Odds, prediction, and how to watch 2023 Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota vs. Bowling Green

After a two-day break for Christmas, the college football bowl schedule picks up in earnest this week. It's officially bowl week as they say and the first game up is the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

We almost didn't have the traditional Big Ten vs. MAC game in the Quick Lane Bowl. The Big Ten didn't have enough bowl eligible teams, but Minnesota, due to its academic APR, was rated as the most-deserving 5-7 team.

So you've got the 5-7 Minnesota football squad in what was the most disappointing season of the P.J. Fleck era. In the last three full seasons (not counting 2020) Minnesota football had won at least nine games. This year, they finished 4-7 after a season-opening win over Nebraska.

Bowling Green, on the other hand, won five of its last six games just to get bowling. The Falcons played Michigan competitively earlier this season and intercepted J.J. McCarthy three times. Bowling Green remains the only team besides TCU in last year's playoff to force McCarthy into multiple turnovers in the same game.

The Falcons struggle to score and rank 72nd in scoring. However, Minnesota is even wrose and ranks 115th in scoring offense, while averaging just over 300 total yards per game. Cole Kramer will also be making his first career starter after Athan Kaliakmanis entered the transfer portal. Kramer attempted two passes during the regular season. He didn't have a completion but did have an interception.

Darius Taylor is a promising freshman back who averaged 5.7 yards per attempt this season. Jordan Nubin also had a breakout game against Michigan State, rushing for 204 yards, while also gaining 93 in a season-ending loss to Wisconsin. Connor Bazelak leads the way for Bowling Green, but the key for the Falcons will be taking the ball away. They averaged 2.3 takeaways per game during the season, as well as allowing just 3.9 yards per rush. If they can maintain those numbers, they'll pull the upset.

Quick Lane Bowl odds

Minnesota is a 3.5-point favorite in the Quick Lane Bowl according to DraftKings. The over/under is 39.5 while the money line is -180 for Minnesota and +150 for Bowling Green.

Quick Lane Bowl how to watch

• Date: Tuesday, December 26
• Time: 2:00 PM EST
• Venue: Ford Field (Detroit)
• How to Watch: ESPN

Quick Lane Bowl prediction

Minnesota is a flawed team. But this is a chance for the Gophers to end their season on a high note and for Cole Kramer to lay claim to the starting job. Minnesota will win the trenches and take care of the ball well enough to avoid the upset at the hands of a Power-5 opponent.

Prediction: Minnesota 23, Bowling Green 16