Minnesota Gophers are Bowl Bound

When I was a kid more than four decades ago, there were just a few bowl games. Now there are 41 and even teams with losing records like the Minnesota Gophers have been invited to play. Here is a listing of the 2015-2016 college football bowl games. Times listed are Central.

December 19

• Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl: Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T in Atlanta/Georgia Dome, 11AM
• Cure Bowl: San Jose State vs. Georgia State in Orlando/Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, 11AM
• Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Arizona vs. New Mexico in Albuquerque/University Stadium, 1PM
• Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl: BYU vs. Utah in Las Vegas / Sam Boyd Stadium, 2:30PM
• Raycom Media Camellia Bowl: Ohio vs. Appalachian State in Montgomery, Alabama/Cramton Bowl, 4:30PM
• R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech in New Orleans/Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 8PM

December 21

• Miami Beach Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. South Florida in Miami, Florida/Marlins Park, 1:30PM

December 22 (my birthday)

• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Akron vs. Utah State in Boise, Idaho/Albertsons Stadium, 2:30PM
• Marmot Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Temple in Boca Raton, Florida/FAU Stadium, 6PM

December 23

• San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Boise State vs. Northern Illinois in San Diego/Qualcomm Stadium, 3:30PM
• GoDaddy Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green in Mobile, Alabama/Ladd-Peebles Stadium, 7PM

December 24

• Popeye Bahamas Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan in Nassau, Bahamas/ Robinson National Stadium, 11AM
• Hawaii Bowl: San Diego State vs. Cincinnati in Honolulu/Aloha Stadium, 7PM

December 26

• St. Petersburg Bowl: Connecticut vs. Marshall in St. Petersburg, Flordia/Tropicana Field, 10AM
• Hyundai Sun Bowl: Miami vs. Washington State in El Paso, Texas/Sun Bowl Stadium, 1PM
• Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: Washington vs. Southern Miss in Dallas, Texas/Cotton Bowl Stadium, 1:20PM
• New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Indiana vs. Duke in Bronx, New York/Yankee Stadium, 2:30PM
• Camping World Independence Bowl: Tulsa vs. Virginia Tech in Shreveport, Louisiana/Independence Stadium, 4:45PM
• Foster Farms Bowl: UCLA vs. Nebraska in Santa Clara, California/Levi's Stadium, 8:15PM

December 28

• Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman: Pittsburgh vs. Navy in Annapolis, Maryland/Jack Stephens Field Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 1:30PM
• Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota vs. Central Michigan in Detroit/Ford Field, 4PM

December 29

• Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: California vs. Air Force in Fort Worth, Texas/Amon G. Carter Stadium, 1PM
• Russell Athletic Bowl: North Carolina vs. Baylor in Orlando, Florida/Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, 4:30PM
• NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl: Nevada vs. Colorado State in Tuscon, Arizona/Arizona Stadium, 6:30PM
• AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl: LSU vs. Texas Tech in Houston, Texas/NRG Stadium, 8PM

December 30

• Birmingham Bowl: Auburn vs. Memphis in Birmingham, Alabama/Legion Field, 11AM
• Belk Bowl: NC State vs. Mississippi State in Charlotte, N.C./Bank of America Stadium, 2:30PM
• Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Louisville in Nashville/LP Field, 6PM
• Holiday Bowl: USC vs. Wisconsin in San Diego/Qualcomm Stadium, 9:30PM

December 31

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Houston vs. Flordia State in Atlanta/Georgia Dome, 11AM
• College Football Playoff Semifinal at Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Clemson in Miami Gardens, Florida/Sun Life Stadium, 3PM
• College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2 Alabama in Arlington, Texas/AT&T Stadium, 7PM

January 1

• Outback Bowl: Northwestern vs. Tennessee in Tampa, Florida/Raymond James Stadium, 11AM
• Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl: Orlando, Florida/Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, noon
• Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State in Glendale, Arizona/University of Phoenix Stadium, noon
• Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual: Stanford vs. Iowa in Pasadena, California/Rose Bowl, 4PM
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss in New Orleans/Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 7:30PM

January 2

• TaxSlayer Bowl: Penn State vs. Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida/Everbank Field, 11AM
• AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Kansas State vs. Arkansas in Memphis/Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, 2:20PM
• Valero Alamo Bowl: Oregon vs. TCU in San Antonio, Texas/Alamodome, 5:45PM
• Motel 6 Cactus Bowl: West Virginia vs. Arizona State in Phoenix/Chase Field, 9:15PM (they'll leave the light on for you)

January 11

• College Football National Championship Presented by AT&T in Glendale, Arizona/University of Phoenix Stadium, 7:30PM

Last year I took in the Citrus Bowl when the Gophers traveled to Orlando and lost to Missouri. It was a great time in the sun and I know many other Faribault people made the trip. For example, Franz Boelter was there on the other side of the field.

I got my tickets early and ended up on the Missouri side of the field.

Believe me when I say I think I had more fun over there.

I will not be going to Detroit to take in this year's game because I frankly don't think a losing team should be invited to a bowl game.

A team should have to earn a trip, besides the thought of going to Detroit for the New Year doesn't excite me.

Had the Gophers been invited to San Diego, Honolulu or even somewhere in Florida again I probably would have gone.

Do you think the Gophers should have turned down the invitation?

I'd love to find out what you think.