Quick Lane Bowl 2018: Minnesota vs. Georgia Tech, TV Schedule, Time and Odds
A pair of mediocre power-conference programs with contrasting motivating factors clash in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Wednesday.
Minnesota, who used a victory over rival Wisconsin to become bowl-eligible, faces off against a Georgia Tech side sending off retiring head coach Paul Johnson.
The Yellow Jackets carry a better set of recent results into Ford Field, as they won four games in a row before falling to Georgia on Thanksgiving weekend.
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Minnesota's regular season was more up-and-down, but it found itself in an unlikely spot in a bowl game after capturing Paul Bunyan's axe with its first win over Wisconsin since 2002.
While Georgia Tech is bidding farewell to Johnson with incoming head coach Geoff Collins waiting in the wings, the Golden Gophers are hoping to create momentum going into P.J. Fleck's third season in charge.
Quick Lane Bowl Information
Date: Wednesday, December 26
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN or ESPN app
Odds (via OddsShark): Georgia Tech -5.5; Over/Under: 56.5
Preview
With Johnson retiring, the Quick Lane Bowl should be the final time we see Georgia Tech utilize the option offense.
The option offense is one of the more difficult schemes to stop because it's rarely seen at the collegiate level.
The Yellow Jackets are well-versed in their system and have a quartet of options they can trust with the ball in their hands.
It all starts with quarterback TaQuon Marshall, who is the leading rusher on the team, and he's joined by Tobias Oliver, Jordan Mason and Jerry Howard in the four-pronged attack.
Marshall has four 100-yard rushing games, with the most recent coming against Virginia in the penultimate regular-season contest.
Georgia Tech should experience a decent amount of success on the ground, as it faces a Minnesota rushing defense that ranks 71st in the FBS.
While the Yellow Jackets are known for their run-first approach, they're capable of attempting a few passes, with Marshall and Oliver both able to advance the ball down the field through the air.
Minnesota also relied on a pair of quarterbacks to get to Detroit, as Zack Annexstad and Tanner Morgan both threw over 1,000 yards.
After Annexstad played the first half of the season under center, Morgan led the Gophers to three wins in five games to become bowl-eligible.
Morgan's top target is wide receiver Tyler Johnson, who has six 100-yard receiving games and caught a touchdown in two of his last three starts.
Georgia Tech's 54th-ranked passing defense gives up 7.5 yards per completion and let in 22 passing touchdowns, which means there should be room for Johnson to attack the Yellow Jackets secondary.
Johnson, a junior, is one of the best players you'll discover during bowl season, and he could be in line to lead Minnesota to more success in 2019.
While Georgia Tech's rushing attack will receive more attention, Minnesota is capable of threatening the defense with its ground game as well.
Freshman running back Mohamed Ibrahim is 64 yards away from 1,000 yards, and he ran for 374 yards in his last three games.
Prediction
Georgia Tech 27, Minnesota 19
Georgia Tech's option offense will cause too many problems for the Minnesota defense, which will allow it to pull away in the second half.
Marshall and his teammates will send Johnson off with a final victory while impressing Collins, as the Yellow Jackets build toward the 2019 campaign.
Minnesota will make a late push but eventually come up short, as it tries to lay a foundation for more success in the Big Ten next season.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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