Texas Tech has had a difficult month since coach Tommy Tuberville left abruptly for the job at Cincinnati. The struggles continued on Friday night, and the Red Raiders trailed Minnesota by a touchdown with just more than a minute left in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. That was when seniors D.J. Johnson and Seth Doege came through with big plays to help Texas Tech to a 34-31 win. After Doege connected with Eric Ward on a 35-yard scoring play to pull the Red Raiders even at 31 with just more than a minute remaining, Johnson returned an interception 39 yards and Ryan Bustin made a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Red Raiders the win. "We've overcome a lot of adversity," Johnson said. To end my last play like that is a blessing. "Things weren't always going our way ... but we kept fighting and put ourselves in a position to win the game," Doege said. The Red Raiders (8-5) got their third straight bowl victory to end their trying season on a high note. Texas Tech has hired Kliff Kingsbury to replace Tuberville, but interim coach Chris Thomsen led the team against Minnesota (6-7). "More than anything I credit those players," Thomsen said of Johnson and Doege. They really held it together ... to get to make those plays after they struggled. They kept their poise and confidence and continued to stay in there and battle. "I think our kids played hard tonight; they played their guts out, and I appreciate that," Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said. We just couldn't make a play at a critical time.