Minnesota players agree to end boycott, will play in Holiday Bowl

Minnesota football players and the university reached an agreement Saturday to end the team's boycott and play in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State.

Receiver Drew Wolitarsky read a statement to the media shortly after 10 a.m. ET:

"I have promised a very fair hearing to the students involved and charged and I intend to have that be true," said school president Eric Kaler. "We will judge them very fairly and again I am grateful that the student-athletes have decided to end the boycott and represent the University of Minnesota."

The team was protesting the suspension of 10 teammates from participating in the bowl game due to their involvement in an alleged sexual assault in early September. A police investigation produced no charges and a settlement was eventually reached.

"The football team's action was in support of their teammate, it was not in support of sexual violence," Kaler told the media. "The players are clear about their involvement in preventing sexual violence."

Friday evening it was reported that the meeting between players and president Kaler did not produce any results and that the players would uphold their protest.

The Gophers are slated to face the Cougars on Dec. 27 in San Diego.