The Gophers are done with non-conference play and heading straight into the Big Ten grind with a late-night trip to Washington on deck Saturday.
Minnesota enters the league opener at 2-1 after rolling past Akron 41-7, and now gets a much bigger test in No. 23 Washington at Husky Stadium. The Huskies are 3-0 and were playing for the national championship three years ago.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. local time in Seattle, which means the game starts at 10 p.m. in Minnesota.
P.J. Fleck even opened by tipping his cap to Toby Keith, pointing to the line from “Should’ve Been a Cowboy”: “Go west young man, haven’t you been told?”
The Gophers are trying to handle the travel and the timing the right way. Fleck said the team will practice in the morning and also at night so the players’ body clocks are ready for the late start. He also pointed to Minnesota’s recent struggles in similar settings, noting the Gophers played at night at California last year and lost, and also went to Oregon and lost.
"We practiced in the morning and lost, we practiced at night and lost. Flip the coin, afternoon it is," Fleck joked.
"It’s just like playing an 8 o’clock game here for us when we get there, that’s how we’ll treat it. Loudest stadium in college football."
One of the biggest questions heading into the week is the status of Darius Taylor. The standout running back worked out pregame with trainers but did not play in the win over Akron. Taylor had three first-half touchdowns against Eastern Illinois and only six touches against Mississippi State, and injuries have interrupted his Gophers career every season.
For now, Fleck called him "banged up," but the exact injury has not been disclosed. That should change Wednesday, when Big Ten teams release injury reports for the first time this season. Taylor’s status for Saturday is still unknown.
"The good thing about you guys is come Wednesday, you’ll be more informed than you’ve ever been as media members. You’re going to be so educated on the injuries, you’ll feel like the doctor. We’ll make sure we get that to you as we keep moving forward," Fleck said.
Minnesota is also carrying some momentum after bouncing back from a 38-13 loss to Mississippi State. Against Akron, Drake Lindsey threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns, the Gophers ran for 191 yards and two scores, and the defense controlled the game for long stretches.
Fleck said that was the kind of response he wanted.
"That’s what you want to see from your football team. That shows character, that shows the type of people these guys are, that shows the football team we are.
It doesn’t promise you anything, but it at least shows you the DNA of this football team," Fleck said. "That’s what you want to see after Mississippi State."
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