Charles Davis is back in the college game, and the CBS analyst isn’t shy about where he thinks Minnesota fits.
The Gophers, in Davis’ view, belong in the Big Ten’s next tier behind the league’s heavy hitters. He pointed to Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana as the clear elite group, then made the case that Minnesota can push for what he called “that fourth spot in the Big Ten.”
“Minnesota has designs on competing for, as we sit here now, that fourth spot in the Big Ten,” Davis told the Pioneer Press this week. “Meaning Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, I think we would probably all agree, they’re … the elite.”
That’s a notably higher ceiling than the one most outside evaluators have attached to the Gophers. Las Vegas oddsmakers set Minnesota’s win total at 6 1/2, and Cleveland.com’s preseason Big Ten poll had the Gophers 10th. In that ranking, Southern Cal, Michigan, Penn State, Washington, Iowa and Illinois were all slotted ahead of them.
Davis, though, said his optimism started with what he saw in person during a preseason practice in August.
“I think their talent level is really good,” said Davis, who will be in the booth with play-by-play man Brad Nessler in Minneapolis this weekend. “I walked away very impressed (with) what I thought of their different positions, obviously how they practice, different things of that nature.”
A few players stuck with him. First was senior running back Darius Taylor, listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds.
“It was my first time seeing Darius Taylor, in person,” Davis said. “You hear about guys, and then you see them and you’re like, ‘OK, I absolutely get it.’ ”
He also singled out guard Greg Johnson and center Ashton Beers, though he added that “the rest of (the offensive line) has to come together.” Receiver Javon Tracy also caught his eye in the slot before he returned two punts for touchdowns in Minnesota’s 59-7 win over Eastern Illinois.
On defense, Davis started with Anthony Smith, the Big Ten preseason defensive player of the year. He also praised new transfer end TJ Bush, saying, “Getting TJ Bush from Cal, that’s already paid off,” and said linebacker Maverick Baranowski really impressed him.
“I’ve got a man crush on (linebacker Maverick) Baranowski. I mean, I just think he’s a heck of a player. He just shows up.”
Davis also mentioned Ayden West and John Nestor at cornerback, along with Zack Harden and Kerry Brown at safety.
Minnesota will need all of that if it wants to slow Mississippi State on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Bulldogs are 1-0 as well, and their quarterback, Kamario Taylor, made a loud first impression in a 62-13 win over Louisiana Monroe. Taylor piled up 413 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, prompting Davis to compare him to Cam Newton, Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III - all players Jeff Lebby coached at Baylor.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Taylor “does jump off the tape, but wait until you watch him come off the bus,” Davis said.
Still, Davis saw a few openings in Taylor’s debut. He completed 65% of his passes, but Davis said a couple of throws were close to being picked off.
“His percentage was really good the other night (65% completions), but there were like two or three balls that potentially could have gone the other way,” Davis said. “And Minnesota’s going to need to capitalize on those if he does give them those opportunities.”
For Davis, Saturday’s Big Ten-SEC matchup comes down to who wins up front. He expects Minnesota to lean into its identity and Mississippi State to test a rebuilt offensive line.
“Minnesota being able to oppose their will; they want to run the heck out of it,” Davis said. “They want to control the line of scrimmage.
They want to be more physical than the other team. And Mississippi State believes it’s the best roster they’ve had under Lebby, and I think they’re excited for the challenge.
“We’ll want to see if that defensive front of Minnesota can control a rebuilt offensive line of Mississippi State, because that was a big part of their offseason, trying to get that line together.”
In Other News...
Gophers Just Crossed A Uniform Line Fans May Not Love
Minnesota football is adding a new look to its helmets this season, and it is one that signals just how far college athletics has drifted into the sponsorship era. The Gophers announced a partnership with Visible, the digital-first wireless carrier powered by Verizon, making it the first helmet bumper sponsor in program history. The logo will appear on the back of every Minnesota helmet starting Sept. 12, another visible reminder of how athletic departments are leaning harder on outside revenue streams.
The move comes as the athletic department also weighs future jersey patch sponsorships while dealing with a budget deficit, a sign the financial pressure is not easing anytime soon. For fans, the helmet addition is the kind of branding step that can feel small in isolation but meaningful in the larger picture, especially for a program trying to balance tradition, aesthetics and the growing cost of running college sports at this level. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Just Crossed A New Branding Line Fans Will Debate
The Gophers are about to take a small but highly visible step into a new era of college sports branding. For the current season, Minnesota football helmets will carry a Visible logo sponsorship sticker on the bottom rear, a placement made possible by a new NCAA rule that now allows commercial logos on equipment. The deal was negotiated by Learfield on behalf of the athletics department, and it extends beyond football with additional branding tied to the schools basketball and hockey programs.
Minnesota will debut the helmet look in its upcoming game against Mississippi State, giving fans their first chance to see how the change lands on the field. For an athletic department trying to keep pace with the financial realities of modern college sports, it is the kind of move that makes business sense even if it invites plenty of debate from supporters who still want their teams gear to look as clean and classic as possible. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Are Bringing A First To Their Helmets This Season
College football uniforms are entering a new era, and Minnesota is stepping into it in a notable way. Gopher Athletics and Learfields Gopher Sports Properties announced a partnership with Visible that will make the company the first-ever helmet bumper partner for Minnesota football, a move that puts the Visible logo on the back of every Golden Gophers helmet starting Sept. 12.
The change will debut during a nationally televised game against Mississippi State, giving Minnesota a high-profile showcase for a sponsorship that follows the NCAAs recent approval of commercial logos on college athletic uniforms. For the Gophers, it is another sign of how quickly branding opportunities are expanding in college sports, with the helmet now serving as more than just team identity on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]