Dec 28, 2021; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P. J. Fleck (center) celebrates with the trophy alongside players Tyler Nubin (left) and Ky Thomas (right) after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Analyst predicts Gophers to play in familiar Arizona bowl game

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Tony Liebert | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:58 AM ET

It was announced that longtime college football analyst Brett McMurphy joined On3 on Monday, and he immediately released his patented bowl projections, which slotted the Gophers into the Rate Bowl against TCU.

The Rate Bowl has gone through a handful of different names. Gophers fans are familiar with the Insight Bowl, a game they played in three times within four years in the early 2000s. It most recently switched names from the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, which Minnesota beat West Virginia in during the 2021 season.

Related: Gophers announce four players will join P.J. Fleck at annual Big Ten Media Days

If Minnesota plays in a bowl game this season, it would mark the fifth straight season, which is a program-best since 2012-2016. The shortened season in 2020 interrupted what would be a seven-year streak for P.J. Fleck.

Predictions for Gophers football are all over the place heading into 2025, which is in large part due to having a new starting quarterback for the fourth straight season. Most analysts think Minnesota will go bowling this postseason, thanks to a relatively favorable schedule.

A meeting with TCU would be Minnesota's first against the Horned Frogs since a home-and-home series in 2014 and 2015. The Gophers are one of 12 Big Ten teams projected to make a bowl game according to McMurphy's list.