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No. 16 Missouri (10-3, 7-1 SEC ) vs. Minnesota (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten), Thursday 1 p.m. ET, (ABC)
Line: Missouri by 4 1/2
Series Record: Missouri leads 4-3-1
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Tigers are in their second consecutive New Year's Day bowl for the first time since 1960-61, and are looking to post their third straight bowl win (2011 Independence, 2014 Cotton). It would be their first such three-game winning streak since the 1970s. Minnesota is back in a New Year's Day bowl for the first time since 1962, when it beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl. The Golden Gophers are looking for their first bowl victory since 2004, having lost in their last six bowl appearances.
KEY MATCHUP
In three losses this season, Missouri's biggest issue was neutralizing their opponent's ability to run the ball. The Tigers gave up 241 yards to Indiana in a 31-27 loss, 210 yards to Georgia (34-0 loss), and 242 yards to Alabama in a 42-13 loss in the SEC title game. In its 10 victories, Missouri allowed opponents to average of just 102.9 yards per game. Minnesota enters the game with the 25th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 224.6 yards per contest.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Missouri: If the Tigers are going to disrupt the Golden Gophers rushing attack, they will need defensive ends Shane Ray and Markus Golden to have big games. Their 22.5 combined sacks led the SEC. They have combined for 36.5 tackles for a loss this season, the most of any duo in the SEC.
Minnesota: RB David Cobb will be counted on to set the offensive tone for the Golden Gophers. He set a school single-season record with 1,545 yards. He posted a career-high 220 yards rushing against Middle Tennessee and is one of seven Gophers to have multiple 200-yard games.
FACTS & FIGURES
The Citrus Bowl will feature a pair of coach of the year honorees. Minnesota's Jerry Kill was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the league's head coaches and media. Missouri's Gary Pinkel was voted SEC Coach of the Year by his coaching peers. ...A win would make the 2014 Tigers fourth in school history to win at least 11 games. ...The Tigers are 14-16 all-time in bowl games, and 6-4 under Pinkel. ...Minnesota is 5-11 in bowl games all-time. Its last bowl win was a 20-16 victory against Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl. ...A ninth victory would mark only the eighth time in history that the Gophers hit that milestone.
