick Lane Bowl Odds | SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Golden Gophers | -3.5 | -180 | U 39.5 |
| Bowling Green Falcons | +3.5 | +155 | O 39.5 |
Why should you put your money on the Minnesota Golden Gophers?
The Golden Gophers lost their last four games of the regular season, so their momentum here is questionable at best. They did beat Iowa, who would go on to win the Big Ten West, and Michigan State, but their defense fell apart in the second half of the season as they lost to Illinois, 27-26, and Wisconsin, 28-14. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis entered the transfer portal, leaving Cole Kramer to start despite only having thrown 14 passes in his college career.
Tailback Darius Taylor ran for 591 yards before seeing his season end due to injury just five games in. Jordan Rubin ran for 93 yards in the loss to Wisconsin and will be the featured back on Tuesday. He has 535 yards on the season, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt. Wide receiver Daniel Jackson has 831 receiving yards and has posted 100-yard days in two of the last three games. The Gophers’ defense allowed a combined 89 points against Michigan and Ohio State.
Bet on Minnesota to Win Today
Bowling Green vs Minnesota Final Score and Prediction for the Quick Lane Bowl
Given that Minnesota has a novice at quarterback and cratered in the second half of the regular season, it’s hard to see them mustering a lot of effort against a MAC program. I see Bowling Green taking control of this game and grinding out a 24-16 win.
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Bowling Green vs Minnesota Quick Lane Bowl
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