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| Gophers coach P.J. Fleck, center, receives the mayo dump — with an assist from Flavor Flav — after winning the Duke's Mayo Bowl over Virginia Tech on Friday night in Charlotte, N.C. (Robert Simmons) |
January 4, 2025 at 12:38PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – During a media session for the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Thursday, Darius Taylor was discussing the College Football Playoff when he mentioned Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo's impressive performance in the Peach Bowl, which included a halfback option pass for a touchdown.
When asked if he had a similar play planned for the next day, Taylor responded with a chuckle, "Naaah!"
However, it turns out Taylor was keeping his plans under wraps. The sophomore from Detroit sparked the Gophers' offense with a halfback option pass of his own, throwing a 10-yard touchdown to Elijah Spencer in the second quarter during Minnesota's 24-10 win over Virginia Tech at Bank of America Stadium. Taylor also contributed with a 28-yard touchdown run, 113 rushing yards on 20 carries, and four receptions for 17 yards.
The victory brought special joy to Gophers coach P.J. Fleck, who eagerly awaited the signature moment of the bowl game – a bucket of Duke's Mayo being poured over his head.
"Make it a double," Fleck joked during his postgame interview on KFXN-FM. "If they want, make it a triple." Fleck raised his arms triumphantly as the mayo drenched his entire head. In a playful move, he also embraced Goldy the mascot, covering him in mayo as well. Earlier, Fleck shared a moment with rapper Flavor Flav, who was revealed to be the celebrity hidden in the Tubby mascot costume. Fleck enthusiastically repeated Flavor Flav's iconic catchphrase, "Yeahhhh, boyyy!"
Afterward, a freshly cleaned Fleck reflected on the experience at his postgame press conference. "That was a very unique experience," he said. "But I told my players, if they had 15 tubs of those, I would have done all 15. It’s worth it to be a champion at the end of the year, and it’s one of the great traditions of bowl games."
The Gophers finished the season with an 8-5 record, extending their nation-leading bowl winning streak to eight games, five of which came under Fleck's leadership. Virginia Tech dropped to 6-7.
Elijah Spencer, a senior from Irmo, S.C., who transferred from Charlotte to Minnesota, had a memorable homecoming in his final college game, earning Bowl MVP honors. He caught six passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
"Elijah had an opportunity to be the No. 1 and step into his role," Fleck said, noting that Daniel Jackson's absence opened the door for Spencer to shine. "Being in the Queen City, being in Charlotte, meant a lot to him. And I thought that showed in his preparation."
Spencer, who estimated that around 26 of his friends and family attended the game, said, "To hear that we’re coming to Charlotte to play in this bowl game, I saw this opportunity. There was nothing stopping me from going out there and taking what was mine."
Quarterback Max Brosmer capped his Gophers career with a solid performance, completing 18 of 29 passes for 191 yards, a touchdown, and one interception. His final pass as a Gopher was a memorable one.
Facing fourth-and-1 at the Virginia Tech 43 with two minutes left, the Gophers lined up in the tush-push formation. Instead of running the ball, Brosmer dropped back and threw a 20-yard pass to tight end Jameson Geers. After two kneel-downs, the Gophers secured the win.
"A lot of us stayed on the field to soak it in a little longer together," said Brosmer. "I couldn’t be more lucky than with a team like this."
Brosmer also advocated for freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey to be included in the game plan, telling offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr., "I’m not playing unless I get a package with Drake." Harbaugh responded with a five-play package, three or four of which were used during the game.
Throughout the game, Taylor was a reliable force for the Gophers, grinding out tough yards despite the absence of three starting offensive linemen. His 28-yard touchdown run put Minnesota ahead 21-7 just before halftime.
"We had a talk before the game, and I said, 'You’re going to have to play one of your best games,'" Fleck recalled. "'You’re really going to have to be there for the O-line and lift them up and really help some of those guys who haven’t played a ton.' … Darius did a great job tonight."
The Gophers' defense also stepped up, recording five sacks, including two by defensive back Jack Henderson and one each from defensive ends Danny Striggow and Anthony Smith. Virginia Tech was limited to just 20 rushing yards on 17 first-half attempts.
"We always like to be aggressive," said Henderson. "We figured out the blitz game was working, so we kept blitzing all game. We love that style. That’s the type of energy we feed off."
In the fourth quarter, with Virginia Tech trailing 24-10, the Hokies managed a 47-yard run by Keylen Adams and reached the Minnesota 16-yard line. However, Gophers safety Kerry Brown broke up a fourth-down pass attempt to end the threat.
Later, with Virginia Tech threatening again at the Gophers' 5-yard line following a Brosmer interception, Henderson sacked quarterback William "Pop" Watson for an 8-yard loss, and cornerback Za’Quan Bryan followed with a tackle for loss and an interception on fourth down.
The Gophers' offense then drained the final 4:24, allowing the team to celebrate the victory, Fleck's mayo bath, and the team's championship achievement.
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