CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Max Brosmer threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, Darius Taylor ran for 113 yards a TD and also threw for a score and Minnesota extended its bowl winning streak to eight with a 24-10 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Elijah Spencer had six catches for 81 yards and two TDs for the Golden Gophers (8-5). They improved to 6-0 in bowl games under coach P.J. Fleck, who got the bowl’s traditional mayo bath after the game.
Backup quarterback Collins Schlee ran for a touchdown, and Ayden Greene had six catches for 115 yards for the Hokies (6-7). They have lost five of their last six bowl games.
The Golden Gophers outgained the Hokies, 403-223.
With Minnesota up 24-10, Dante Lovett intercepted Brosmer to give the Hokies the ball at the Minnesota 15 and a last chance at a comeback midway through the fourth quarter. But the Hokies couldn’t convert as Za’Quan Bryan intercepted William Watson’s pass in the end zone, essentially sealing the game with 4:24 remaining.
Schlee and Watson split time at quarterback for Virginia Tech, with neither eclipsing 100 yards passing.
The Hokies failed to pick up a first down in three series under Watson, so coach Brent Pry switched to Schlee, and he provided instance offense with a 67-yard strike to Greene to set up his own 3-yard touchdown run.
But the Hokies couldn’t sustain the momentum.
Minnesota rattled off 21 consecutive points behind Spencer, a transfer from Charlotte, who hauled in a 10-yard halfback option pass from Darius Taylor and a 12-yard TD toss from Brosmer over the middle on back-to-back possessions. Taylor then made it 21-7 when he raced around left end on a 28-yard run.
