Only 50 days have elapsed since the Ohio State Buckeyes secured the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy, however clubs within the Big Ten conference, which has claimed the last two crowns, are already gearing up for the 2025 season.
Fewer than 170 days remain when Minnesota opens their 2025 campaign against Buffalo, and leading sportsbooks have published their future betting odds for the next Big Ten championship: The Gophers possess the 11th most favorable odds at +10000.
Are Minnesota superior than the predicted probabilities? What can we anticipate in the forthcoming season? Join us as we explore the Gophers and their Big 10 chances further.
Golden Gophers Season Preview
Players in the spotlight
Keep an eye on Jaxon Howard to see whether he can lead the Gophers’ defense to a breakout season. Redshirting as a first-year player, the gifted pass rusher and former ESPN 300 recruit returned home after just one season at LSU. With Danny Stirggow and Jay Joyner heading to the NFL, Howard has a great chance to show the world what he can do.
Springtime News
A major plot point for spring ball, a period of intense training and preparation for the upcoming season, will undoubtedly revolve around the Gophers’ quarterback battle. After spending a year learning the ropes from Max Brosmer, redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey finally gets his opportunity to shine this summer. He’ll be up against Zach Pyron, a graduate transfer with demonstrated dual-threat skills and four starts in three years at Georgia Tech.
O-Line Intrigue
The Gophers’ offensive line has been reorganized, and the replacement of two more multiyear players, including All-Big Ten left tackle Aireontae Ersery, will be an intriguing position to watch. Thanks to the portal, Kahlee Tafai (Washington), Marcellus Marshall (UCF), and Dylan Ray (Kentucky), might provide outstanding assistance.
Looking at the 2025 Big Ten Championship Odds
The Gophers own the 11th-best odds, placing them one position above its rival, Wisconsin. With odds of +10000, their expected likelihood of winning the Big Ten is 0.99%, a figure that seems reasonable considering the absence of divisions. This ranking is significant as it positions the Gophers as a potential underdog with a reasonable chance of success.
The odds alone do not render the list appealing; rather, it is the sequence in which the teams are arranged. It is nearly incontrovertible to rank Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan in the top four in any sequence; nevertheless, subsequent placements get somewhat intriguing.
- Ohio State Buckeyes [+150]
- Oregon Ducks [+240]
- Penn State Nittany Lions [+400]
- Michigan Wolverines [+900]
- Indiana Hoosiers [+3300]
- Nebraska Cornhuskers [+4000]
- USC Trojans [+4000]
- Iowa Hawkeyes [+4000]
- Illinois Fighting Illini [+4000]
- Washington Huskies [+5000]
- Minnesota Golden Gophers [+10000]
In 2024, under the inaugural leadership of head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana emerged as an intriguing narrative; nonetheless, being regarded as the fifth-best unit in the league may be an overreaction. USC and Nebraska have yet to realize their full potential, but Iowa, Washington, and Illinois may emerge as the genuine wildcard teams in the league in 2025.
Ultimately, the Gophers are probably in a favorable position. Despite several uncertainties regarding the quarterback position, there is plenty of news surrounding the draft discussion from ESPN.
Historically, programs like Wisconsin and Michigan State were prominent contenders in the league during the 2010s; however, Minnesota currently ranks above both institutions on this list, and Gambling.com’s ESPN BET promotion is a good place to take advantage of that fact for Gopher’s fans.
Preseason Expectations for the Gophers should be high after 2024
With the exception of their 31-14 defeat to Iowa, in which Minnesota led 14-7 at halftime, four of their five losses were decided by one touchdown. This statistic can be seen as either encouraging or discouraging when considering the season as a whole. You’re either wallowing in self-pity over the opportunities lost to Rutgers, Penn State, and Michigan, or you’re rejoicing in the program’s first victory over USC since 1955, their victory over a Top 25 Illinois squad to end Bret Bielema’s 10-game Minnesota winning streak, and the triumphant return of Paul Bunyan’s Axe to its proper location.
Why not do everything said above?
In my view, the situation is more encouraging than discouraging. One major concern among Gopher supporters was that Minnesota would struggle after the conference’s expansion to 18 teams. However, they were narrowly defeated by a College Football Playoff team and came close to beating the reigning national champs on the road. While it’s disappointing to lose those games, the fact that the Gophers were competitive in every game last season is a testament to their spirit and should make fans proud. It also shows that the competition is more even than you might expect, and those aforementioned +10000 odds could be halved by November.