Minnesota gets a chance to reset against Akron, and the formula is pretty clear: get the ground game moving, put Anthony Smith in position to disrupt things, and tighten up a defense that has already shown some shaky stretches this season.
The Gophers need the run game more than ever. They were the Big Ten’s worst rushing team a year ago and, through two games, they’re sitting 18th again.
That issue got louder after Mississippi State, when Minnesota didn’t really even try to lean on the run in the second half. Against Akron, that has to change.
Smith is another name to watch. Minnesota’s top defensive player was quiet against Mississippi State, and the Gophers need him to make life miserable in the Zips’ backfield. If he’s affecting plays early, that changes the feel of the game fast.
The defense also has to be sharper. Both games have featured stretches where Minnesota has looked out of sync and slow to recover.
Against Eastern Illinois, it was one series. Against Mississippi State, it was the entire first half.
Danny Collins pointed to tempo and the communication issues it created, so the next step is obvious: get cleaner communication, adjust faster, and let that talent show up more consistently.
Akron has a few players worth tracking, starting with tight end Elijah Alexander. It’s not often a tight end gets a spot in a “3 Keys” breakdown, but Alexander has earned it. The sophomore has three touchdowns in two games and leads the team with seven catches.
On the other side, keep an eye on defensive lineman Cyrus Durham. Akron’s best defensive player has yet to play this season, but there is a real chance he suits up this week. If he’s on the field, he’s the one Minnesota has to account for.
This looks like a chance for Minnesota to take a step forward after the Mississippi State loss. The expectation is that the offense will try to establish the run early, even if it doesn’t produce much right away, before turning to the passing game to get points moving.
In Other News...
Gophers May Have Found A Different Way To Win Without Darius Taylor
Minnesota found a different formula Saturday in a 41-7 win over Akron, one that leaned far less on the ground game than usual and far more on Drake Lindseys arm. With top running back Darius Taylor sidelined by injury, the Gophers spread the ball around and let Lindsey take charge, and he responded with 204 passing yards and three touchdowns in a performance that gave the offense a cleaner rhythm than the setting might have suggested.
The passing game was only part of the story. Minnesota also got a lift from special teams, which helped tilt field position with key returns and a fumble recovery, while Akron lost starting quarterback Sebastian Broughton to a knee injury along the way. For the Gophers, the broader question now is whether this was just a one-game adjustment or a glimpse at another way to win if Taylor is unavailable again. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Suddenly Face A Darius Taylor Concern They Can't Ignore
Minnesotas backfield took an immediate hit this week, with Darius Taylor ruled out for the Akron game because of a lower-body injury he dealt with before and during the Mississippi State matchup. Taylor was limited in that game, and head coach P.J. Fleck has described him as day-to-day, which leaves the Gophers juggling workload and health at a spot they would rather keep steady early in the season.
With Taylor and freshman Ryan Estrada unavailable, A.J. Turner and T.J. Thomas are in line to handle the running back duties against Akron. For Minnesota, the bigger concern is less about one game than about how quickly Taylor can get back to being the kind of reliable option the offense has leaned on, because the depth chart already looks thinner than the Gophers would like. [Read more 🡒]
Tori McKinney Just Gave Gophers Fans Another Reason To Believe
Tori McKinney spent the week in international play doing what Minnesota fans have come to appreciate about her game: showing up on both ends and helping steady her team when the margin for error was thin. Team USA entered the 2026 Womens Under-23 3x3 FIBA World Cup as the fourth seed, worked through pool play and the bracket, and finished the job by beating Canada 15-10 to take gold.
For the Gophers, that kind of run matters well beyond the medal count. McKinneys value was evident throughout the tournament as a defensive presence and an offensive contributor, a combination that can translate well back home when Minnesota needs poise, versatility and a player willing to take on pressure moments. It is the sort of performance that gives a fan base another reason to keep believing in what comes next. [Read more 🡒]