The Bowling Green State University football team has accepted an invitation to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.

The game is scheduled to kick off on Tues., Dec. 26 at 2 p.m., and will be televised nationally by ESPN.

This will mark Bowling Green’s second appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl after facing New Mexico State last year. While this is Bowling Green’s second appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl, it is the fourth time BGSU will play a bowl game at Ford Field.

BGSU previously played in the now defunct Motor City Bowl in 2003 and in 2013 when it changed names to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

BGSU is 1-2 all-time in bowl games at Ford Field, highlighted by a 28-24 win over Northwestern in the 2003 Motor City Bowl, which is the only other time the Falcons faced a Big Ten foe in a bowl game.

Bowling Green is the first school to play in consecutive Quick Lane Bowls. Minnesota is making its third appearance in the game, which is more than any other school.

The Golden Gophers won the 2015 game over Central Michigan and the 2018 game over Georgia Tech. With the 2023 game Bowling Green joins Minnesota as the only other school with multiple appearances in the Quick Lane Bowl.

The Falcons are 7-5 and finished 5-3 in MAC play in 2023. The Quick Lane Bowl is BGSU’s 15th bowl appearance and second under fourth-year head coach Scot Loeffler.

Minnesota is 5-7 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten West. The Gophers earned a bowl bid with the best APR (academic performance) after not enough 6-plus win teams qualified. Minnesota’s 2015 Quick Lane Bowl victory was also after qualifying with a 5-7 record via APR.

The Quick Lane Bowl will be the fifth meeting between the Falcons and the Golden Gophers in football. The series is tied, 2-2, with BGSU winning the last meeting 14-10 in 2021 at Huntington Bank Stadium.

“Our players and staff cannot be more excited to play in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl,” said Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler.

“It is a tremendous opportunity to return to Detroit, which is in our recruiting footprint. We are starting to prepare for a Minnesota team that will be hungry to play. Our game against them two years ago was a physical battle to the end and this one will be too.

“It will be an exciting game for both programs. I am looking forward to our great BGSU fans returning to Ford Field to cheer us on as we go for our eighth win.”

Quick Lane Bowl tickets in Bowling Green’s designated seating sections will go on sale on Monday, Dec. 4 at noon. There will be special pricing for Bowling Green fans, BGSU students and BGSU faculty and staff.

Obtaining tickets through the Bowling Green Ticket Office at 419-372-0000 directly, or online at BGSUFalcons.com, helps our football student-athletes enjoy the best possible bowl experience.

Buying tickets through BGSU is the only way to ensure seating in the Bowling Green sections.

For premium seating options, contact Senior Associate AD for Resource Development Dan Meyer ([email protected]).