The Gophers get right back into the spotlight Saturday morning, and the assignment is a big one: No. 5 UCLA comes to Huntington Bank Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff on FOX 9.
Minnesota is trying to shake off a crushing overtime defeat at Indiana, while the Bruins arrive unbeaten and very much in the College Football Playoff conversation. The matchup is part of FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff window, putting the Gophers in a national showcase against one of the country’s hottest teams.
The Gophers enter at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play. UCLA is 8-0 and sits atop the conference at 5-0.
For Minnesota, the challenge comes just one week after one of the most painful finishes of the P.J. Fleck era.
The Gophers fell 23-16 in overtime at No. 4 Indiana after holding a 16-13 lead with 19 seconds left.
Luke Drzewiecke had put Minnesota in front with a 60-yard field goal, only for Indiana to answer with a 60-yard kick of its own to force overtime.
The Hoosiers took control from there, scoring on Charlie Becker’s touchdown on their first play in overtime. Minnesota’s final chance ended when Drake Lindsey was sacked on fourth and goal from the 4-yard line.
Saturday’s game will be shown on FOX 9, and the network will also carry the Gopher Pregame Show before kickoff. Pierre Noujaim, Ron Johnson, Justin Gaard and Tanner Morgan will preview the Gophers-Bruins matchup, discuss Big Ten football and look around the college football landscape.
In Other News...
Gophers Commit Faces Serious Setback As Moorhead Chases A Title
Moorheads playoff run took a major hit in the first half of its first-round win over Coon Rapids, when senior wide receiver David Mack went down with an upper-body injury and did not return. The Gophers commit has been one of the states most dangerous playmakers all season, and his absence immediately changes the look of a team that is trying to keep its title push moving.
Now Moorhead turns to a matchup with Prior Lake, and the challenge is as much about adjusting on the fly as it is about advancing. Other key players are expected to take on bigger roles, but Macks status looms over everything as the Spuds try to keep their championship hopes intact without one of their most important weapons. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Faces A Brutal Measuring Stick Against Surging UCLA
Minnesota gets a difficult late-season measuring stick with No. 5 UCLA coming to town, and the timing is not ideal for a Gophers team that has dropped two of its last three. The Bruins arrive undefeated at 8-0 and have looked every bit like a top-five group, while Minnesota is trying to steady itself against one of the countrys most polished teams.
UCLAs quarterback situation adds another layer to the matchup, with backup Ty Dieffenbach stepping in after the starter went down. The Bruins have also been playing in tighter, lower-scoring games lately, and Minnesota has seen a similar trend, which makes this one feel like the kind of contest where every possession matters and the margin for error is slim. [Read more 🡒]