It is all for the love of the game and of the Minnesota Golden Gophers for quarterback Cole Kramer. The signal caller denied rumors of him getting paid $30,000 of NIL money to play for Minnesota football in the upcoming Quick Lane bowl game versus the Bowling Green Falcons.

“I saw the posts and the articles, and you know, that’s not true. It’s not accurate information, as much as I would love for that to be true,” the Minnesota football senior said (h/t Nolan O'Hara of Sports Illustrated).

“But like what I said before, just getting the chance to play, especially this last time and start, that’s what means a lot to me and that’s what makes it really special.”

Minnesota football found itself under pressure to find a quarterback to lead them in the said bowl game following Athan Kaliakmanis's decision to test the waters of the college football transfer portal late last November. Fortunately for the Golden Gophers, Kramer was available and ready to give it a go.

“Got some calls that I would be the starting quarterback, and as a little kid that grew up in Minnesota, that was my dream ever since I was little,” Kramer shared. “So it was an obvious yes, and just can’t wait to get out there with the guys I’ve been with the past four or five years.”

Minnesota football regressed in 2023, going 5-7 after putting together a 9-4 record in 2022. However, they have earned an invite to a bowl game, which will be their third in a row under head coach PJ Fleck.