After they played in London, England last season, another international contest right away doesn’t usually happen (unless you’re the Jacksonville Jaguars). Thus, when rumors that the MN Vikings could actually play, not just one, but back-to-back games across the pond turned reality… heads really turned.

There are opinions on both sides — regarding whether or not two international games are a good thing for the Vikings, who will play week four in Dublin and week five in London, before getting week 6 as their bye — but the more information we get on how this overseas doubleheader came into being, the more we realize that this was just as much Vikings-driven as it was league-driven.

How did the Minnesota Vikings end up with back-to-back international games?

This week, NFL schedule-maker Mike North went on the Ross Tucker podcast where he pulled back the curtain on how it all went down. It was Roger Goodell who first broached the idea to North. He did not think there was any chance the Vikings would be interested, but he asked anyway.

To his surprise, however, Vikings leadership went from what North described as “open-minded, to willing, to kind of eager” toward the opportunity. Thus, the Minnesota Vikings and the league worked out the details together and made it happen.

Per Mike North, NFL Schedule Creator, the Vikings went from "open minded, to willing, to kind of eager" to try something new with back to back international games in different cities.

With the Vikings are fully on board, it can't come soon enough.pic.twitter.com/cl7eUddTWf

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) May 15, 2025

“When we got into international games, I basically reached out to all the teams, and said, ‘hey Vikings, you see the schedule. You know Pittsburgh is hosting a game in Dublin. You know you are a road opponent for the Steelers this year. There’s a chance you could be chosen to go to Ireland.

Subsequent phone call: ‘Hey Vikings, you know you’re playing the Browns this year. They’re hosting a game in London. You know you’re a possible opponent to play the Browns in London this year. And it was actually commissioner Goodell who said, ‘do you think they’d want to do both?’, and I said ‘absolutely not, no chance.

But I called them and I talked to them and they went from open-minded to willing to kind of eager. And so we kind of partnered up with them, figured out a way to innovate, try something new here, and they worked with our ops team…and they’re going to spend the week over there and it’ll be a good test for us.”

NFL Scheduler – Mike North on the Ross Tucker Podcast

So there you have it. The Minnesota Vikings drove the bus on their overseas doubleheader, after Goodell floated the idea to North, who then (to his surprise) took the idea and ran with it. But who in the Vikings organization is leading the international effort?

Why Kevin O’Connell invites these overseas games

According to the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer, on the latest episode of the Access Vikings podcast, it’s head coach Kevin O’Connell driving Minnesota’s overseas bus plane. And there are a couple of reasons — some football-related, and some not.

First, Krammer points to something O’Connell told international reporters, when speaking to them following the league’s announcement last week. KOC likes the idea of having McCarthy’s rookie weeks four and five to be played in the friendlier confines of Croke Park (IE) and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (UK), instead of Heinz Field (Pittsburgh) and Huntington Bank Field (Cleveland).

“O’Connell went as far as to say that Europe is a better backdrop for JJ McCarthy, than Pittsburgh or Cleveland. He said those can be hostile environments, going on the road in the AFC North for a young quarterback, depending on when those games could fall.”

Andrew Krammer – Access Vikings

It doesn’t necessarily seem like the competitive balance aspect — whether that be more neutral road crowds for their rookie quarterback or whatever other advantages come with playing two roadgames overseas — was the biggest driver in Minnesota’s eagerness, though.

Related: Apparently, Sportsbooks Have Not Learned Their Lesson on the Minnesota Vikings

According to Goessling, it’s Kevin O’Connell’s ability to see the bigger picture, beyond just the football game played on the field. KOC seems to understand how important back-to-back international games will be for the Minnesota Vikings brand, especially after playing in London two of the past three seasons, even prior to 2025.

“I think it it is something that you have heard them embrace And I think Kevin O’Connell specifically. I mean, every time that he’s been over there, he talks about ‘we love expanding our brand, introducing fans around the world to the Vikings and the way we do things.

It does not hurt to have a head coach who I think is open enough and understands enough of the business side of this, and the marketing side of this to say, ‘Yeah we can make this work.’ I don’t think that is an accident that this has picked up. Because the pace of this has picked up, with Kevin O’Connell as the coach. It’s three times in four years now that he’s been the head coach that they’ve been in the UK and four games in four years internationally.

Mike Zimmer did this once and you could tell he wasn’t a big fan of it…So the fact that it happened once in Mike Zimmer’s eight years and it’s now happened three times, four games in Kevin O’Connell’s four years, I don’t think that’s an accident. I think the head coach buying into this is a big factor here.

If you listen to the rest of the Vikings Access podcast uploaded on Friday, you’ll start planning your yearly Minnesota Vikings preparations around at least one international game. Because with KOC bought in on the idea of expanding the MN Vikings brand, it sounds like going overseas could become a very regular thing going forward.

Minnesota Wild game today

Related: MN Wild Place Veteran Winger on Injured Reserve

Are the MN Wild favored to win today?

The Minnesota Wild are -145 favorites today against the Buffalo Sabres (via ESPN Bet — last updated on November 29 at 7:55 a.m. CST).

• Minnesota Wild: -145 ML | -1.5 (+165)
• Buffalo Sabres: +125 ML | +1.5 (-200)
• Over/Under Total: 6.5 goals

What channel is the Minnesota Wild game on today?

The Minnesota Wild game today against the Buffalo Sabres will air on FanDuel Sports Network North Extra.

Related: MN Wild Rookie Takes Over NHL Lead Amidst Hot Streak

Where can I stream the MN Wild hockey game today?

The Wild vs Sabres game today will stream on FanDuel Sports Network App.

Minnesota Wild regular season record 2025-26

The Minnesota Wild’s record is 14-7-4 through 25 games, good for 32 points in the Western Conference standings.

Did the Minnesota Wild win their last game?

Yes, the Minnesota Wild won their last game (Friday) against the Colorado Avalanche.

Related: MN Wild Rookie Sent Down in Flurry of Moves, Lights Lamp Immediately

2025-26 Minnesota Wild regular season schedule and results

Below is the 2025-26 Minnesota Wild schedule and results (by month).

October 2025

November 2025

December 2025

January 2026

February 2026

March 2026

April 2026

Minnesota Wild 2025 Preseason Schedule and Results

Where do the Minnesota Wild play?

The Wild play their home games at Grand Casino Arena, in St. Paul, MN, which opened in September, 2000 (originally Xcel Energy Center).

How many home games do the Wild play in 2025-26?

The Wild play 41 home games per season, splitting their 82-game schedule in half. If the Wild reach the playoffs, more home games will occur.

Minnesota Wild record by year; playoff finish

• 2024-25: 45-30-7 (97 points); 1st round loss
• 2023-24: 39-32-10 (87 points); Missed Playoffs
• 2022-23: 46-25-11 (103 points); 1st round loss
• 2021-22: 53-22-7 (113 points); 1st round loss
• 2020-21: 35-16-5 (75 points); 1st round loss
• 2019-20: 35-27-7 (77 points); Qual round loss
• 2018-19: 37-36-9 (83 points); Missed Playoffs
• 2017-18: 45-26-11 (101 points); 1st round loss

Read all of our Minnesota Wild articles

Is there a Minnesota Gophers game today?

Related: Gopher Defense No-Shows at Wrigley, Foiling Drake Lindsey Coming Out Party

Are the Minnesota Gophers favored to win this week?

What TV channel is the Gopher football game on today?

You can watch the Minnesota Gophers vs Wisconsin game today on FS1.

Related: Gopher Football’s PJ Fleck Popular in Early CFB Coaching Rumors

Where can I stream the Gophers football game today?

You can stream the Minnesota vs Wisconsin game today on the FOX Sports App.

What is the Minnesota Gophers record in 2025?

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have a 2025 regular season record of 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten.

Did the Minnesota Gophers football team win their last game?

No, the Golden Gophers lost their last game against the Northwestern Wildcats.

What place are the Minnesota Gophers in (Big Ten)?

The Minnesota Gophers are currently 10th place in the Big Ten Standings (through November 23).

1. #2 Indiana | 8-0
2. #1 Ohio State | 8-0
3. #7 Oregon | 7-1
4. #18 Michigan | 7-1
5. #15 USC | 6-2
6. Washington | 5-3
7. Iowa | 5-3
8. Nebraska | 4-4
9. Northwestern | 4-4
10. Minnesota | 4-4

2025 Minnesota Gophers Schedule and Results

MN Gophers Statistical Leaders – 2025

• Offense
  • Passing: (#3) Drake Lindsey – 210/337 (62.3%) | 2,145 Yards | 15 TD | 6 INT
  • Rushing: (#1) Darius Taylor – 100 Carries | 454 Yards | 4.5 YPC | 2 TD
  • Receiving: (#0) Le’Meke Brockington – 44 Receptions | 460 Yards | 4 TD
• Defense
  • Tackles: (#6) Maverick Baranowski – 79 Tackles | 37 Solo | 2 Sacks | 1 FF
  • Sacks: (#0) Anthony Smith – 10.5 Sacks | 31 Tackles | 1 PD
  • Interceptions: (#17) John Nestor – 3 INT | 38 Tackles | 6 PD | 1 TD

Related: PJ Fleck Addresses Gopher Football Fans Storming Field After Nebraska Win

Where do the Minnesota Gophers play football?

The Gophers play at Huntington Bank Stadium, which opened in 2009.

How many home games do the Gophers play in 2025?

The Gophers play seven home games at Huntington Bank Stadium in 2025.

What time do the gates open before home games?

Unless otherwise stated, the tailgate lots of Huntington Bank Stadium open six hours before kickoff. However, gates will not open any earlier than 7 a.m. CT. The Huntington Bank Stadium ticket office opens three hours before kickoff. Gates to the stadium open 90 minutes before kickoff.

Read More: Visiting Huntington Bank Stadium: This is what you need to know

Minnesota Gophers record by year

Each season listed below covers the entire PJ Fleck era.

• 2025: 6-5…
• 2024: 7-5, won Duke’s Mayo Bowl
• 2023: 6-7, won Quick Lane Bowl
• 2022: 9-4, won Pinstripe Bowl
• 2021: 9-4, won Guaranteed Rate Bowl
• 2020: 3-4
• 2019: 11-2, won Outback Bowl
• 2018: 7-6, won Quick Lane Bowl
• 2017: 5-7, Fleck’s 1st Season

2024 Minnesota Gophers Scores and Results

2023 Minnesota Gophers scores, results

Read all of the Minnesota Gophers football articles at Minnesota Sports Fan

What channel is Minnesota Gophers vs Michigan State Spartans on Saturday?

The Minnesota vs Michigan State game this Saturday is on Big Ten Network and kickoff is scheduled for 2:30.

How to watch the Minnesota Gophers games in 2023?

The easiest way to watch the Golden Gophers football games is via the Big Ten Network. You can pick up these service and watch on your big screen TV via any of these streaming services:

• FuboTV Pro, $74.99 monthly with the Big Ten Network
• Sling TV Orange, $40 monthly with the Big Ten Network

Always remember, Gophers games change channels depending on their opponent. Channels include FOX, ESPN, NBC, and more. Only Fubo TV Pro includes all those channels and Big Ten Network.

Explore the Gophers football schedule to see what channels you need for the biggest games you don’t want to miss.

Related: PJ Fleck Pleads Gophers Fans and Boosters for More NIL Money

Watching the Gophers on Fubo TV

The best option without a cable subscription is FuboTV Pro. It is more expensive, but you get every channel you need to never miss a Minnesota Gophers game. It costs $74.99 per month, but includes a massive 166 channels, covering every potential channel the Gophers could be on during the season. There is also a seven-day free trial to watch Gophers football, which gives you time to decide if Fubo is right for you. Follow the link below to get started:

Related: Win or Lose, Athan Kaliakmanis Leads

Watching the Gophers on Sling TV

Sling TV is next best way to watch the Gophers without cable. Sling Orange allows you to stream Gophers football games on a basic plan that includes 31 channels. You can get a free trial after choosing your package as it provides the most cost-friendly way to watch the Gophers without a cable contract.

Keep in mind, that purchasing Sling Orange does not guarantee that you will have access to all Gophers football games since they often are broadcast on different channels from week to week. For example, buying just the Orange package will not include Big Ten Network.

To never miss a game via Sling TV you’ll need to get the Orange + Blue package and the Sports Extras bundle, taking the price above FuboTV’s $74.99 price point. However, SlingTV offers a great range of extra content, explore SlingTV with a free trial below:

Related: Dinkytown Athletes Partners with Gray Duck on New Gophers NIL Beer

How to watch the Minnesota Gophers online?

You can watch Gophers football online through a few different methods. The first includes signing into Sling TV or Fubo.TV on your device and watching it from any device online.

If you want to download the app, that is another alternative, but all you need to do is sign into your account with an up-to-date browser.

How to watch the the Minnesota Gophers game today?

Since the Gophers football channel often changes, viewers will have to pay attention to which channel the game is broadcast on each week.

These include Big Ten Network, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NBC, among others. You can explore all the recent Gophers game scores here. If you do not have cable TV or want access without cable, there are several streaming services options available.

Related: Michigan State Interested in PJ Fleck as Next Head Coach

How can I watch the Minnesota Gophers via Roku?

To watch Gophers football on Roku, you can do so through different platforms, including Sling TV and Fubo.TV. First, you go to the Roku homepage and find the service of your choice in the search bar. Next, you will select “Add Channel” and enter a PIN code for your account if needed. Finally, sign up or sign into your account to access your favorite channels.

How can I watch the Minnesota Gophers via Amazon Firestick?

You can easily watch Gophers football via Amazon Firestick, and once it is set up, it is effortless to navigate. First, you need to install Fubo TV, after searching for it so you can watch the Gophers on your Amazon Firestick. Then, you can pick your plan or sign into your account.

Related: PJ Fleck Cares What You Think About Gophers Uniforms, But Not Really

How to watch the Minnesota Gophers for free?

You can watch the Gophers for free on Fubo.TV as it gives you a seven-day free trial to try out the streaming service. It is available after picking your package and entering all of your information. If this does not work, it can be done after downloading the Fubo TV app on devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Smart TVs, and more.

Best way to watch the Minnesota Gophers?

The best way to watch Gophers football is through Fubo TV. It also offers access to other Minnesota sports teams at an affordable price. Plus, a seven-day free trial allows you to navigate the service.

Twin Cities Uber driver leaks Vikings schedule on Twitter

But for Minnesota Vikings fans who follow the right accounts on Twitter, you knew the entire schedule by brunch, if you’re into in-between meals. How? A mystery Twin Cities Uber driver who goes by @SkolBros on Twitter and @skolbros2 on Instagram.

His first leak of the day came at 6:24 AM CT. Vikings vs Eagles: Week 2 – Thursday Night Football. Packers vs Vikings at US Bank Stadium on New Year’s Eve came next at 6:32 AM CT.

The Vikings will travel to Philadelphia and play the Eagles on Thursday Night Football week 2, 9/14

Per: @SkolBros

— Expierenced Guesser (@SkolBros) May 11, 2023

The Vikings will play the Green Bay Packers at home on Sunday Night Football on NYE 12/31.

Per: @SkolBros

— Expierenced Guesser (@SkolBros) May 11, 2023

His leaks continued from there. In Vegas on December 10, home vs Tampa Bay in week 1, 49ers at home on Monday Night Football October 23. By 9 AM, over half the Vikings schedule had been leaked and SkolBros accounted for almost every single one. At 10 AM, he tapped on local graphic artist Eli Corbett to just release the entire thing, including which five would be in prime time.

Your 2023 @Vikings Schedule.
Per: @SkolBros #SKOL pic.twitter.com/qJ0k8Kde40

— Eli Corbett (@eli_corbett) May 11, 2023

Follow your local Uber insider

Nine hours later, the Vikings did released their schedule via drone video that featured Kirk Cousins and Paul Allen, among others. Every game in the exact order that SkolBros reported earlier this morning.

122 days until Week 1

Enjoy The Ride pic.twitter.com/UZgsYsbygF

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 12, 2023

This isn’t the first time SkolBros has proven himself to be one of the biggest and most plugged in NFL insiders on the internet. If you love being on the forefront of Vikings news and rumors, following your local Uber driving insider on Twitter would be a good idea.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

But it’s time to get over it. Gopher fans, and the rest of the college football world needs to admit the obvious truth. There is one team in the Big Ten West division, that throughout the early season schedule, has looked far superior to any of the other six.

1-0 in the Colorado season. pic.twitter.com/dpkHS9lG2y

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 18, 2022

What did the #Gophers have in store?

A whole lot of good stuff. pic.twitter.com/cvFEEolnfB

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 12, 2022

The Minnesota Golden Gophers, in PJ Fleck’s 6th season, has completely dominated all three of their non-conference opponents, outscoring them to the tune of 149-17. That’s 49.7 points per game. The Minnesota offense is averaging 554.7 yards per game and the defense is allowing just 170.3. That’s a 384.4 yard differential. Even the sportsbooks have been taken aback by how well the Gophers have played so far.

Minnesota covered massive spreads in all three contests. Against New Mexico State, the Gophers entered as 35-point favorites, and won 38-0. They needed a victory by greater than 41 points, vs Western Illinois, and beat them by 52 (62-10). On Saturday, they were only 27.5-point favorites vs Colorado, but instead ran the Buffaloes off a 42-point cliff (49-7).

“They haven’t played anyone yet…”

It’s true, the Gophers played one of the worst non-conference schedules in the Big Ten. Their only power-5 opponent was Colorado, who’s expected to finish 2022 in the gutter of the PAC-12. Still, Minnesota stands as the only undefeated Big Ten West team, and given their record against the spread, they’ve exceeded expectations, thus far.

Let’s be real, Iowa and Wisconsin are the Gophers‘ only Big Ten West competition. Northwestern, Purdue and Nebraska have already collected two losses, or more, on the season. Illinois had an impressive win over Virginia on Saturday, but they have already lost a conference game vs Indiana and aren’t expected to be a factor in the West by season’s end.

Iowa Curse Keeps Them Alive

Iowa is only in this conversation because they’ve been grandfathered in. If it weren’t for PJ Fleck’s winless record vs the Hawkeyes, I’d count them as dead too. They don’t have an offense! In their first three games, Iowa has totaled just 41 points. That’s over 100 less than the Gophers! Their competition? A 7-3 win over South Dakota State, a 7-10 loss vs Iowa State and a 21-0 win over Nevada.

Iowa’s quarterback, Spencer Petras, has a completion percentage of 47% and he’s thrown more interceptions (2) than touchdowns (1). Hell, he hasn’t even hit 400 total passing yards on the season yet. The black and gold offense struggled to find points vs Washington State and South Dakota State.

Make no mistake, the Iowa offense and Spencer Petras are as bad or worse tonight than the last 2 games. He has missed so many throws that junior high QB's make. Without a doubt the worst QB to play at Iowa in 20+ years.

— JadeMichael (@Jade_DFW) September 18, 2022

Spencer Petras will start Saturday for the Hawkeyes. But is that the right move? @JetthroTV and @RobHoweHN discuss the offensive struggles on I on the Hawks.
Full show: https://t.co/1yaGWDXXFi pic.twitter.com/LeatvujDCf

— Iowa's News Now (@iowasnewsnow) September 16, 2022

What are they going to do with a top-15 Minnesota Gophers’ defense? If Tanner Morgan, Mo Ibrahim & Co can post 20 points on November 19, they’ll blow the Hawkeyes out of Huntington Bank Stadium.

What About Wisconsin?

Then there’s Wisconsin, who has dominated the Big Ten West since it was created nearly a decade ago. But much like the rest of the division outside of Minnesota, the Badgers have an L on their 3-game resume already and they could be in jeopardy of missing out on the conference championship for the 3rd-straight season.

Sure, they put 66 up on the Fighting Jerry Kills over the weekend. But, who cares? (QB) Graham Mertz has been better than last year’s dumpster fire, so far. But he was very pedestrian (18/31, 227 yards, 2 TD, INT) in Wisconsin’s 17-14 loss to Washington State, the Saturday before. Braelin Allen wasn’t his normal unstoppable self in that game either, carrying the ball 21 times for just 98 yards and failing to reach pay dirt.

Washington State might surprise some people this year but their defense is not on the level of what the Badgers will see vs Iowa and Minnesota this season. So that again begs to question how Wisconsin will find a way to put up more points than Kirk Ciarrocca, Tanner Morgan and Mohamed Ibrahim.

OMG sorry to bring this up but #WSUvsWIS Washington State defense just pulled a #MarlonMcCree against Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/YnDNYDrrDc

— BoltCountry ⚡️ (@boltcountry17) September 10, 2022

Then, you look at the schedules…

Schedules aside, the Minnesota Gophers look like the best and most complete team in the West division, as long as Kirk Ciarrocca can continue to bring the 2019 out of Tanner Morgan. The maroon and gold are strong in every other position group, both on offense and defense.

Now, take a peek at the schedules. You’ll notice pretty quickly that, between the Gophers, Hawkeys and Badgers, it’s Minnesota that has the easiest path to Big Ten West supremacy. The Gophers do not have Iowa or Wisconsin on the schedule until the final two weeks of the season. In their three contests vs the East, Minnesota will travel to Michigan State (this weekend) and Penn State (Oct. 22). Then on Oct. 29, they host Rutgers.

Wisconsin travels to the horseshoe next weekend, to play #3 Ohio State and they too will play Michigan State, by season-end. But the Badgers’ schedule vs East teams looks like a cakewalk when you realize Iowa has both Ohio State AND #4 Michigan on their 2022 slate. In other words, if Hawkeye fans have hotel rooms booked for November in Indianapolis, they can probably cancel.

After further review…

The Minnesota Gophers are the best team in the Big Ten West, both on paper and, so far, on the field. Pair that superiority with an underwhelming 2022 schedule, compared to that of Iowa or Wisconsin, and your pick to win the Big Ten West should be obvious.

See you in Indy.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

It included a loss to Bowling Green at home and a victory over a streaking Badgers team to close the regular season and Paul Bunyan’s Axe. When the dust settled, Minnesota finished with a 9-4 (6-3) record. Still, there was a lot of meat left on the bone.

PJ Fleck’s Gophers return a handful of key pieces on both offense and defense, but will also have to replace a lot of talent in certain areas. They lost four of five starters on the offensive line, lost two defensive ends to the NFL, and two of the brightest young running backs in the country to the transfer portal.

But they aren’t the only team in the Big Ten to lose key pieces from last season. That’s what college football is all about. So let’s take a look at the Minnesota Gophers 2022 schedule, what’s changed and what’s remained the same for each opponent and then rank them from least to most difficult.

B1G changed #Gophers 2022 schedule. New schedule????

9/1 – New Mexico St
9/10 – Western Illinois
9/17 – Colorado
9/24 – at Michigan St
10/1 – Purdue
10/15 – at Illinois
10/22 – at Penn St
10/29 – Rutgers
11/5 – at Nebraska
11/12 – Northwestern
11/19 – Iowa
11/26 – at Wisconsin

— Paul Rovnak (@paulrovnak) January 12, 2022

12. New Mexico State | September 1, 2022

The Aggies are coming off a 2-10 regular season but have a new, very familiar face. Jerry Kill was named the head coach at New Mexico State on November 29th, 2021. Kill and company have a large rebuild project on their hands out in the desert and his 2022 squad doesn’t have much to offer, in terms of talent.

Contrary to years past, don’t expect PJ Fleck to implement a conservative gameplan on opening night this season. It’s unlikely he’s forgotten what Kill said about him, after Fleck was hired to take over for what was left of Kill’s old regime in 2017. I expect Minnesota to win this game handily and start the 2022 season 1-0.

11. Western Illinois | September 10, 2022

The Minnesota Gophers’ easiest matchups of the year are in weeks one and two. The Western Illinois Leathernecks are coming off a 2-9 campaign and, much like New Mexico State, are breaking in a brand new coaching staff.

Coach Myers Hendrickson was hired and named the new head coach on December 17th, 2021. I expect PJ Fleck to return to his bland non-conference self in this one. Grind out the clock, run the ball 75% of the time, and play ultra conservative football. But that’s all it should really take for the Gophers to pull this one out.

10. Colorado | September 17, 2022

Colorado is coming off a disappointing 4-8 season in 2021. These two teams faced off last year, and the Gophers pounded the Buffaloes in Boulder, 30-0. The Minnesota defense was stifling all game, and I don’t expect that to change much this time around.

Sure, 155 of the yards accumulated on the ground that day came from two freshman, Ky Thomas (Kansas) and Mar’Keise Irving (Oregon), who left in the offseason via the NCAA transfer portal. Minnesota, however, returns Trey Potts to their backfield. And legend has it that — after his 121 yards and 3 touchdowns last fall in Boulder — is now worshipped on the CU campus like a mythical greek god.

Everyone’s excited about the #Gophers Freshman running backs. But Trey Potts is still The Dude. pic.twitter.com/g0YbF8KxE6

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 19, 2021

The #Gophers new three-headed monster vs Colorado’s VAUNTED defense:

Trey Potts: 26 CAR | 121 YDS (4.7 YPC) | 3 TD
Bucky Irving: 15 CAR | 89 YDS (5.9 YPC)
Ky Thomas: 7 CAR | 66 YDS (9.4 YPC) | TD

Total: 52 CAR | 279 YDS (5.4 YPC) | 4 TD

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 18, 2021

Part of my confidence comes from another familiar face, this one in the Buffaloes play calling booth; former Minnesota Offensive Coordinator, Mike Sanford Jr, who called the plays for last year’s Gopher stampede in Boulder. Fired after the 2021 season, Sanford Jr was often ridiculed by by fans and media for his play-calling, conservativatism, and bad schemes. It worked vs Colorado, which may explain why he’s now up in their booth.

The Buffaloes lost a boatload of players to the portal, after last season, including lead rusher Jared Broussard, who will now take handoffs at Michigan State. Key losses from an already lackluster roster in 2021 combined with an incompetent offensive coordinator. A Minnesota Gophers team with aspirations of winning the Big Ten West, should take this game (at home) with relative ease. But, you know how that goes.

9. Rutgers | October 29, 2022

In 2022, the Scarlet Knights of Piscataway, NJ come to Dinkytown for a late-October matchup. Rutgers finished 5-8 last season. Their final loss of the season came via a bowl game birth that was only granted because a bowl-eligible team had to forfeit.

Coach Greg Schiano, a mentor of PJ Fleck, has done a solid job through two seasons in New Jersey. Recruiting has picked up and the Knights have been winning more games than any time in recent history. But, expectations are down entering the 2022 season.

The Scarlet Knight offense was bad last year, finishing 120th out of 130 teams in points per game (19.7). With another brutal schedule on tap in the Big Ten East, getting to a bowl-eligible six wins will be a battle. I expect the Minnesota Gophers to come out with a win, in this one, and it shouldn’t take a lot of points to do it.

8. Northwestern | November 12, 2022

Northwestern rotates every other season between Big Ten West supremacy and complete garbage. In 2018 they were Big Ten West Champions. Then, they were garbage in 2019. Fast forward to 2020, they’re West Champions again. But then last year, garbage again.

Following that pattern, you’d assume this will be an up year for Northwestern, right? I highly doubt it. Instead, I’m expecting this year’s Wildcats to finish at or near the 3-9 (1-8) record their 2021 team registered.

Pat Fitzgerald has my respect, no doubt. But I think it’s safe to assume his better days are behind him. The Wildcats bring back a solid running back, in Evan Hull, and some key pieces to the secondary. But in total, Northwestern returns only five starters from last year’s defense, which gave up 29 points per game and let the Minnesota Gophers run all over them at home, even after PJ Fleck ran out of running backs.

I don’t see Northwestern having the capability to flip a switch and suddenly contend in the Big Ten West, just months out from a one-win conference season.

7. @ Illinois | October 15, 2022

Illinois looks to start up year-two under head coach, Bret Bielema, a very familiar face to the Gophers. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 5-7 campaign last season, one that had some very up and down moments. Illinois stunned the Gophers in a low-scoring 14-6 snore-fest at Huntington Bank Stadium. They also found a way to beat Penn State a couple weeks earlier and in-state rival Northwestern to finish the season.

But in week 2, Bielama & Co fell to UTSA (University of Texas San Antonio), of the Conference-USA and later in the season, became one of only two Big Ten teams that fell to Rutgers.

In 2022, the Illini return some solid offensive pieces from a unit that struggled to move the ball last year. Among those returnees are running back Chase Brown and four of five offensive lineman. They also landed quarterback transfer, Tommy DeVito, formerly of Syracuse.

Defensively, Illinois returns key defensive lineman, Keith Randolph, and their secondary looks to be an early strength. Expectations are the highest they’ve ever been under Bret Bielema. But personally, they’ll be lucky if they get bowl eligible.

6. @ Nebraska | November 5, 2022

The Cornhuskers were probably one of, if not the weirdest teams in all of college football, last season. They were relatively competitive in every single game, but only managed a 3-9 (1-8) record. The Minnesota Gophers extended their win streak vs Nebraska, with a 30-23 victory in Minneapolis.

PJ Fleck has owned the Huskers since he arrived (4-1) and, rumor has it, Scott Frost calls him Papa Fleck. Nebraska football has been rather disappointing under Frost, and expectations are higher than ever, in Lincoln, and the fans are sick of losing.

Not a glowing review of Scott Frost here: pic.twitter.com/EuuPt3PnQu

— Brad Powers (@BradPowers7) June 27, 2022

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To fill holes across the roster, Nebraska brought in a whopping 15 transfers, from all around the country. Headliners include (QB) Casey Thompson from Texas, (DE) Ochaun Mathis from TCU, and (DL) Stephon Wynn Jr from Alabama.

With Adrian Martinez off to Kansas State, Thompson looks like the new starting quarterback. Offensively, Nebraska brings back key pieces on the offensive line, at running back (Rahmir Johnson) and wide receiver (Omar Manning).

On defense, the Huskers return Luke Reimer and Garrett Nelson but most of the personnel will be new. This is a Nebraska team packed with talent. But in the same breath, talent has never been the issue under Scott Frost. We’ll se if, in year five, Scott Frost can finally get Nebraska to a bowl game.

5. Purdue | October 1, 2022

The Boilermakers are riding high off a 9-win season under Jeff Brohm, the most wins the program has seen since 2003. One of Purdue’s four losses last season came vs the Gophers, who took care of business in West Lafayette, winning 20-13.

At 4-1 in their career matchups, PJ Fleck has had his way with Jeff Brohm. The Boilermakers lost some key players to the draft this year, including defensive end George Karlaftis, and wide receiver David Bell. Wide receiver Milton Wright is no longer with the team, either. Brohm does get quarterback, Aidan O’Connell, back along with tight end, Payne Durham.

What a movie! Aidan O’Connell and Payne Durham! The 2pt conversion is good as well! #Purdue now leads 38-31. #MusicCityBowl #B1G pic.twitter.com/eOerCCtGlo

— ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? (@NikkiBJaxx417) December 30, 2021

The Boiler defense made strides in 2021, but they’ve lost a lot of talent from that side of the ball. So repeating that success is yet to be seen. Purdue will have to find new weapons on offense, and continued growth on defense in order for them to build on 2021’s success.

4. @ Michigan State | September 24, 2022

An 11-2 record, with a win over Pitt in the Peach Bowl, has to be considered a massive success for second-year head coach Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans. They lose star running back, Kenneth Walker, who was drafted #41 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.

But they return plenty of talent, as well. It starts with quarterback, Payton Thorne and wide receiver Jayden Reed returning on the offensive side. Defensively, the Spartans have struggled in their back seven. To address some of those weaknesses, Tucker dipped into the transfer portal and added to his linebacking core with Jacoby Windmon, and the secondary with CB, Ameer Speed.

I expect the Spartans to take a step back, even after their additions on the defensive side of the ball. For the Gophers to win, they’ll need to slow the Spartans offense and take advantage of potential weaknesses on the defense.

3. Iowa | November 19, 2022

The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a 10-4 season and a West Division crown. The linchpin game of their season came in Iowa City vs the Gophers. Minnesota controlled the clock all afternoon, holding the ball for 40 of 60 minutes.

They won the line of scrimmage and stifled the black and gold run game. Normally, that’s a patented PJ Fleck victory. But not that day. Instead, it was Iowa who found a way to win in crunch time, 27-22. Instead of hopping into the driver’s seat for a West division championship with a win, the Gophers fell to the Hawkeyes for the seventh-straight time and PJ Fleck remained winless vs their head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Scott Frost, Matt Campbell and PJ Fleck still haven’t beaten Kirk Ferentz

— Mike Peasley (@PeasRadio) November 26, 2021

Iowa returns most of their roster, but they did lose some key pieces. All American and Rimington award winning center Tyler Linderbaum, is gone. Running back, Tyler Goodson, is out too. Spencer Petras, however, is back. Though, I’m not sure Iowa fans see that as a positive.

The Hawkeye offense will have to improve if they want to repeat as Big Ten West champions. For the Gophers, this is a must-win; not only in their quest for a West title, but to return Floyd of Rosedale back to Minneapolis.

2. @ Wisconsin | November 26, 2022

The regular season finale will be in Madison and, beyond many other possibilities, Paul Bunyan’s Axe will be on the line. The Wisconsin Badgers are coming off an interesting 2021 campaign. They stumbled out of the gate to a 1-3 start, but then rattled off seven-straight wins, entering the season finale at Huntington Bank Stadium.

A win would have sent Wisconsin to the Big Ten Championship game, yet again. But those Indianapolis dreams didn’t come to fruition in 2021. Instead, the Gophers bullied the Badgers to a 23-13 victory. So both teams sat at home the next weekend, while Iowa took their shot at Michigan. And The Axe sits in Dinkytown.

The Badgers lost some key players from last season’s squad. Linebacker Leo Chenal, who led the team with 115 tackles (18 TFL), is gone. Tight end Jake Ferguson, who led the team in receptions (46) and touchdowns (3), is no longer on campus either.

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They do return some key pieces. Quarterback Graham Mertz, running back Braelon Allen (1,268 yds, 12 TD), defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, and linebacker Nick Herbig, who led the 2021 team with 9 sacks.

Braelon Allen has carried the ball 117 times for 824 yards (7 YPC), with 522 of those yards coming AFTER contact. That’s 63% of his rushing total, and 4.66 YPC on average coming after contact. Just absurd. pic.twitter.com/pgl163387S

— Dillon Graff (@DillonGraff) November 14, 2021

The Badgers hope they can find some consistency through the air with Graham Mertz. Their passing game has been pretty awful over the last few seasons and his lack of development is a big part of that. Having Braelon Allen can make up for a lot, especially with a solid offensive line like what Wisconsin always has.

The Badgers defense should be good yet again. As long as defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, is in Madison that will always be the case. Wisconsin is the clear favorite in the Big Ten West. ESPN says the Gophers and Badgers will battle it out for Big Ten West supremacy in 2022. If true, this late November matchup will have a lot more on the line than Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

1. @ Penn State| October 22, 2022

The Penn State Nittany Lions had a rather disappointing season in 2021, finishing 7-6, far below Happy Valley expectations. They started off hot, running the table to 5-0 and and ranking top-4 in the country. Then, they lost to Iowa and the wheels fell off.

Every year, Penn State hosts a home game that’s hyped up as the “White Out Game”. That’s 110,000 screaming PSU fans wearing all white and drugged up by a ballyhooed tradition that makes the stands at Beaver Stadium look like a massive modern style, open concept house.

Normally, such Happy Valley festivities are dedicated to matchups vs Ohio State or Michigan. In 2022, the Minnesota Gophers get the honor. All jokes aside, it’s one of the hardest college football environments to play in, and I expect the Nittany Lions to come back to form this fall.

This is still the craziest thing to me. Beaver Stadium was ROCKING. You can’t find an environment in sports that rivals the White Out pic.twitter.com/kuosoop65t

— Dear Old State (@_DearOldState) March 18, 2020

Sean Clifford returns at quarterback, but there’s not a ton returning on offense, beyond him. Defensively, PJ Mustipher returns at defensive tackle and linebacker, Curtis Jacobs, is back too. Tons of talent left for the NFL, but at Penn State and under James Franklin, you don’t rebuild. You reload.

The Nittany Lions have a lot of up and coming talent, and add on the Whiteout game environment, this game looks like the toughest game on the Minnesota Gophers’ 2022 schedule.

Max Carroll | Minnesota Sports Fan

And fortunes should only turn for the better from here. The roster should get healthier by the day, during their current road trip vs the A’s and Royals. Carlos Correa and Trevor Larnach have both been partaking in “baseball activities” recently and are expected back sometime this week. Same goes for pitchers Dylan Bundy and Bailey Ober.

Kyle Garlick will return to the lineup Monday night and he’ll bat No. 3 vs Oakland left-hander, Zach Logue. Why? Because Kyle Garlick takes the form of a right-handed Barry Bonds vs lefty pitchers. In 18 plate appearances vs odd-handed throwers in 2022, Garlick is batting .357 with 3 HR, 6 RBI and a 1.500 OPS. He doesn’t even have an average in his 8 plate appearances vs righties. His career splits vs RHP/LHP are much of the same.

Kyle Garlick returns to the #MNTwins lineup tonight and will bat 3rd. He has 14 at-bats vs lefties this season:

.357 BA, 1.500 OPS, 6 RBI, 3 HR (below) pic.twitter.com/GtAxOjYHgC

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 16, 2022

Breezy Schedule

Then there’s the upcoming Minnesota Twins schedule, which has to be the easiest of all MLB teams through the rest of May. Look at this setup. It’s quite incredible.

• @ Oakland (15-22) | May 16-18 (3)
• @ Kansas City (12-20) | May 20-22 (3)
• Detroit (12-23) | May 23-25 (3)
• Kansas City (12-20) | May 26-29 (4)
• @ Detroit (12-23) | May 30 – June 2 (5)

The most difficult part of May is now over, a 6-game stretch the Twins just completed on Sunday vs the Astros and Guardians. They finished 2-4, recovering to take 2 of 3 vs Cleveland, after being swept last week by Houston.

The Twins’ final series in May vs Detroit will be 5 games, thanks to a double-header they’ll squeeze in. So that’s a total of 18-straight games vs competition with a winning percentage of .405 or lower. The Oakland A’s, who the Twins swept earlier this month, are one of just two teams that has a roster making less than $50 million on the season (Spotrac). The Twins are spending $137 million and the Dodgers $289 million.

Fresh week, first place. ???? #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/4wT7OhcZj9

— Twins Daily (@twinsdaily) May 16, 2022

Perfect Storm for Wins?

Now, with the roster getting healthier (fingers crossed) and the schedule getting easier, it’s time for Minnesota Twins to make some hay and wedge some cushion between themselves and the other two competitive teams in the AL Central. Because June looks like a different monster, including 8 more games vs the Guardians and series vs the AL East Yankees, Rays and Jays.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

A win will carry good vibes for the team and more job security for the head coach. But most importantly, a win will get the Vikings back to .500 as they enter what looks like the most difficult stretch of their schedule.

Difficult remaining schedule

Sunday’s matchup in Carolina is, on paper, the easiest game on the Vikings will play in, through Thanksgiving. After the Panthers, their next four opponents hold a 16-4 overall record. Those teams, the Cowboys, Ravens, Chargers and Packers, are all 4-1 entering week 6.

That’s a gauntlet. Tankathon.com agrees, ranking the Viking remaining schedule as the toughest in the NFL.

Per current win-loss totals and @tankathon, the Vikings have the most difficult schedule remaining in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/M0C9lEBeAV

— Dustin Baker (@DustBaker) October 12, 2021

Using wins and losses to judge schedule difficulty is a bit faulty, especially after just five weeks. But these opponents are no joke. Out of the 12 remaining games, the Vikings would be current favorites in less than a handful. They’d look pretty good at home vs the Bears and Steelers and probably be favored in Detroit vs the Lions too.

The NFC is as competitive as its been in some time and the Packers are threatening to pull away in the North. The Vikings cannot afford to fall to 2-4 if they want to make a playoff push. Another Green Bay win paired with a Minnesota loss would be absolutely devastating to the purple’s playoff odds.

Beating Carolina is extremely important

Calling a week 6 game “must win” feels wrong. But if Sunday vs the Panthers isn’t “must win” it’s about as close as it can get. From everything we can calculate right now, the Minnesota Vikings cannot afford to lose this weekend. The hole would be too deep to climb out of, given the difficulty of their upcoming schedule.

The Carolina Panthers were (-1.5) favorites to start the week but bets have come in heavy on the Vikings, swinging the odds the other way. As of Thursday afternoon, BetOnline.ag has Minnesota giving the (-1.5) points.

Carolina are losers of two straight games, including a rough one at home against the Eagles last weekend. The Panthers started 3-0 behind the arm of Sam Darnold but have looked much more vulnerable of late.

Matchup

Both teams are built fairly similarly on offense. Kirk Cousins is unquestionably the better quarterback but the weapons are solid for both. The headliners are running backs, Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook, who are considered two of the best in the game. But both guys have missed the last couple weeks and have been limited in practice leading up to Sunday. Dalvin Cook was able to practice on Thursday, however.

Some good news for the Vikings at practice today: Dalvin Cook, Anthony Barr, and Alexander Mattison are participating though they may be limited.
On the other hand, Michael Pierce isn’t practicing and is probably out Sunday. And Thielen and Jefferson stretched then walked off.

— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) October 14, 2021

On defense, the Panthers have allowed over 21 points just once this season. It was against the Dallas Cowboys, who are running one of the best offenses in the league. The Minnesota Vikings have the same type of talent as the Cowboys but the purple offense hasn’t been able to operate efficiently in the second-half of games.

The Minnesota defense, on the other hand, has been pretty good of late, something that’s gone under the radar. In each of the last three games, the Vikings have held opponents under 17 points. Given how well Carolina’s defense has played, they might have to make it four.

But no matter how they do it, Zim and Co have to find a way to come out of Charlotte with a victory.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan

The NFL is releasing their 18-week schedule on Wednesday night in an event that’s probably become far too big. Minnesota Vikings fans, however, may not have to wait that long. It appears as if the Vikings 2021 schedule has already been leaked and is making its rounds across the internet.

So far, the leak matches up with what the plugged in people like Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) have. The photo is difficult to see in its entirety because of how long (vertically) the screenshot is. The schedule is also in table form below.

UPDATE: The schedule released tonight was the same as the schedule that leaked this morning (see below).

Full Vikings 2021 schedule leak #Vikings pic.twitter.com/xBxZE5drRE

— Rick Sosa (@sosarick) May 12, 2021

The leaked version of the #Vikings schedule floating around Twitter sounds fairly accurate; they’re definitely at home on Halloween night in a Sunday night matchup against the Cowboys.

— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) May 12, 2021

Here is your 2021 Vikings schedule. Home opener against Russell Wilson; four prime-time games.

The stretch between the Cowboys game and the Steelers game would appear to be the toughest, on paper. pic.twitter.com/xUpqGqiYUl

— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) May 12, 2021

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan