MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &045; A little more than a month ago, Minnesota’s dreams of playing in a New Year’s Day bowl game were well within reach.

A two-point loss to Iowa that ended the Gophers’ regular season on Saturday, coupled with Michigan State’s big upset over Wisconsin, could keep them from playing in any postseason game at all.

&uot;I hope we have an opportunity,&uot; a downcast coach Glen Mason said after the 29-27 defeat to the Hawkeyes. &uot;This season hasn’t gone the way I would’ve believed … but it hasn’t dampened my spirit as far as what we can do with this ballclub.&uot;

Here’s the cold, complicated truth for Minnesota.

The Gophers (6-5, 3-5) enter the Big Ten’s final weekend in eighth place without any control over where they finish. Michigan State (5-5, 4-3) and Northwestern (5-5, 4-3) are tied for fourth, and Ohio State (6-4, 3-4) and Purdue (6-4, 3-4) are tied for sixth. If all four of those teams win next Saturday, Minnesota’s bowl chances are in big trouble.

Ohio State hosts Michigan and Purdue hosts Indiana, and the Gophers would tie the Buckeyes and the Boilermakers if those teams lose. Bowl officials would undoubtedly be more interested in Ohio State or Purdue, though, because fans from those schools have a far better track record for traveling to bowl games.

&045;Michigan State and Northwestern are both guaranteed to finish ahead of Minnesota in the conference standings, but neither team has reached the six overall victories required for postseason eligibility. That essentially leaves the Gophers’ fate up to Illinois and Penn State, two of the Big Ten’s three worst teams. If the Illini win at rival Northwestern or the Nittany Lions beat Michigan State in Happy Valley &045; possibly longtime coach Joe Paterno’s last game &045; Minnesota can expect an invitation to either the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 31 or the Motor City Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 27. Wins by both the Spartans and Wildcats could keep the Gophers out of a bowl .