Maybe it won’t qualify as a signature victory for Tracy Claeys, but it will at least come with a trophy.
The Minnesota coach came tantalizingly close to marquee wins during his interim audition late in the season but couldn’t quite get over the hump. But with an unexpected bonus opportunity for the Gophers to play again despite posting a losing record in the regular season, Claeys and his gritty squad made the most of it by knocking off Central Michigan, 21-14, in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Monday night.
The Chippewas and Gophers traded the lead four times in a battle that was more entertaining than the relatively low score might suggest.