MN Daily: With this schedule, there is a strong chance the Gophers’ best-case scenario is going 8-4, but the team has the potential to fall to 7-5

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Regan:

With this schedule, there is a strong chance the Gophers’ best-case scenario is going 8-4, but the team has the potential to fall to 7-5 with a loss against Iowa.

The Gophers’ biggest struggle last year was playing games away from home. They went 0-5 away during the regular season but 7-0 at Huntington Bank Stadium, with one other win coming from a neutral-site game.

If this trend continues into the 2026 season, it could be the deciding factor in a much-anticipated Iowa game at the Gophers’ home field.

Last year, the Gophers suffered a monumental loss against the Hawkeyes with a 38-point deficit, the worst loss against the team since 2008. However, it is clear that Lindsey thrives at home, and a crowd of Gopher fans could be the push the team needs to win.

The Gophers have major potential going into the 2026 season, with Lindsey past his redshirt freshman season and key players such as defensive lineman Anthony Smith choosing to stay with the team.

Our final prediction for the Gophers’ regular season sits with wins against Eastern Illinois, Mississippi State, Akron, Purdue, UCLA, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa, finishing the season with an 8-4 record and a bowl game appearance.

mndaily.com

Crystal Ball: How Minnesota football could finish in 2026

The Minnesota Gophers football team is set to play 12 games during the 2026 season. Their quarterback, Drake Lindsey, now has a full season of games under his belt. This upcoming season will challenge his leadership skills and show how much he learned on the field last year. Out of the 12 games...
mndaily.com mndaily.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Best case scenario is still 10+ wins just like it is most years. If Lindsey develops into a stud, if Smith plays like an All American, if Taylor stays healthy, the OL is good, etc. Indiana will likely take a step back. Michigan and Penn St both have new coaching staffs so who knows there.

Yeah a lot has to go right for that to happen but it's not impossible.
 


GophersInIowa said:
Best case scenario is still 10+ wins just like it is most years. If Lindsey develops into a stud, if Smith plays like an All American, if Taylor stays healthy, the OL is good, etc. Indiana will likely take a step back. Michigan and Penn St both have new coaching staffs so who knows there.

Yeah a lot has to go right for that to happen but it's not impossible.
Click to expand...
Correct, anything is possible.

If everything lined up perfectly MN could finish in the top 3 of the conference and make the playoffs.

If Lindsey gets hurt could be 3-9.

I am hoping for the former.
 

With the schedule, 8-4 would be a great season. I think most of us are pretty confident in Lindsey. He should take the next big step as a QB. We have a better WR room, good running backs, the offensive line should be much improved, TE room will be fine, good depth on defense and probably the best edge rushers as a unit in the Big 10. The 2 big question marks for most, the defensive tackles and kicking game. Can Chapman, Kaba and Crowder give us a big boost? Can Sunram and Hicks take a big step forward? Is this the season Randle stays healthy and contributes? Does Jackson provide us consistency as a place kicker? Who will return punts for us? Under Daniel Da Prato is our special teams unit much improved? If those questions get answered, I really like this 2026 team. Go Gophers!
 


BleedGopher said:
Per Regan:

With this schedule, there is a strong chance the Gophers’ best-case scenario is going 8-4, but the team has the potential to fall to 7-5 with a loss against Iowa.

The Gophers’ biggest struggle last year was playing games away from home. They went 0-5 away during the regular season but 7-0 at Huntington Bank Stadium, with one other win coming from a neutral-site game.

If this trend continues into the 2026 season, it could be the deciding factor in a much-anticipated Iowa game at the Gophers’ home field.

Last year, the Gophers suffered a monumental loss against the Hawkeyes with a 38-point deficit, the worst loss against the team since 2008. However, it is clear that Lindsey thrives at home, and a crowd of Gopher fans could be the push the team needs to win.

The Gophers have major potential going into the 2026 season, with Lindsey past his redshirt freshman season and key players such as defensive lineman Anthony Smith choosing to stay with the team.

Our final prediction for the Gophers’ regular season sits with wins against Eastern Illinois, Mississippi State, Akron, Purdue, UCLA, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa, finishing the season with an 8-4 record and a bowl game appearance.

mndaily.com

Crystal Ball: How Minnesota football could finish in 2026

The Minnesota Gophers football team is set to play 12 games during the 2026 season. Their quarterback, Drake Lindsey, now has a full season of games under his belt. This upcoming season will challenge his leadership skills and show how much he learned on the field last year. Out of the 12 games...
mndaily.com mndaily.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

I would argue that even the game at Wrigley Field was "neutral".

Off campus as their new home was being remodeled.

Gophers fans outnumbered Wildcat faithful by roughly a 2:1 margin. At worst 3:2.

Northwestern had never won a game at the Friendly Confines until beating Minnesota. They upped their record to 1-6.
 

Would love to beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season, I'm 38 and I don't believe it has happened in my lifetime. I do believe we will pick off one of Michigan or Penn State this year, Washington will be interesting, tough to win in Seattle, but I also don't think much of their coach. FWIW we always seem to drop a game we shouldn't, Purdue, UCLA, NW and Miss St would fit that category this year. Need to be 10-2 to make the playoff, doubt 9-3 gets us in
 

Lifeleadership said:
With the schedule, 8-4 would be a great season. I think most of us are pretty confident in Lindsey. He should take the next big step as a QB. We have a better WR room, good running backs, the offensive line should be much improved, TE room will be fine, good depth on defense and probably the best edge rushers as a unit in the Big 10. The 2 big question marks for most, the defensive tackles and kicking game. Can Chapman, Kaba and Crowder give us a big boost? Can Sunram and Hicks take a big step forward? Is this the season Randle stays healthy and contributes? Does Jackson provide us consistency as a place kicker? Who will return punts for us? Under Daniel Da Prato is our special teams unit much improved? If those questions get answered, I really like this 2026 team. Go Gophers!
Click to expand...
From the Spring Game, it looked to my eyes like Crowder is a LEGIT run stuffer.

Which is good. With the Gophers' pass rush, I think they can get off the field on third down. The question I had was: how do they get to third down? ...Well, running down the Gophers' throat isn't going to be the answer with Crowder in the mix!
 




GophersInIowa said:
Best case scenario is still 10+ wins just like it is most years. If Lindsey develops into a stud, if Smith plays like an All American, if Taylor stays healthy, the OL is good, etc. Indiana will likely take a step back. Michigan and Penn St both have new coaching staffs so who knows there.

Yeah a lot has to go right for that to happen but it's not impossible.
Click to expand...
We also need legit stars to emerge at WR, the secondary, etc. Difference makers that can change games in a single play. Lindsey doesn't reach his potential unless one of those guys in the WR room steps up.
 

The Deliberate Stranger said:
Would love to beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season, I'm 38 and I don't believe it has happened in my lifetime. I do believe we will pick off one of Michigan or Penn State this year, Washington will be interesting, tough to win in Seattle, but I also don't think much of their coach. FWIW we always seem to drop a game we shouldn't, Purdue, UCLA, NW and Miss St would fit that category this year. Need to be 10-2 to make the playoff, doubt 9-3 gets us in
Click to expand...
Last time we beat IA and wi was 1990.
 


GophEnEspaña said:
We also need legit stars to emerge at WR, the secondary, etc. Difference makers that can change games in a single play. Lindsey doesn't reach his potential unless one of those guys in the WR room steps up.
Click to expand...
Agree especially at the WR spot. DJ was a very good WR but outside of him since 2020 we have not had much of an impact player there.
 



If Limegrover can work magic on the OL and Da Prato on ST and Fruechte in the WR room - not big asks - and the D just becomes good-to-very good in all phases, this team could surprise.

If Drake is injured, I'm confident in both our 2 & 3. Yet, if DT or AJ go down...now I'm a little nervous.

I've moved from 6-6 to 7-5 and am open to 8-4...maybe 9-3. Miss State will tell us a lot.

Homersota aka Arminius
 
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Best case scenario is 8-4 but could fall to 7-5 is a very narrow range of outcomes.

I would call best case 10-2 and sneaking into the Playoff and worst case 3-9.

3-9 is going to take a long term injury to Drake Lindsey. Barring that I think the floor is 5-7.
 


fmlizard said:
Best case scenario is 8-4 but could fall to 7-5 is a very narrow range of outcomes.

I would call best case 10-2 and sneaking into the Playoff and worst case 3-9.

3-9 is going to take a long term injury to Drake Lindsey. Barring that I think the floor is 5-7.
Click to expand...
Yeah, not sure the writer understands what best case/worst case means :)

With this schedule 8-4, 7-5 are likely outcomes as we sit here in June but still a ways to go until the teams actually take the field and we get to see who is for real and who isn't.

Best case/worst case for the season though would likely be 10-2 - 5-7. Would love to predict an undefeated run at the National title but in this college football landscape that feels highly unlikely. At the same time it is hard to see us failing to reach a minimum of 5 wins, for that to happen the wheels would have to come off completely.
 


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