GUARANTEED RATE BOWL: GOPHERS VS. WEST VIRGINIA

9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Chase Field, Phoenix

TV: ESPN. Radio: 100.3-FM

Series history: First meeting

Gophers at a glance

Record: 8-4, 5-3 Big Ten, tied for second in West Division

Key wins: 23-13 over Wisconsin, 20-13 at Purdue, 30-0 at Colorado.

Key losses: 14-10 to Bowling Green, 14-6 to Illinois, 27-22 at Iowa.

Key players: QB Tanner Morgan (141-for-237 passing, 1,935 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs), RBs Ky Thomas (145 carries, 680 yards, five TDs) and Mar'Keise Irving (114-57-0-4), WR Chris-Autman Bell (35 catches, 490 yards, six TDs), OG Blaise Andries, DE Boye Mafe (six sacks, nine tackles for loss), LB Jack Gibbens (86 tackles), S Tyler Nubin (44 tackles, three INTs).

Key stat: The Gophers rank fourth nationally in both time of possession (35:10 average) and total defense (284.8 yards allowed per game).

West Virginia at a glance

Record: 6-6, 4-5 Big 12, tied for fifth.

Key wins: 27-21 over Virginia Tech, 38-31 over Iowa State.

Key losses: 16-13 to Oklahoma, 45-20 to Baylor.

Key stat: West Virginia's red zone defense ranks 11th best in the country, allowing opponents to score on 73.3% of their chances.

Key players: QB Jarret Doege (2,908 yards, 19 TDs, 11 INTs), WR Winston Wright Jr. (60 catches, 672 yards, five TDs), C Zach Frazier (second-team All-America); LB Josh Chandler-Semedo (104 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two INTs), DL Dante Stills (six sacks), S Sean Mahone (two INTs).