Minnesota's PJ Fleck misses out on bowl-victory bonus for bizarre reason
The Gophers were not automatically bowl-eligible
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The Minnesota Golden Gophers won the Quick Lane Bowl on Wednesday night thanks to Darius Taylor rushing for 208 yards in his return from a leg injury.
The Gophers were not automatically bowl-eligible, as they only went 5-7 in the regular season. Teams must win six games.
However, they were selected for a bowl game, as they had the best Academic Progress Rate among five-win teams.
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Tuesday's victory was their seventh consecutive bowl victory since 2015 (they did not play in a bowl in 2017), and their fifth-straight with P.J. Fleck.
However, although the record is on Fleck's career record, it is not reflected in his net worth.
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According to USA Today, Fleck will not receive an extra payday for the victory, because his team had not automatically qualified for the bowl.
There is apparently a clause in his contract that states he is not due a bowl-participation bonus because they were 5-7 in the regular season.
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Fleck joined the Gophers in 2017, when that team also went 5-7 but did not play in a bowl game. The Gophers have played in, and won, a bowl game in each season since.
It was somewhat of a full-circle moment, as Fleck's first bowl victory with the Golden Gophers was also in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl, a 34-10 win over Georgia Tech.
This seven-bowl game win streak also began at the Quick Lane Bowl back in 2015, as Minnesota beat Central Michigan, 21-14.
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Their last loss in a bowl game came in the Citrus Bowl of the 2014 season, when they lost to Missouri, 33-17.
Minnesota lost their final four games of the regular season but ended 2023 on a high note.
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