The University of Minnesota football season ended on Tuesday with a 30-24 win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. Gophers QB Cole Kramer, a third-stringer all season, made his first career start because the Nos. 1 and 2 QBs, Athan Kaliakmanis and Drew Viotto, hit the transfer portal.
Kramer’s fiancée, Katie Miller, who is having her “Taylor Swift” moment, was all set for the couple to move to Arizona and get married in February but gave Kramer the OK for one more game.
Support From His Fiancée
“Absolutely, I knew it would be worth it from the beginning. I feel like I was the one who was a little more spontaneous in telling him absolutely you should go do it,” Miller said. “I had every bit of faith that he would get the job done, so I’d say it was worth it.”
Kramer completed 8-of-16 passes for 26 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 31 yards.
The ESPN broadcast of the game took as many opportunities as possible to show Miller on the screen during the game and comment about the pending nuptials with Kramer. It might have been overkill for some. But human interest stories during a nondescript bowl game will always dominate in the production truck.
Great Way To Go Out
As a graduating senior, winning a bowl game in your first career start is a pretty good way to end your football career.
“I just told him thanks for coming back, now get ready for your wedding. We thanked Katie for allowing him to come back, and Katie made it very clear ‘I was the one who told him to come back right away.’ So she made it clear, we know who wears the pants in that family,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck joked. “What an ending to his career. We’re just really thankful for him, he gets to leave a champion.”
Now all Kramer has to do is get married and figure out the rest of his life. No big deal. But the bowl win will be a nice high to ride into adulthood.