The Action Network still has the Golden Gophers headed to the Detroit Bowl, however, the projected opponent has now shifted from Toledo to Eastern Michigan. The Eagles are off to a 5-2 start this season thanks to a strong offense that is averaging 30.6 points per contest this season. The Gophers and Eagles have met one time all-time, that matchup coming last season, a 25-6 win for Minnesota.

In ESPN's latest projections, Bonagura has the Gophers headed to Tampa Bay for the Gasparilla Bowl taking on the currently top 25 ranked Vanderbilt Commodores while Schlabach as them headed to Phoenix, Arizona to take on Utah in the Rate Bowl which will take place at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A matchup between Minnesota and Vanderbilt would be the first since 1959, a 20-6 win for the Gophers in Minneapolis under then head coach Murray Warmath. The two programs also met in 1924 , 1929, and 1930.

It's been a while since Minnesota and Utah have also met but not nearly as long as the Gophers and Commodores. The last meeting between the Gophers and Utes was in 1990, a 35-29 win for Utah. The two programs also met in 1967, a 13-12 win for the Gophers.