NoelarBear
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Ranking the Gopher’s 2024 opponents from toughest to easiest. - GopherHole.com
The Minnesota Gophers enter the 2024 season poised to bounce back from the rollercoaster of the 2023 season, where they finished 6-7. Due to their APR rating being one of the best in the nation last year, the Gophers were invited to a bowl game where they defeated Bowling Green in the Quick Lane...
The Minnesota Gophers enter the 2024 season poised to bounce back from the rollercoaster of the 2023 season, where they finished 6-7. Due to their APR rating being one of the best in the nation last year, the Gophers were invited to a bowl game where they defeated Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. Fleck remains undefeated in bowl games in his tenure in Minnesota.
There are plenty of reasons to have hope this upcoming season. The Gophers return 13 starters and have playmakers in all three phases of the game. Left tackle Aireontae Ersery and kicker Dragan Kesich were named preseason All-Americans. Running back Darius Taylor and receiver Daniel Jackson are one of the best in their respective positions in the Big Ten Conference. The defense has depth in the trenches, and they have a healthy Cody Lindenberg returning at linebacker.
The Gophers do head into the season with some question marks. How quick will New Hampshire transfer QB Max Brosmer adapt to Big Ten play? Brosmer led the FCS in passing a year ago and was a finalist for the Walter Payton award. The hope is that Brosmer can improve the passing game, which was at the bottom in the conference last year. The defense is under new leadership in Corey Hetherman. Hetherman replaces longtime Gophers DC Joe Rossi, who took the same job at Michigan State. How will the defense be with a new leader at the elm off the field and without their leader on the field with Tyler Nubin off to the NFL?
What about the 2024 schedule?
After having one of the toughest schedules in the country last year. The 2024 schedule does “lighten up” on paper this year. Phil Steele has the Gophers schedule ranked 37th toughest in the nation. ESPN FPI has Minnesota’s scheduled ranked 41st toughest in the country. With all of that said, the question marks and the schedule have experts having Minnesota winning five to six games this year.
I took a look at the Gophers’ schedule and ranked the games from toughest to easiest. I also provided the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) and Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks of the Gophers opponents.
Toughest to Easiest Games for the 2024 Minnesota Gophers.
1.Penn State (Nov. 23)
FPI: 6 PFF: 8
You could put the road game at Michigan at this spot and not get much resistance from me. Right now, I just think Michigan has more question marks than Penn State. Penn State is one of the few teams in the conference that returns their starting QB. The Nittany Lions have the best one-two punch in the backfield with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Penn State doesn't have too many glaring weaknesses heading into this year. It’s been eight years since Penn State won the Big Ten back in 2016, and they are a legit contender to end that eight-year drought.
2. @ Michigan (Sept. 28)
FPI: 12. PFF: 3
Minnesota has only beaten Michigan two times in their last 25 meetings. Both of those games (2014, 2005) came on the road in the Big House. Actually, three of the last four victories for the Gophers have been in Ann Arbor. The defending champions still boast one of the best defensive units in the country. All five starters from the offensive line, quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum, and receiver Roman Wilson, have departed Ann Arbor. But they return one of the best tailbacks in the nation in Donovan Edwards, and they have an All-American at tight end in Colston Loveland.
3. @ Wisconsin (Nov. 30)
FPI 39 PFF: 30
In his first year in Madison, Luke Fickell led the Badgers into Minneapolis and took back Paul Bunyan’s Axe after the Gophers had it for two straight years. The Gophers will conclude their 2024 season in Madison looking to get the Axe back. If you look at recent history, this game has had more implications than just getting one of the best college football trophies. Are the Badgers the 3rd hardest Gophers opponent according to FPI and PFF? No, but you know this game will be really tough for the Gophers. It always is.
4. USC (Oct.5)
FPI: 18. PFF: 23
Lincoln Riley visits Dinkytown in October as the Trojans look to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season. While the offense last year was dynamic, it was the defense that consistently let them down. After allowing 34.4 points a game and ranking last in the Pac-12 in rush defense, the hope is that new DC D’Anton Lynn can right the ship. The defense has plenty of talent, but depth is a concern heading into 2024. Miller Moss is expected to start under center, as the Trojans offense should have no problem putting points on the board.
5. Iowa (Sept.21)
FPI: 37 PFF: 18
This game should be pretty electrifying on the field and off the field. Fans from both programs have had plenty to talk about since the Gophers very valid victory in Iowa City last year. The Gophers play Iowa early this year and at home. The Hawkeyes will come into Minneapolis with a very solid defense led by two All-Americans at linebackers. The offense should improve from last year; not sure how it could get worse. Is Cade McNamara healthy after missing most of '23 due to injury? If not, you can bet that they will turn to Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan.
6. UNC (Aug.29)
FPI: 42 PFF: 25
I tend to put more weight on the first game of the season regardless of the opponent. I have seen excitement and adrenaline cause teams to come out of the gate slow. I put more weight on the game if the first game of the season is against a Power Five opponent, which is why I put the Nebraska game high on this list last year. The Tar Heels are expected to finish in the middle of the ACC this year. Their biggest question mark is who will be replacing QB Drake Maye? I think North Carolina has more question marks than the Gophers heading into the season. Minnesota coming out of the gate flat worries me more than the opponent they are facing on August 29th.
7. Illinois (Nov.2)
FPI: 62 PFF: 49
I am throwing every ranking out the door on this one. The only thing I know is that Bret Bielema has never lost to Minnesota being a head coach in college football. He is 3-0 against P.J. Fleck, and it seems like the Illini just love playing against the Gophers. Until the Gophers figure this game out, I will probably put it higher on the list than it should be. The offensive line should be solid with three starters back, and they are one of a few programs that have a returning quarterback in Luke Altmyer.
8. @ Rutgers (Nov.9)
FPI: 45 PFF: 62
The Gophers travel to Piscataway to take on their former QB, Athan Kaliakmanis, who transferred from Minnesota after last season. The big reason that Kaliakmanis went to New Jersey is to join a coach who recruited him, former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. Rutgers running back Kyle Moangai is one of the conferences best at his position. The Scarlet Knights have the easiest schedule in the Big Ten; they avoid Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, and Iowa. This game might be one of the toughest for Rutgers this year, their schedule is that easy.
9. Maryland (Oct.26)
FPI: 46 PFF: 36
This game comes after the Gophers first bye week of the season. Maryland has won eight games in back-to-back seasons. The biggest question is who will be replacing QB Taulia Tagovailoa, and the offensive line will need to replace four starters. The Gophers have won two straight at home against Maryland. Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II is a name you need to remember on defense.
10. @ UCLA (Oct. 12)
FPI: 40. PFF: 42
The Gophers are heading to the Rose Bowl! This should be a fun game, as I know many Gopher fans are heading to California for this one. Former Bruin coach Chip Kelly left Pasadena last year to become the Ohio State offensive coordinator. Now enters DeShaun Foster, who inherits a team that only brings back nine starters. One of them is returning quarterback Ethan Garbers. The Bruins have a brutal schedule this year that includes going to LSU, Penn State, Nebraska, and Washington. They host Oregon, Iowa, and USC.
11. Nevada (Sept.14)
FPI: 120 PFF: 127
One of two games where the Gophers will be heavily favored. The Wolf Pack from the Mountain West Conference enters this season after only winning four games in the last two years. FPI and PFF have them as one of the worst teams in college football. This will be the first meeting between the two schools. The last Big Ten team Nevada faced was Iowa in 2022 and lost 27-0.
12. Rhode Island (Sept. 7)
Revenge game? It could be for Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer, whose New Hampshire squad last year lost to the Rams in overtime. For the first time since 2019, Rhode Island will have a new starting quarterback. Rhode Island was well represented on the Phil Steele Preseason All-CAA Football teams, as 11 different players earned selections. Rhode Island is predicted to finish eighth in the CAA.
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