CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Max Brosmer threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, Darius Taylor ran for 113 yards a TD and also threw for a score and Minnesota extended its bowl winning streak to eight with a 24-10 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Elijah Spencer had six catches for 81 yards and two TDs for the Golden Gophers (8-5). They improved to 6-0 in bowl games under coach P.J. Fleck, who got the bowl’s traditional mayo bath after the game.
Backup quarterback Collins Schlee ran for a touchdown and Ayden Greene had six catches for 115 yards for the Hokies (6-7). They’ve lost five of their last six bowl games.
The Golden Gophers outgained the Hokies 403-223.
With Minnesota up 24-10, Dante Lovett intercepted Brosmer’s to give the Hokies the ball at the Minnesota 15 and a last chance at a comeback midway through the fourth quarter. But the Hokies couldn’t convert as Za’Quan Bryan intercepted William Watson’s pass in the end zone, essentially sealing the game with 4:24 remaining.
Schlee and Watson split time at quarterback for Virginia Tech, with neither eclipsing 100 yards passing.
The Hokies failed to pick up a first down in three series under Watson, so coach Brent Pry switched to Schlee on the and he provided instance offense with a 67-yard strike to Greene to set up his own 3-yard touchdown run.
But the Hokies couldn’t sustain the momentum.
Minnesota rattled of 21 consecutive points behind Spencer, a transfer from Charlotte, who hauled in a 10-yard halfback option pass from Darius Taylor and a 12-yard TD toss from Brosmer over the middle on back-to-back possessions. Taylor then made it 21-7 when he raced around left end on a 28-yard run.
Minnesota: It took a while for the Golden Gophers to get going, but three touchdowns in the second quarter proved to be the difference. The defense took care of the rest as the Hokies couldn’t muster much on offense.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies came in with 14 new starters — seven on each side of the ball — after several players either opted out or entered the transfer portal leading up to the game.
Virginia Tech’s John Love made a bowl-record 60-yard field goal at the end of the first half.
Word leaked out during the game that there was a celebrity serving as “Tubby,” the bowl game’s mascot which resembles a large yellow-and-white mayonnaise jar. It turns out to be hip-hop artist Flavor Flav, with his identity being revealed shortly after the game.
Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry received a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the second quarter when he raced down the sideline to about the 15 — well outside of the coach’s box — to argue a call with the officials.
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