The start of the season is under two weeks away, with a new head coach and quarterback duo to kick off 2017. Here is the breakdown for every game the Gophers play in the regular season, with the record result and score predictions.
Home against Buffalo, Aug. 31
The Bulls are no offensive juggernaut, ranking 115th in total offense last season and averaging 354 yards but only 16 points per game. This did not pair well with a defense that gave up 34 points per game. The Gophers will be starting two quarterbacks, Demry Croft and Conor Rhoda, against Buffalo but it should not slow down the offense at all. The Bulls defense gave up 253 yards per game to opposing runners last season, putting Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith in prime position to ruin the Buffalo front and make it an easy entrance for the quarterbacks.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins, 38-20
- Record: 1-0
Away against Oregon State, Sept. 9
Oregon State’s defense will be a young squad that likes to fly around the field but also liked giving up points last season at a rate of 30 per game. This is another team that the Gophers can drill their running game into. The Beavers defense gave up 218 rushing yards per game and while the secondary tallied 46 pass breakups, the run-first mentality of the Gophers plays well with Oregon State’s weak front. The Gophers have plenty of games to give both quarterbacks game reps with minimal pressure and find out who the primary starter will be.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins, 31-23
- Record: 2-0
Home against Middle Tennessee, Sept. 16
This is the first big test for the defense, with Middle Tennessee rolling into town with an offense that averaged 39 points per game. The defense gives up 34 points per game, making this the Gophers first game with shootout potential. This is the game where the Gophers need to find their quarterback. If the score starts to run up, they need a faster way to put points on the board than doing it via the ground game. By this time Croft will be the starter — yeah, you heard it here first — for the Gophers and he will be able to sling the ball deep on a soft Middle Tennessee secondary.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins 38-30
- Record: 3-0
Home against Maryland, Sept. 30
Maryland and Minnesota have faced off only twice, once in 1977 for a Terrapins victory and last season, when the Gophers won 31-10. Now to keep the the streak going, the Gophers need simply to outlast an offense that averaged only 25 points per game last season and lost starting quarterback Perry Hills. This game will be especially tough sledding for the Maryland offense because of the offensive line, which gave up 49 sacks last season (127th overall). Minnesota’s front will be able to hold the Maryland offense in check and keep the pressure off the quarterback for yet another game.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins 28-16
- Record: 4-0
Away against Purdue, Oct. 7
The Boilermakers defense was an absolute sieve against the run last season, letting up 238 yards per game to opposing backfields and 35 rushing touchdowns. Once the quarterback situation has been resolved, this offense will be so potent because of how good the ground game will be. In games like this, the Gophers can ride to a win on the backs of Brooks and 1,000-yard rusher Smith. The ground game gets the Gophers to their fifth consecutive win against Purdue.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins 40-28
- Record: 5-0
Home against Michigan State, Oct. 14
Despite only getting three wins last season, Michigan State boasted a stout defense, only letting up 27 points per game. In the last three victories that the Gophers have had over the Spartans, they put up 41, 31 and 42 points. Scoring will be key for the Gophers squad and they need the quarterback — whomever that may be — to step up in a big way. This defense will have no trouble playing in the trenches with the Gophers if the passing attack cannot keep the safeties from cheating down into the box. This will be a big game for the Gopher quarterback, but this time around they have an offensive head coach in P.J. Fleck as a guide. He has been coaching and grooming the quarterback though five games that they could lean on the defense and running attack, now QB1 will be ready to help carry the team.
- Verdict: Minnesota wins 31-30
- Record: 6-0
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