Minnesota brought its nationally-ranked defense into the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl to earn its fifth consecutive Bowl victory, with an 18-6 win over West Virginia.

Ranked No. 4 in the FBS in yards allowed per game, the Golden Gophers defense held the Mountaineers to a single touchdown and 206 offensive yards, including only six yards in the first quarter.

As Head Coach PJ Fleck said after the game, "we wanted to be the defense who knocks," a nod to the infamous "Breaking Bad" quote which is just one of the many pop culture references Fleck used to motivate his team.  

The first score of the game came in the second quarter, when the Gophers handed the ball to 6-9, 380-pound offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, who barreled his way through the West Virginia defense to score a two-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Afterwards, Minnesota would not be satisfied with a single extra point, adding a two-point conversion instead.

Mountaineers QB Jarret Doege responded with a rushing touchdown of his own to bring the score to 8-6, but West Virginia's two-point attempt to even the score failed.

The Gophers put points on the board using players of all shaped and sizes, the next score coming from 5'11, 205-pound Ky Thomas, who raced into the endzone on a five-yard rush. Gophers kicker Matthew Trickett scored the final points of the game with an impressive 49-yard field goal to give Minnesota its first Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory in four appearances

Thomas earned the Offensive Player of the Game title for his 144 rushing yards and touchdown. Safety Tyler Nubin was named Defensive Player of the Game after eight tackles and an eight-yard sack.

GAME RECORDS:

Combined Records:

• Fewest Passes Attempted: 44, West Virginia (31) vs. Minnesota (13)
• Fewest total offensive plays: 122, West Virginia (58) vs. Minnesota (64)
• Fewest PATs made: 1, West Virginia (0) vs. Minnesota (1)
• Fewest Punt Return Yards: -2, West Virginia (-2) vs. Minnesota (0)