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University of Minnesota Athletics
Citrus Bowl Preview: Missouri vs. Minnesota
12/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
| Missouri (10-3) vs. Minnesota (8-4) | |
| Date | Thursday, January 1, 2015 |
| Time | 12 p.m. Central |
| Location | Orlando, Fla. |
| Television | ABC / WatchESPN |
| Radio | KFAN 100.3 / Gopher Radio Network |
| Internet | Listen Live / I Heart Radio App |
| Live Blog | Gophersports.com |
| Live Stats | |
| Bowl Media Guide | Minnesota |
| Social Media | @GopherFootball | Facebook |
Five Things You Need To Know
1. Minnesota will meet Missouri (Gophers are 3-4-1 all-time against the Tigers) on Jan. 1, 2015, in Orlando, Fla., in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. This is Minnesota first appearance in the historic Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, and it is the first time that Minnesota will play a bowl game in January in Florida. The Gophers last played in a January bowl game in 1962 when they beat UCLA 21-3 on Jan. 1, in the Rose Bowl. The Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl will be Minnesota's 17th bowl game all-time, but it will be only the second time that the Gophers will play in Florida. Minnesota previously played in the MicronPC.com Bowl on Dec. 28, 2000. Minnesota is 5-11 in bowl games all-time and has dropped its last six bowl games. Minnesota's last bowl win was a 20-16 victory against Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl.
2. The Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl will feature two Coach of the Year honorees in Minnesota's Jerry Kill and Missouri's Gary Pinkel. Kill was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the league's head coaches (Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year) and media (Dave McClain Coach of the Year) as he became the second Gopher coach ever to win the award (Glen Mason was 1999 Dave McClain Coach of the Year). Kill was named the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association for the second consecutive year. Kill is one of five FBSubdivision coaches, and the only repeat winner in Division I, to be named a 2014 Regional Coach of the Year. Kill was recognized by the AFCA for the fourth time, as he was named a Regional Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004 while at Southern Illinois.
3. Coach Kill was not the only Gopher recognized as being the best in the Big Ten. He was joined by tight end Maxx Williams and punter Peter Mortell. Williams was named the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year, while Mortell was named the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year. Both players also earned All-Big Ten First Team recognition from the conference media and coaches. Williams is the first Minnesota tight end to earn the honor since Matt Spaeth in 2006. Williams was also named to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team and the Walter Camp All-Aerican Second Team.
4. The Gophers are 8-4 this year after finishing last season with an 8-5 record. Minnesota has now posted back-to-back eight win seasons for the first time since 2002 (8 wins) and 2003 (10 wins). This is also only the fifth time since 1906 that Minnesota has won eight games in consecutive seasons (1934-35, 1940-41 and 1960-61). If Minnesota were to earn that ninth win this year, it would be only the eighth time in history that the Gophers hit that milestone and the second time in the last 109 years. Minnesota won 14 games in 1903; 13 in 1904; 10 in 2003, 1905, 1900 and nine in 1902 and 1901.
5. Minnesota ended the season ranked No. 25 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. The Gophers were one of four Big Ten teams to end the season ranked in the first year of the new poll (No. 4 Ohio State, No. 8 Michigan State and No. 18 Wisconsin). Minnesota is the first team receiving votes in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Poll.
You can view Minnesota's complete Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl media guide here.
