3 things to know for the National Funding Holiday Bowl

Need a brief primer before you attempt to watch all 40 bowl games this season? We’ve got you covered. Here are three things you need to know about the National Funding Holiday Bowl.

NATIONAL FUNDING HOLIDAY BOWL
Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-4) vs. Washington State Cougars (8-4)
Dec. 27, 7 p.m. ET
ESPN

– Minnesota’s bowl preparation was derailed by a team boycott that was the product of 10 players getting suspended for their roles in an alleged sexual assault. The boycott lasted two days and ended on Dec. 17, but it was major distraction as the players fought to make sure their teammates earned a fair hearing for their case. Minnesota is on the cusp of winning nine games for the first time since 2003.

Similarly, Washington State is trying to reach its own milestone by winning nine games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2002-03 seasons. The second nine-win season during that span ended with a win in the Holiday Bowl.

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– As of Monday, Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was returning to school for his senior season. But just in case coach Mike Leach is punking all of us, it might be worth your time to watch one of the nation’s all-time great passers in action against a decent Minnesota pass defense.

This season, Falk has completed 71 percent of his passes for 4,204 yards and 37 touchdowns. Minnesota is holding opponents to 6.3 yards per attempt, which is 16th in the nation. And Falk is coming off his worst two statistical games of the season against Colorado and Washington.

– While the bulk of Washington State’s offense comes from the air, Minnesota does its work on the ground. The Golden Gophers average 186.4 yards on the ground and have 33 rushing touchdowns as opposed to eight through the air. The Golden Gophers are led by Rodney Smith, who has 1,084 yards and 15 touchdowns, however Smith has struggled in his last three games. Against Purdue on Nov. 5, Smith rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns; against Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin, he managed a combined 130 yards and two scores.

Washington State does have a tough rushing defense that allows just 132.9 yards per game.

Mascot fight prediction: A cougar against a gopher is a no-brainer, especially if there are no holes in which the gopher can hide. The cougar is a natural predator and the gopher is prey. In terms of mascots, this doesn’t end well for Minnesota.

Real predictions:
Graham Watson: Washington State 48, Minnesota 31
Nick Bromberg: Washington State 38, Minnesota 20
Sam Cooper: Washington State 41, Minnesota 24
Chris Herbert: Washington State 51, Minnesota 24

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday