The Daily Gopher
Your online home for Minnesota Golden Gophers football, basketball and hockey.
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Minnesota Football vs. Iowa: The Elite, The Meh & The Ugly
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-2) upset No. 15 Iowa (5-2) 13-10 at Huntington Bank Stadium, reclaiming the Floyd of Rosedale. A dramatic 46‑yard field goal by former New Mexico kicker Luke Drzewiecki as time expired clinched the win after a 39‑yard pass from QB Drake Lindsey to Jalen Smith set up the final drive. Minnesota’s defense forced four turnovers and limited Iowa to 190 yards, while a blocked punt on the opening series gave the Gophers an early lead. Coach P.J. Fleck highlighted the week‑long punt‑block practice. The victory marks Minnesota’s third win over a top‑25 opponent this season, with a sellout crowd of 53,004 and minimal Hawkeye fan presence.
Minnesota upsets #14 Iowa 13-10 and brings home Floyd of Rosedale!
The Minnesota Golden Gophers pull off a 13-10 upset over #14 Iowa at Huntington Bank Stadium, securing Floyd of Rosedale and completing a rare sweep of all three rivalry trophies—the Little Brown Jug, Paul Bunyan’s Axe and Floyd of Rosedale—for the first time since 1978. Key moments include a blocked punt that set up a 31‑yard field goal, a late 39‑yard pass from Drake Lindsey to Jalen Smith that positioned Luke Drzewiecki for the game‑winning 46‑yard field goal, and a defensive interception that limited Iowa’s comeback. Coach PJ Fleck’s emphasis on complementary football finally clicks, giving Gophers a chance to capture the remaining rivalry trophies this season.
GAME THREAD: Iowa and Minnesota for Floyd of Rosedale
Iowa graciously brought Floyd back to Minnesota, now let’s keep him.
Minnesota Football vs. Iowa: Staff Predictions
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4‑2) host No. 15 Iowa (5‑1) for Homecoming on Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. CT in the Floyd of Rosedale showdown. Fan predictions vary: some expect a tight first half with Minnesota leading 10‑3 or 10‑7 before Iowa adjusts, while others give Iowa the edge, citing P.J. Fleck’s 1‑8 record against the Hawkeyes. The thread sparks debate over halftime scores, coaching strategy, and whether the Gophers can finally break the streak.
Golden Gophers: Homecoming Weekend Preview
Homecoming weekend bursts with Gopher action beyond Saturday's football clash with Iowa. Thursday kicks off with women’s hockey hosting the Lindenwood Lions at Ridder Arena, followed by men’s hockey versus #3 North Dakota on Fox9, and women’s soccer taking on #12 Washington in a must‑win for a Big Ten Tournament bid. Friday features the cross‑country teams at the Winona State Invitational, a second women’s hockey showdown with Lindenwood (free for men’s ticket holders), the swim‑and‑dive tri‑meet in South Dakota, and the final men’s hockey game against North Dakota at 6 PM on Fox9+. All events stream on B1G+ or local networks, giving fans multiple ways to tune in.
Gophers Host #3 North Dakota Looking For First Win of The Season
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's hockey team aims to snap a winless start under Brett Larson by hosting #3 North Dakota this weekend. After a 7-1 loss to Minnesota‑Duluth and a shootout win over the Bulldogs, the Gophers have scored just 1.5 goals per game and need offensive spark from freshmen, LJ Mooney and Javon Moore. Goalkeeper Luca DiPasquo has been solid aside from the UMD blowout, but the defense must limit UND’s potent attack—they enter 4‑0‑0, fresh from back‑to‑back 5‑0 shutouts. Power‑play woes (2‑7) and a disadvantageous 5‑vs‑5 matchup add to the challenge. Thursday’s 7 PM game and Friday’s 6 PM matchup both air on Fox9, continuing a rivalry that has split the last four series.
Three keys to beating Iowa and how to watch the battle for Floyd of Rosedale
The Daily Gopher breaks down Minnesota’s three chances to upset Iowa in the upcoming rivalry on Oct. 22, 2026, when the Gophers travel to face the Hawkeyes and the famed Floyd of Rosedale bronze pig. Key to victory: stop Iowa’s lead rusher Kamari Moulton, win the special‑teams battle (Minnesota’s reliable kicker and dynamic punt returner Javon Tracy versus Iowa’s recent miss‑hits), and attack with a faster, no‑huddle tempo under quarterback Drake Lindsey. The preview notes Iowa’s strong season and highlights LB Cam Buffington and RB Moulton as players to watch, and predicts a 27‑13 Iowa win unless coach PJ Fleck can prove he can beat Kirk Ferentz.
Minnesota Football: RoWINg to Iowa – Opponent Preview
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2) face No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1) in a Homecoming clash for the Floyd of Rosedale on Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Iowa’s coach Kirk Ferentz has kept third‑year transfer QB Jeremy Hecklinski in the start slot after a 14‑of‑19, 202‑yard, three‑TD showing against Washington, sparking a quarterback controversy with healthy Hank Brown. The Hawkeyes lean on a dominant run game—Kamari Moulton posted 208 yards on 26 carries—paired with play‑action passing to receivers Tony Diaz, Reece Vander Zee and tight end D.J. Vonnahme. Defensively, Iowa ranks 7th in run defense, 68th in pass defense and 8th in scoring, with a relentless pass rush led by DE Joseph Anderson. Minnesota must revive its ground attack, protect the ball and win the line‑of‑scrimmage battle to keep the game close.
2026 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NFL: Week 6
Week 6 saw a surge of injuries and limited playtime for former Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NFL, with nearly half seeing little or no action. Highlights include Brevyn Spann-Ford's breakout for the Cowboys (four catches, 35 yards) and Jack Gibbons' solid defensive effort in the Cardinals' upset over the Rams (seven tackles). Rashod Bateman exits early with a shoulder injury, while Aireontae Ersery earns all‑68 snaps in the Texans' London win. Several Gophers are listed as inactive or questionable heading into Week 7, making the upcoming matchups crucial for their season stats.
Big Ten Football Power Poll: Week Seven
Week seven shook the college football landscape, but the Big Ten stayed steady as Ohio State edged Indiana 19‑15 at Memorial Stadium, moving to 6‑1 and claiming the conference lead despite QB Julien Sayin’s shoulder injury and freshman Luke Fahey’s shaky debut. Indiana also fell to 6‑1, now eyeing a win at Michigan and a potential rematch with the Buckeyes. UCLA remains unbeaten at 6‑0 after a 17‑7 win over Wisconsin, while USC and Iowa each sit 6‑1 after bye weeks. Oregon snapped a slump with a 17‑14 win over Nebraska, and Northwestern beat Michigan State 24‑21 to improve to 6‑1. Upcoming rivalry games could reshape the Big Ten pecking order.
Golden Gophers Weekend Recap
The Gophers dominated the weekend across multiple sports. In women’s hockey, Minnesota upset top‑ranked Ohio State 6‑2 on Friday, highlighted by freshman Adriani Milani’s early goal and Hannah Clark’s 26 saves, before falling 6‑5 in a dramatic Saturday rematch despite a four‑point effort from Sarah Paul. The victory lifted Minnesota to #2 in the national polls. Meanwhile the volleyball squad captured a 3‑1 win over Michigan and a 3‑0 sweep of Maryland, moving to 11‑5 overall with Kelly Kinney’s 10 kills and a career‑high eight kills from setter Stella Swenson. The recap showcases the Gophers’ strong performances and a painful loss on the soccer pitch.
Tori McKinney to Miss Season With Knee Injury
Junior guard Tori McKinney suffers a knee injury in practice and will miss the entire 2026‑27 season, hurting Minnesota’s push for a second straight Sweet 16. McKinney, who averaged a team‑high 12.7 points, set a single‑season assist/turnover ratio record (2.20) and earned All‑Big Ten honors, after being MVP of the U23 3×3 World Cup in Wuhan. Her absence opens a starting‑lineup spot for freshmen Tori Oehrliein or Natalie Kussow and creates chances for juniors Makena Christian or Kennedy Klick. The Gophers debut on Nov. 2 vs. Harvard without her.
Minnesota Football: Gophers set for 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Indiana
The Big Ten schedules a 2:30 p.m. CT showdown on Halloween as the Minnesota Golden Gophers (4‑2) travel to Bloomington to challenge No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers (6‑1). Indiana, under coach Curt Cignetti, has transformed dramatically, posting a perfect 16‑0 season and a national title before suffering a 19‑15 loss to No. 3 Ohio State—their first defeat at home in 19 games. The matchup will air on CBS, pitting a rising Gophers squad against a revitalized Hoosiers program.
The Monday Perspective knows when you have to pivot
After a 24-17 loss to Purdue, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck faces criticism for failing to adjust his game plan. The article notes Purdue’s running back Femi Ijeboi exploded for 199 yards against the Gophers, while Washington limited him to 19 yards in a later game, highlighting the importance of in‑game pivots. As the Gophers prepare for their rivalry showdown with Iowa—a team that consistently forces Minnesota to play on its terms—the piece argues that Fleck must rethink strategies, possibly making offseason changes on offense, rather than simply trying to execute the same approach better.
Gophers Head Up I-35 to Face #9 UMD Bulldogs
After a week off to try and figure out what went wrong in their opening series of the season, the Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s hockey team will take the bus ride up Interstate 35 to face off against a ranked in-state rival. The Gophers will face their second of three straight ranked opponents when they […]
Gophers Host #1 Ohio State in WCHA Clash
The #3 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s hockey team will host another leg of the tri-pillars of supremacy in women’s college hockey when the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes come to Ridder Arena this weekend. Both teams are still undefeated on the season with Minnesota sitting at 4-0 and with Ohio State at 6-0. The […]
Fall Sports Golden Nugz
With the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team on their bye week this week, it seems like a good time to take a look at the other Gophers fall and winter sports that are well into their seasons and recap the most recent action and look ahead to when you can catch them play next. Full […]
2026 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NFL: Week 5
It was not a great week for former Gophers in the NFL with several not playing due to injury and those who did not having the quality of games we are used to seeing. Blake Cashman again wowed and led the Vikings defense, but that was the only real bright spot. Hopefully this week will […]
A college football weekend of hate-watching
The thing that separates college football from the NFL is the passion that surrounds it. People love their NFL teams and are wildly enthusiastic about them, but there rarely is the emotional tie that people develop with their favorite college football teams. This is much more prevalent in the south, but exists throughout the Big […]
Big Ten Football Power Poll: Week Six
Week Six confirms that parity has hit the Big Ten hard in 2026. There are two top teams (and frankly we may find out after this weekend that there’s really only one GREAT team) and then three through fourteeen are all pretty damn interchangeable. It’s a mess. But welcome to the reality of college football […]
Get to know the Gopher Basketball roster
We are just a few weeks away from Gopher basketball. Before you know it, we will be watching Gopher hockey on Friday, football on Saturday and dedicating a couple more nights every week to men’s and women’s basketball. We are just a little more than a week away from the team’s opening scrimmage against Omaha […]
Minnesota Football: Gophers set for afternoon kickoff against Iowa
The Big Ten has announced that kickoff is set for 2 or 2:30 p.m. CT when the Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2) host the No. 17-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1) on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Huntington Bank Stadium. The game will be televised on a network that has yet to be announced. The Gophers have lost two […]
Minnesota Football vs. Purdue: The Elite, The Meh & The Ugly
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2) got trounced, 41-13, by the Purdue Boilermakers (3-3) on Saturday, effectively wiping out any positive buzz remaining from the previous week’s win over Michigan. The Ugly Where do I even begin? I think I’ll start with 183. That is the average number of rushing yards per game the Purdue defense […]
Purdue runs at will and crushes Minnesota 41-13
Former Gopher, Fame Ijeboi rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns to mog Minnesota as Purdue cruised to a 41-13 win. A game that was controlled by the Boilermakers early and they never relinquished. PJ Fleck has been proud of his team’s ability to play complementary football. All three phases playing well and coming away […]
OPEN THREAD: Gophers at Purdue in prime time
Under the lights and ready for another Gopher win.
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