The Gophers head to Penn State on Saturday night trying to snap a two-game skid, and for Anthony Smith, the trip carries a little extra meaning.
Smith, Minnesota’s standout defensive lineman, grew up in Shippensburg, Pa., about two hours south of Penn State’s campus. He said he expects a strong Minnesota presence at Beaver Stadium, including roughly 150 family members and friends making the trip.
“I’m excited, again our focus is on a 1-0 championship every single week. You know that the schedule comes out in January, you get to see that we play Penn State at their home, that’s a pretty exciting game,” Smith said. “There will be a good turnout for a lot of Minnesota fans from Pennsylvania.”
Smith has been a steady force for the Gophers this season, piling up 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks while drawing double teams and even triple teams every week.
While Smith is heading home, Drake Lindsey is staying locked in on the present. With three regular-season games left, Minnesota still needs at least one more win to become bowl eligible, and there’s already plenty of talk about what comes next for the roster and the 2027 season. Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea and Mississippi State’s Kamarion Taylor, both of whom faced the Gophers earlier this year, have already said they’re coming back for 2027.
Lindsey, who entered the season with first-round buzz, has put up 1,797 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine games. But he’s not spending much time thinking about 2027 right now.
“Simply continue to focus on right now. This team is really special and we’re really close the last two weeks and winning those games. Just continuing to focus on now and being the best version of myself for teammates,” Lindsey said.
Greg Johnson is also looking ahead, at least in a broader sense. He weighed in on the College Football Playoff’s move from 12 teams to 24 next year, a change that will also eliminate conference championship games and create five automatic bids from the Power 4 conference teams, determined by regular-season record and tiebreakers, plus the top Group of 5 team. The other 19 spots will be at-large bids.
Johnson likes the idea.
“I think it’s a good opportunity, just more football, so that will be fun to watch. More football is always better,” Johnson said.
For Johnson, the irony is that he may not be around long enough to see much of it, since he’s likely headed to the NFL next year.
In Other News...
Gophers Face A Season Pressure Point At Penn State
Minnesota heads to Beaver Stadium on Saturday night with more than just another Big Ten road test on the schedule. The Gophers are trying to snap a two-game conference skid and keep themselves on track for bowl eligibility for a sixth straight season, which gives this trip to Penn State a little extra weight even before kickoff at 6 p.m.
The matchup will be on FOX Sports 1, with FOX 9 carrying the pregame and coach shows, giving fans a full day of coverage around a game that could shape the final stretch of Minnesotas season. Penn State has been a difficult place for visitors, and the Gophers will be looking to handle the pressure point of November with their postseason goals still in reach. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Land A Recruit Who Signals Bigger Plans Ahead
Minnesota added another piece to its future frontcourt when Isaiah Santos officially signed with the Gophers, giving Niko Medved a 6-foot-5 forward with a rsum that stretches well beyond Katy, Texas. Santos has played for Seven Lakes High School, Team Brazil and AB Elite AAU, and the programs announcement underscored the kind of versatility that has made him one of the more intriguing young prospects in the class.
Medveds staff clearly sees more than just another name on the board here. Santos arrives with a blend of high school and international experience that suggests Minnesota is aiming higher in how it builds its roster, not just for one season but for the next wave of talent coming through the program. The signing itself is a meaningful step, and it also hints at how much bigger the Gophers believe this recruiting run can get. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Are Catching A Penn State Team That Looks Different Now
Penn States season has taken on a different look by the time Minnesota gets it, and that matters for a Gophers team trying to measure itself against a conference opponent that has already been through some turbulence. Audrey Snyder, who covers the Nittany Lions, said the early Big Ten stretch was rough, with the offense struggling to find rhythm and quarterback Rocco Becht and the running game both part of the problem. Even so, the recent tone around the program has shifted after the team cleaned up some of the moving parts and found enough traction to beat Purdue and Washington.
Snyder also gave Matt Campbell a B-plus for his first season, pointing to the culture he has established and the buy-in from the roster even after the early setbacks. For Minnesota, the takeaway is less about the record than the version of Penn State showing up now, one that looks more settled and more functional than the group that stumbled out of the gate. The question is whether that progress is real enough to hold up once the Gophers get their shot at it. [Read more 🡒]