Minnesota heads into Happy Valley on a two-game skid, and the matchup with Penn State looks a lot different now than it did when the season began. The Nittany Lions opened Big Ten play by dropping their first four games, then steadied themselves with wins over Purdue and Washington. Now the Gophers are trying to find a road win and add the Governor’s Bell to their trophy case.
If Minnesota is going to pull it off, the offense has to start with the run game. That’s the clearest path in this one, especially with Penn State’s rush defense sitting near the bottom of the Big Ten. The Gophers don’t need a perfect identity as much as they need something that actually moves the chains on the ground.
The other side of the ball has to clean up the explosive plays. Minnesota’s offense has already stripped those out of its own playbook, but the defense has been burned by big gains in the last two games. Against Penn State, the task is simple: make the Nittany Lions work for everything.
Special teams could also end up mattering in a big way. If the offense doesn’t suddenly wake up, Minnesota may need that unit to produce points.
There are a couple of Penn State players worth keeping an eye on. Chase Sowell, the Iowa State transfer wearing No. 0 at receiver, had a strong season last year in Ames and has broken out this fall in Happy Valley.
On defense, No. 13 Tony Rojas is the name that jumps off the page.
The junior linebacker leads Penn State in tackles, sacks and interceptions, and he ranks third in the Big Ten in TFLs.
There’s always one game where something strange happens, the kind nobody saw coming. Purdue rushing for 300 yards after being one of the worst ground games in the country is the kind of example that sticks. Maybe this is the week Minnesota’s offense does something unexpected and finds enough rhythm to score points.
Still, that’s not something to bank on. The defense should keep Penn State in check, and special teams ought to hold up its end. But even with Penn State not looking all that intimidating this season, a Gopher win is still hard to call.
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Gophers Unbeaten Start Comes With An Early Warning Sign
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Asuma was at the center of it, turning in a career-best scoring night and giving Minnesota a needed burst as the rotation continues to settle in. The Gophers also controlled the glass and dictated the pace for long stretches, two signs that suggest this unbeaten start is being built on more than just hot shooting. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Fans Have Another Reason To Worry About In-State Recruiting
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Thelen had once been headed to Wisconsin before reopening his recruitment, and his path through the process included official visits elsewhere before he made his decision. For the Gophers, it is the sort of recruiting miss that stings not just because of the player involved, but because it fits a familiar pattern in a state that keeps producing prospects worth chasing. Meanwhile, his teammate Baboucarr Ann is headed to Wisconsin, adding another layer to a recruiting story Minnesota followers would have preferred to see unfold differently. [Read more 🡒]