Five takeaways from the Gophers' 30-24 win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl:
1. Darius Taylor is a difference-maker
Gophers true freshman running back Darius Taylor missed the final five games of the regular season because of a leg injury, didn't play in earlier contests against Louisiana and Michigan and had only one carry for 3 yards in the opener against Nebraska. On Tuesday, the Detroit native reminded the Gophers faithful of what they were missing by producing career highs of 35 carries and 208 yards in the Quick Lane Bowl. Taylor capped the bowl MVP effort by scoring the decisive touchdown on a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter and ripping off a 10-yard run that enabled the Gophers to go into victory formation. Coach P.J. Fleck even said Taylor was slated as his emergency quarterback if Cole Kramer and Max Shikenjanski were injured.
2. Can a QB who throws for 26 yards be productive?
The answer is yes. Cole Kramer, begged by Fleck to play in the bowl game after Athan Kaliakmanis hit the transfer portal, went out on a high note, leading the Gophers to four touchdowns. Though he went only 8-for-16 for 26 yards passing, Kramer had two TD throws, rushed for a TD and set up a field goal with a 31-yard run. His one interception came when Bowling Green linebacker Cashius Howell hit him just as he released a second-quarter pass. Kramer also played through a lower leg injury suffered in the second quarter. "What an ending to his career,'' Fleck said.
3. Special teams come up big
During the regular season, the Gophers had only seven punt returns as they employed a play-it-safe strategy. Tuesday, they took an aggressive approach, and it paid off. Quentin Redding's 27-yard punt return in the third quarter set up Kramer's 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jameson Geers that stretched the Gophers' lead to 23-10. In the fourth quarter, Minnesota's kick return game came up big when Le'Meke Brockington returned a kickoff 51 yards after Bowling Green cut the lead to 23-17. That return led to Taylor's 17-yard TD run that stretched the lead to 30-17.
4. Jah Joyner had a huge game
