Analysis: Gophers await their bowl assignment. Yes, Nashville is in the mix. No, Detroit is not.

MADISON, WIS. – Nick Kallerup jogged from one end zone to the other at Camp Randall Stadium on Friday, proudly displaying the spoils of victory — Paul Bunyan’s Axe — as Gophers teammates skipped alongside the senior tight end, eager to complete the chopping of the second goalpost.

Minnesota fans made their way down to the front rows for an up-close view of the revelry, replacing the Wisconsin fans who had filed out into the cold, windy afternoon.

With their methodical 24-7 triumph over the Badgers, the Gophers won the border battle for the third time in four years and fourth time in P.J. Fleck’s eight years in Dinkytown. They went 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten games, and after Saturday’s results trickled in, they finished in a seventh-place tie with Michigan in the conference standings. This coming from a team that Las Vegas oddsmakers originally pegged as a 4.5-win team for over-under wagers and one that Big Ten media members picked for 12th among the league’s 18 teams.

Granted, a 7-5 record isn’t something over which to throw a parade. And with a 3-4 record in one-score games, the Gophers had the potential to accomplish more had they been a bit sharper on a select few plays. Still, a victory over their archrival to complete the regular season serves as a step forward, especially compared with the 5-7 regular-season record in 2023 that was capped by an 0-4 November.

The Gophers also can take pride in the fact that they not only ended Wisconsin’s season, they also ended the Badgers’ 22-year streak of qualifying for a bowl game.

Even those new to the rivalry, such as graduate transfer cornerback Ethan Robinson, realized its significance.

“It was one of those things where I’m doing it for the brother next to me, before I got on the field,” Robinson said. “As the game went on, you get a feel and a sense of what it really means to get the axe. I felt myself a part of it by the mid-third quarter, fully, like I’ve been here for four years.”

With the regular season complete, there’s a pressing question: What is the Gophers’ bowl destination?

They’ll find out Sunday. The 12-team College Football Playoff field will be announced at 11 a.m. Sunday on ESPN, and the remainder of the bowl assignments will follow. Where Minnesota ends up depends in part on how many Big Ten teams make the playoff field. The consensus is that Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State and Indiana earn playoff bids.

If those four Big Ten teams are in the playoff, there’s a strong chance that Illinois (9-3) ends up in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 in Orlando, and Iowa (8-4) lands in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 in Tampa. The wild card, however, is Michigan, which improved to 7-5 with its 13-10 upset of Ohio State. The Wolverines and their legion of followers could be attractive for ReliaQuest officials to select over Iowa. Big Ten officials work with bowl honchos to place the teams.

For the Gophers, Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Jan. 3, Charlotte, vs. ACC opponent) and the Music City (Dec. 30, Nashville, vs. SEC opponent) appear to be the two most likely destinations. Michigan/Iowa and Nebraska (6-6) could be Minnesota’s competition for either bowl.

The bowl of choice for many Gophers fans is the Music City with Nashville’s festive nightlife. Minnesota played in that bowl three times in the early 2000s, but its last appearance there was in 2005. Nebraska hasn’t been to a bowl since the 2016 season, when the Cornhuskers played in Nashville.

The Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 28, New York) could make sense for Nebraska, especially since Rutgers played there last year and the Gophers played there two years ago.

The Rate Bowl (Dec. 26, Phoenix) could be the best fit for Rutgers. If the Gophers aren’t taken by the Duke’s Mayo Bowl or the Music City Bowl, they could end up in Phoenix, though they did play there three years ago.

For fans tired of the Gophers ending up in Detroit, that won’t be an option if the Big Ten lands four teams in the playoff. When Rutgers beat Michigan State on Saturday, it prevented the Spartans from reaching bowl eligibility, leaving the Big Ten one team short to fill the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in that scenario.