Minnesota gets a week to shake off one of its roughest outings of the season before a familiar Big Ten prize comes back into view.
The Gophers will host Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 24, in the annual Floyd of Rosedale game, with kickoff set for either 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. TV information has not been announced.
The matchup comes after Minnesota was blown out 41-13 at Purdue. The Gophers are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, and the loss makes the return home feel even more urgent.
Iowa arrives at 5-1 after a 41-24 win at Washington and is also 2-1 in conference play. Like Minnesota, the Hawkeyes are on a bye this week.
This will be Minnesota’s second trophy game of the season, and the stakes around Floyd are as straightforward as ever: the winner keeps the bronze pig.
The coaching matchup adds another layer. P.J.
Fleck is 1-8 against Kirk Ferentz in his career, with his only victory coming in 2023 by a 12-10 score at Kinnick Stadium. Fleck is in his 10th season, while Ferentz is in his 28th, making them the two longest-tenured coaches in the Big Ten.
Ferentz is also the conference’s all-time winningest coach.
Minnesota badly needs a reset, and it won’t come with an easy landing. The Iowa game opens a stretch of three straight contests against ranked opponents.
The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, have a run that looks manageable after Minnesota, with Wisconsin, Northwestern and Purdue on deck. That path gives Iowa a shot at positioning itself for the College Football Playoff.
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