Golden Gophers one of those teams that reached the postseason with a losing 5-7 mark, and while they finished the year with five losses in their last six games, we still believe they are the better team in this Quick Lane Bowl matchup against Central Michigan. That 1-5 losing streak to end the year had everything to do with their tough schedule, falling against Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, and Wisconsin - all teams that are playing in other bowl games.
What we like about Minnesota is how they played in those losses, losing by three points vs. Michigan, by five points vs. Iowa, and even playing TCU tough in a six-point loss to start the season (back when TCU was at full strength). Central Michigan played well against the lesser teams in the MAC Conference, but they are not at the level to hang with a quality Power 5 Conference team. Gophers pull away in the second half and cover this one by a comfortable margin!