Minnesota Golden Gophers at Virginia Tech Hokies

Minnesota beats Virginia Tech 24-10 in Duke's Mayo Bowl for 8th straight bowl victory

Then the 44-year-old coach strapped on a Duke's Mayo Bowl necktie and — with his players watching and chanting “Mayo! Mayo!" — was drenched on a chilly 40-degree night, a celebration that has become part of the game tradition.

“I told our players if they had 15 tubs of those, I would have done all 15," Fleck said. "It's worth it to be a champion at the end of the year.”

Max Brosmer threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, Darius Taylor ran for 113 yards a TD and also threw for a score and the Golden Gophers extended their bowl winning streak to eight with a 24-10 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night.

Elijah Spencer had six catches for 81 yards and two TDs for Minnesota (8-5) and was selected the game's MVP after returning to Charlotte, where he played two seasons for the 49ers.

“It was big time because I didn't think I would have another opportunity to play in front of all of my friends and family,” Spencer said. "A lot of friends and family haven't seen me play since I went to Minnesota, so being able to play in my backyard, hey, why not?'

Said Fleck: "It's a little ironic. And it's a fitting end to his career. He had two really great years with us."

For Fleck it was another victorious bowl victory — his sixth in a row at Minnesota.

“In the era 2024-25 is it really difficult to build a team and connect a team, but it is way easier when you have a group of men like these guys," Fleck said.

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.

Schlee and William 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 for a 7-0 lead.

But the Hokies couldn't sustain the momentum.

Minnesota rattled of 21 consecutive points in the second quarter behind Spencer, who hauled in a 10-yard halfback option pass from 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.

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 Watson’s pass in the end zone, essentially sealing the game with 4:24 remaining.

“Offensively, we got in the red zone and we couldn't score," Pry said. “We get down there and we have to score.”

Takeaways Minnesota: It took a while for the Golden Gophers to get going, but three touchdowns in the second quarter proved to be the difference. “It’s one of the great traditions of bowl games and I hope we never ever go away from bowl games," Fleck said of the mayo bath. ""I think it is what makes college bowl games special.”

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. “I'm hopeful and encouraged about where we are at,” Pry said.

Bowl-record boot Virginia Tech's John Love made a bowl-record 60-yard field goal at the end of the first half.

Celebrity mascot 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. He also helped with the mayo pour.

Stay in the box 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. "We are going to fight for every inch and I thought there were couple of calls I thought were missed," Pry said.