D.J. Johnson returned an interception 39 yards and Ryan Bustin made a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give Texas Tech a 34-31 comeback victory over Minnesota on Friday night in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Seth Doege found Eric Ward on a short pass, and he outran a defender for a 35-yard scoring play to tie it at 31 with just more than a minute remaining. Read three things BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart spotted about the Golden Gophers while monitoring this bowl game, plus see video highlights and quarter0by-quarter recaps in this post.

Minnesota kicks off the first of seven football bowl games involving Big Ten teams when the Gophers face Texas Tech on Friday night. On Saturday, Michigan State plays TCU. On Sunday leading up to five Big Ten bowls on New Year’s Day, watch our “Bowl Preview Show” at 7 p.m. ET on BTN/BTN2Go.

This is a battle between programs looking to ascend the food chain in their respective conferences. Jerry Kill is in his second season in the Twin Cities, rallying the program to its first bowl since 2009. The extra practices will help hasten the development of this rising team.

(AP) A Texas Tech official says three Red Raiders won’t be playing against Minnesota in Friday’s Meineke Car Care Bowl because they violated team rules.

Every week this season, BTN.com’s Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) and Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) offered their predictions for each Big Ten football game and provided polls for fans to pick their winners. We’re doing the same this bowl season. Heading into the games, BTN.com fans are atop the season standings, two games ahead of Dienhart. See our bowl predictions and choose your winners in this post.

There are seven Big Ten teams in bowl games. And there would be two more, if not for Ohio State and Penn State being on probation. What’s the best quarterback duel? Wheres’ the best chance for an upset? Which game is the best candidate for a good, old shootout?

One of the perks of going to a bowl is the gifts players receive. The Sports Business Daily recently chronicled what each bowl gives to participating players. Here’s a look at the swag that Big Ten players will receive at each game.

The bowl matchups are set as the Big Ten filled seven of its eight bowl slots. Four of the matchups are rematches of previous bowls. Here is a quick take on each bowl, with more analysis in coming days.