Experts coming into agreement about Gophers-LSU bowl game

Should Minnesota get ready for a December trip to Nashville?

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz celebrates after defeating Kentucky the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Gophers are coming off their second and final bye week of the season, but that doesn't mean their outlook didn't change for which bowl game they could play in this winter. Three experts agree that one scenario is more likely than the rest.

The selection process typically involves conference standings and whether a team played in that bowl in the previous season, but the bowl game ultimately has the final say on who they want to invite. The Gophers are technically in a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference, but if they win at least one of their final two regular-season games, they will finish in the top third of the standings.

Dec. 30 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. vs. LSU

Action Network's Brett McMurphy, ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and 247Sports' Bud Crawford all agree that this year's Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., will feature Minnesota and LSU. The Gophers have not played in the Music City Bowl since 2005, which was their third appearance in a four-year span.

The Music City Bowl has tie-ins with the SEC and Big Ten. This means that the event will invite one team from each conference after the regular season. LSU is currently the fifth-best SEC team not projected to make the College Football Playoff, while the second team is out of the field in the Big Ten (Minnesota, in this case).

LSU was near the top of the AP Poll, but they've since lost three of four games to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida. The Tigers still have one of the most talented rosters in the country and would prove to be a tough test for the Gophers.

Jan. 3 Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. vs. Duke

The only dissenting opinion comes from ESPN's Mark Schlabach, who projects that Minnesota will face Duke in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mayo Bowl has tie-ins with the Big Ten and ACC this season, so it could be a realistic option if the Gophers do not receive an invite to play in Nashville.

Duke is currently 7-3 under first-year head coach Manny Diaz. This would be the Gophers' first all-time matchup against the Blue Devils and their first all-time appearance in the Mayo Bowl.