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2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas final score: Texas Tech wins on game-ending field goal

A late interception put Texas Tech in position for a game-winning field goal in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Scott Halleran

Texas Tech scored 10 points in the final 1:10 of the fourth quarter to come back and defeat Minnesota, 34-31, in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

The teams went back-and-forth in a high-scoring first half, with Texas Tech leading 24-17 at halftime. While there were 41 total points scored and six lead changes in the first half, the second half turned into a defensive battle. Minnesota scored 14 straight points to take a 31-24 lead, and appeared to be in position for the win.

Texas Tech, however, put together its first scoring drive of the second half, with Seth Doege hitting Eric Ward for a 35-yard touchdown to tie the game at 31-31 with 1:10 to play. Minnesota had an opportunity to win the game, but the Gophers' aggressiveness ended up backfiring. Philip Nelson was intercepted by D.J. Johnson, who returned the ball 41 yards to the Minnesota 22-yard line. That set up Texas Tech kicker Ryan Bustin, who made the game-winning 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Red Raiders the victory.

The Red Raiders have now won five of their last six bowl games.

This story originally appeared on SBNation.com.

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.