| Game Name: | Holiday Bowl |
| Subheader: | 39th Holiday Bowl |
| Title Sponsor: | National Funding |
| Date Game Played: | December 27 |
| Year Game Played: | 2016 |
| Football Season: | 2016 |
| Stadium: | Qualcomm Stadium |
| City: | San Diego, California |
| Visitor School: | University of Minnesota |
| Visitor Name Short: | Minnesota |
| Visitor Nickname: | Golden Gophers |
| Visitor Record: | 8–4 |
| Visitor Conference: | Big Ten |
| Visitor Coach: | Tracy Claeys |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 3 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Home School: | Washington State University |
| Home Name Short: | Washington State |
| Home Nickname: | Cougars |
| Home Record: | 8–4 |
| Home Conference: | Pac-12 |
| Home Coach: | Mike Leach |
| Home 1Q: | 3 |
| Home 2Q: | 3 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 6 |
| Mvp: | Offense: Minnesota RB Rodney Smith Defense: Minnesota LB Blake Cashman |
| Odds: | Washington State by 10[1] |
| Referee: | Gary Patterson (ACC) |
| Attendance: | 48,704[2] |
| Payout: | 5.93 million (total for both teams)[3] |
| Us Network: | ESPN/ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes |
| Us Announcers: | Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams[4] |
The 2016 Holiday Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game, played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, on December 27, 2016. This was the last time the Holiday Bowl was played at Qualcomm Stadium. Beginning in 2017, the game was played at SDCCU Stadium, the home of the SDSU Aztecs. The 39th edition of the Holiday Bowl featured the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Big Ten Conference versus the Washington State Cougars of the Pac-12 Conference. Sponsored by small business loan company National Funding, the game is officially known as the National Funding Holiday Bowl.[5]
See main article: article, 2016 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team and 2016 Big Ten Conference football season.
This was Minnesota's first appearance in the Holiday Bowl. On December 15, Minnesota players threatened to boycott all football activity, including participation in the 2016 Holiday Bowl, in protest against a decision to suspend ten players from the team.[6] The suspension was made as a result of school investigation into sexual assault charges from the beginning of school year. The legal process had already run its course, with no charges filed. On December 17, the Golden Gophers ended their boycott and announced they would play.[7]
See main article: article, 2016 Washington State Cougars football team and 2016 Pac-12 Conference football season.
This was Washington State's third appearance in the Holiday Bowl, having lost to #14 Brigham Young in 1981, and having defeated #5 Texas in 2003.
| Statistics | MINN | WSU |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 17 | 16 |
| Plays-yards | 61-279 | 74-303 |
| Third down efficiency | 3-12 | 7-19 |
| Rushes-yards | 41-150 | 23-39 |
| Passing yards | 129 | 264 |
| Passing, Comp-Att-Int | 11-20-0 | 30-51-1 |
| Time of Possession | 28:54 | 31:06 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| MINN | Passing | Mitch Leidner | 11/20, 129 yds, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Rodney Smith | 17 car, 74 yds, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | 5 rec, 73 yds | ||
| WSU | Passing | Luke Falk | 30/51, 264 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Gerard Wicks | 5 car, 26 yds | |
| Receiving | Robert Lewis | 6 rec, 86 yds |