Thoughts on 2026?

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PMWinSTP said:
Not sure I agree on Miss St. This year was the third season in a row they have not been good. Twelve wins overall and only two conference wins in those three seasons.
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Hope you're right, but, pride may kick in for them to play a great game.
 






GopherGuy82 said:
All things considered that is an easy schedule. If they can't capitalize on that one they will be kicking themselves.
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Why is this an easy schedule? Mississippi has a gem of a qb that was a freshman this year and be full time starter next. Go watch some highlights. Looks like Vince Young running the ball. Wondering if we can contain him or at least outscore him. Also got a 5 star recruit today.

Michigan and Iowa at home.

@Washington and Penn St. Might be the first time Minnesota has ever had a higher recruiting class than Nittany Lions. Perhaps WI doesn’t figure it out.

I think 8-4 would be considered a good year. I don’t think any games are completely un winnable like Ohio State or Oregon but it’s not cupcake schedule either.
 

gopher56 said:
I was reviewing our schedule next year (actually just to see about traveling to a game) and next year can either go really good, or go horrible I feel. The first 3 game **should** be layups, but can't ever put it past the Gophers to let one get away. Though i think Mississipi State is okay?

Weird schedule too 7 of the first 8 games are at home. Then on the road 4 straight weeks to close out the season. Not good.

@Indiana - L
Iowa - 50/50 - though i feel better about it being at home and i think they will have a new QB?
Michigan - I have them as an L, but if their QB does not progress, i feel we could put up points if our O is more efficient
Northwestern - W, not super confident about this one, but it's at home
UCLA - W - Another new coach, and at home
@Penn State - W - I can't figure out what is going on with this team, they still don't have a coach and are going to miss an entire recruiting cycle
@Purdue - W
@Washington - L
@Wisconsin - 50/50

I think the Vegas line will be only 5.5 coming into next year, but from a fan perspective I think a relatively optimistic season could be 8-4 or even 9-3 if we pull out one we shouldn't (and not lose the ones we shouldn't)


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Going to Washington?

Supposed to be one of the best venues to take in a game, too bad it’s at the end of the season and not closer to the beginning.
 

MGGopher said:
There is now so much parity from teams 4 - 15 or so in the B1G. This year could’ve been 4-8 just as easily as 8-4, and I see no reason next year will be drastically different unless MN either brings in a huge infusion of talent in the portal or suffers some major setbacks like injuries, transfers out, etc. There were some young contributors this year, but not enough that I’m confident a year of typical development will be enough to push MN up to new heights. Let’s see what Santa brings in the portal and go from there.
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I’d agree with that
 





minnyrules11 said:
Why is this an easy schedule? Mississippi has a gem of a qb that was a freshman this year and be full time starter next. Go watch some highlights. Looks like Vince Young running the ball. Wondering if we can contain him or at least outscore him. Also got a 5 star recruit today.

Michigan and Iowa at home.

@Washington and Penn St. Might be the first time Minnesota has ever had a higher recruiting class than Nittany Lions. Perhaps WI doesn’t figure it out.

I think 8-4 would be considered a good year. I don’t think any games are completely un winnable like Ohio State or Oregon but it’s not cupcake schedule either.
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Your last sentence is why it is easy. They can beat anyone on the schedule (Maybe not Indiana). Penn State is currently down. Michigan hasn't been dominant Michigan for a couple years. Mississippi State was 5-7 this year. That doesn't mean they can't be better but I don't fear them. I'm not saying the Gophers will pull off another 2019 but if they are going to do it next year is the schedule to pull it off. Hell this year should have been an easy year to be 9-3 if they were an above average to good team. For as terrible as they looked this year they weren't very far away from pulling it off. Why is it crazy to think that they could do similar or better without Ohio State or Oregon on the schedule? They really need to fix the oline, running game and secondary but if they figure some things out it's there for the taking.
 
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gophmeister said:
Those cowbell jingling nincompoops? Bah, balderdash!
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Don’t be too hard on Mississippi State. Both Bernie Biermann and Murray Warmath had head coaching jobs there before becoming the head coach at the University of Minnesota.

The U of M national chsmpionships were all coached by coaches who both had the Mississippi State connection!

Historically coincidence or at least a trivia question… ;0)
 
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Gopher Mac said:
Agree Iowa has to be a in the loss column until we prove otherwise. I would go as far as sure loss the way we have played them lately.
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Iowa has a really good recruiting class with eight four-stars for 2026 and Kirk is coming back for another season.

https://247sports.com/season/2026-football/compositeteamrankings/?Conference=Big Ten

They will continue to be a very tough out. We are significantly less than 50-50 vs. them. While not elite, they are solidly B1G upper class while we are mid. Their 8-4 record is way better than our 7-5 when you actually look at the details. The wild card will be who they have playing QB next year.

I also agree with other posters that we are now better than 50-50 vs. Wisconsin.
 

Don't sleep on Mississippi State. Our 2026 HS recruiting best-class-in-history finished at 29th on 24/7. Mississippi State's 2026 class came in at 26th. And Mississippi State usually makes hay in the transfer portal. As withCal this year, overlook a worthy opponent at our peril. This could be one of PJ's annual and normal "how did we ever lose that game?" contests.
 
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gopher56 said:
I was reviewing our schedule next year (actually just to see about traveling to a game) and next year can either go really good, or go horrible I feel. The first 3 game **should** be layups, but can't ever put it past the Gophers to let one get away. Though i think Mississipi State is okay?

Weird schedule too 7 of the first 8 games are at home. Then on the road 4 straight weeks to close out the season. Not good.

@Indiana - L
Iowa - 50/50 - though i feel better about it being at home and i think they will have a new QB?
Michigan - I have them as an L, but if their QB does not progress, i feel we could put up points if our O is more efficient
Northwestern - W, not super confident about this one, but it's at home
UCLA - W - Another new coach, and at home
@Penn State - W - I can't figure out what is going on with this team, they still don't have a coach and are going to miss an entire recruiting cycle
@Purdue - W
@Washington - L
@Wisconsin - 50/50

I think the Vegas line will be only 5.5 coming into next year, but from a fan perspective I think a relatively optimistic season could be 8-4 or even 9-3 if we pull out one we shouldn't (and not lose the ones we shouldn't)


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10-2 only losses in the state of Indiana.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Don't sleep on Mississippi State. Out 2026 HS recruiting best-class-in-history finished at 29th on 24/7. Mississippi State's 2026 class came in at 26th. And Mississippi State usually makes hay in the transfer portal. As withCal this year, overlook a worthy opponent at our peril. This could be one of PJ's annual and normal "how did we ever lose that game?" contests.
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You mean annual how did we ever lose to a team that at worst is slightly less talented than us?
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Don't sleep on Mississippi State. Out 2026 HS recruiting best-class-in-history finished at 29th on 24/7. Mississippi State's 2026 class came in at 26th. And Mississippi State usually makes hay in the transfer portal. As withCal this year, overlook a worthy opponent at our peril. This could be one of PJ's annual and normal "how did we ever lose that game?" contests.
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Yeah, I don’t think the gophers can sleep on anyone.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Don't sleep on Mississippi State. Our 2026 HS recruiting best-class-in-history finished at 29th on 24/7. Mississippi State's 2026 class came in at 26th. And Mississippi State usually makes hay in the transfer portal. As withCal this year, overlook a worthy opponent at our peril. This could be one of PJ's annual and normal "how did we ever lose that game?" contests.
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Were people chalking that up as an automatic win? I sure wasn't. Probably a 60/40 type game.
 



How has nobody bumped the thread from when we did this last year?!?
We need to find out how smart (or stupid) everybody is.
 

Word said:
Were people chalking that up as an automatic win? I sure wasn't. Probably a 60/40 type game.
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The GHer who started the chain had MState chalked up as a win (and WI at 50/50). Lot of folks had Cal chalked up as a win last year. Not suggesting the team will sleep on MState--no way. But suggesting that GH prognosticators of next year's record might be chalking up as a probable win a game that will feature a team which on paper is at least as talented, and probably faster, than the Gophers. MState, a good opponent, is a 50/50 game in my book.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
The GHer who started the chain had MState chalked up as a win (and WI at 50/50). Lot of folks had Cal chalked up as a win last year.
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Miss St will be better next year than Cal this year. Have a better recruiting class this year than MN including a 5 star. They got a qb in Kamario Taylor a true dual threat.
 



GooningGopher said:
Is Michigan going to be good? Their best win was probably against Nebraska this year too.
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Washington was a good win and on the road at Nebraska. After Nebraska our best win was against Wisconsin.
 

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