DeKALB | NIU could possibly replace the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Holiday Bowl because of the team’s Academic Progress Rate ranking, if Minnesota’s boycott includes this game.

Minnesota’s football team is boycotting all team activities and possibly its Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl game in protest to the suspension of 10 teammates, this is as a result of a September sexual assault allegation, according to the Star Tribune.

Donna Turner, associate athletic director for communications, said the department won’t discuss hypotheticals on accepting the bid.

“We’ll talk about that situation if it actually happens,” Turner said.

She said it is because of NIU’s academic ranking that they are in the conversation for a bowl game.

Since the season and semester are over and NIU was not going to a bowl game, the players have not been practicing, Turner said.

Coaches and players were unavailable for an immediate comment.