Minnesota’s football team has an opponent in the 2006 Insight Bowl.

The Gophers will face Texas Tech for the first time ever in what is Minnesota’s fifth straight bowl game and seventh in the past eight years.

The game will be played on Dec. 29 in Tempe, Ariz., beginning at 7:05 p.m.

“Texas Tech is a quality opponent and we are looking forward to the challenge of facing them in the Insight Bowl,” senior quarterback Bryan Cupito said in a news release. “There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm from our team knowing we are playing in Tempe, and the stakes have now been raised knowing we are playing such an explosive team.”

Minnesota (6-6 overall, 3-5 Big Ten) won its final three games of the season to become bowl eligible while the Red Raiders (7-5 overall, 4-4 Big 12) won three of their final five games of the season. It’s the seventh straight bowl appearance for Texas Tech.

“I would once again like to reiterate that we are extremely pleased to be going to Tempe to participate in the Insight Bowl, and we couldn’t be more excited to be playing Texas Tech,” Gophers coach Glen Mason said in the release. “(Coach) Mike Leach and the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ success and their vaunted aerial attack will present a challenge and opportunity for Golden Gopher football. We look forward to our game on Dec. 29th.”