NASHVILLE, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Kicker Dan Nystrom became the Big Ten Conference's all-time leading scorer Monday as Minnesota shook off a season-ending four-game losing streak with a 29-14 victory over Arkansas in the Music City Bowl.
In his final game for the Golden Gophers, Nystrom tied a school record with five field goals, helping Minnesota (8-5) register its first bowl victory in 17 years. He ended his career with 367 points, breaking the previous Big Ten mark of 355 set by Purdue's Travis Dorsch from 1998-2001.
Nystrom also set a Big Ten mark for career field goals with 71, three more than Dorsch.
The Golden Gophers, who closed the regular season with losses to Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin, reached eight wins for the first time since 1999 and just the eighth time in school history.
Minnesota improved to just 3-5 in the postseason, earning its first bowl win since defeating Clemson in the 1985 Independence Bowl. The victory snapped a three-game bowl losing streak for the Golden Gophers.
Arkansas (9-5) ended its season with a two-game losing streak. The Razorbacks won six in a row to capture the Southeastern Conference West Division title but were routed by Georgia, 30-3, in the SEC championship game.
Arkansas continued to struggle offensively as it was shut down after driving 74 yards on its first possession and taking a 7-0 lead on Matt Jones' two-yard touchdown pass to George Wilson.
Nystrom kicked field goals of 24 and 45 yards in the first quarter and added kicks of 21 and 22 yards in the second period to give the Golden Gophers a 12-7 lead at halftime.
Minnesota broke it open in the second half as Asad Abdul-Khaliq tossed a 19-yard TD pass to tight end Ben Utecht with 2:44 left in the third quarter and Thomas Tapeh ripped off a 33-yard TD run with 7:49 left. Tapeh broke several tackles on his way to the end zone, extending the lead to 29-7.
Between the touchdowns, Nystrom kicked his fifth field goal, a 29-yarder three minutes into the fourth period.
Arkansas got a late TD on backup Ryan Sorahan's 10-yard strike to Richard Smith.
