MINNEAPOLIS -- Last year, Minnesota took a losing record and winter clothes to the postseason.The Gophers will bring a better vibe to their bowl game this time, making sure to pack the flip-flops, too.After qualifying for the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit at 5-7 on the strength of their graduation rate because there initially werent enough eligible NCAA FBS teams to fill all the slots, the Gophers (8-4) were picked for the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. The game is Dec. 27.Beautiful spot, wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky said. I think the guys will be pretty amped to go and be able to kind of free roam and hit the beach and enjoy ourselves. I think that the energy will be up and a lot more positive, for sure.When they lost the last game on their schedule last year to Wisconsin, the Gophers figured they were done. They had to rally to beat a non-power-conference opponent, Central Michigan, in an indoor stadium in a northern city.A lot of guys had checked out, having such a disappointing season, but our ability to come back and win that was big, Wolitarsky said. I think that can lead us to have some momentum to win this one too.The venue shift from drab to sunny sure helps, a selling point not lost on the university in the form of a Gophers helmet planted in the sand on the front page graphic on the athletic department website.Facing a daunting Pac-12 foe, Washington State, adds meaning. So does the opportunity to reach nine victories for the first time in 13 years and only the second time since 1905.We wanted it to be Pasadena, Wolitarsky said, referencing the Rose Bowl, but it didnt go as we planned, obviously. But were very fortunate to be here and get those nine wins.This will be the programs 14th appearance in a bowl game in the last 18 seasons, a stretch during which the lineup of postseason games has swelled considerably. Gophers fans have been presented with opportunities to visit Nashville, Tennessee, and Tempe, Arizona, three times each and El Paso, Texas, and Houston twice. Thats a glaring example of why the Big Ten recently shuffled the allocation process, and Minnesota this year will benefit. The Citrus Bowl two seasons ago on New Years Day is the only other bid in the last 15 years that Gophers fans were fired up for.For Wolitarsky, the senior from Santa Clarita, California, hell get to play in his home state in front of more than 100 family members and friends instead of the usual 10 or so at a regular-season game.So Ive got find some tickets, Wolitarsky said.For coach Tracy Claeys, the game is confirmation from athletic director Mark Coyle that hes staying on the job for the foreseeable future.Whenever you have a new boss you dont know how they feel and some of them, they want to bring in their own person, Claeys said. So I trust him and respect him an awful lot. He chose to come back here, and that was important to a lot of us. Wed like to have somebody in place whos not looking for the next job.---For more college football coverage: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25Wholesale Balenciaga .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Fake Balenciaga . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. https://www.fakebalenciaga.com/ . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Fake Balenciaga Shoes . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Fake Balenciaga From China . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers have made Connor McDavid the youngest captain in NHL history.McDavid will wear the C despite being 19 years and 266 days old and having just 45 games of NHL experience under his belt.It might seem intimidating for a player entering his second season to lead teammates who have been around the block a few times, but McDavid said hes more comfortable in this role than he was serving as captain of the North America team at the World Cup of Hockey.That (North America) was even more of a difficult job than this, McDavid said Wednesday. Youre trying to get to know the guys all at the same time, while here in Edmonton everyones so close.I definitely feel more comfortable in this dressing room than that one.Oilers coach Todd McLellan said the phenom is ready to handle the pressures that go along with the title of captain.Hes mature beyond his years, so hes dealt with all of you since he was 14, McLellan said Wednesday. He handles himself very well and takes care of his teammates in front of and with the media, which we think is very important in a Canadian franchise.He had 16 points and 32 assists in his rookie season in 2015-16 despite missing 37 games with a broken collarbone.He showed that he was ready to take charge, McLellan said.The native of Newmarket, Ontario, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, will follow in some big footsteps as captain, including those of Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Mark Meessier.ddddddddddddMcDavid previously served as captain of the Ontario Hockey Leagues Erie Otters. He said hes not the most demonstrative leader, preferring to lead by example.Im definitely not the most vocal guy in the room, McDavid said. I think Im a guy who can relate to everyone, and I try to lead that way. Im not the big `rah rah kind of guy.McLellan said he sees similarities between McDavid and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who also was handed the C when he was 19.Hes an ambassador of the game, McLellan said of McDavid. He understands his role.McDavid said back in August that he wanted to show everyone that Im not some 18-year-old kid anymore.Though he missed almost half of last season, McDavid performed on a level not seen from an 18-year-old since Crosby.The Oilers hope a healthy McDavid and a revamped roster will put an end to their decade-long postseason drought.Edmonton hasnt qualified for the playoffs since 2006 and was last in the Western Conference last season despite the notable additions of McDavid, McLellan, and Cam Talbot, a No. 1 goaltender who offered rare stability in the crease.The Oilers made more changes in the offseason, acquiring reliable defenseman Adam Larsson and 6-foot-3, 233-pound bruiser Milan Lucic. They also selected Finlands Jesse Puljajarvi with the fourth overall pick at the June draft. ' ' '