Last fall, I wrote down six predictions for the Minnesota Gophers heading into the 2025 season. You can find that article here. These predictions covered almost every aspect of the team. I’ll be honest; I barely went back to these predictions during the season. Partly because I had a good idea of which ones I got right and which I got wrong. I have zero problem making fun of myself and having some fun by owning up to how wrong I was. So let’s see if any of my predictions happened, came close, or were way off.
1. Darius Taylor will surpass 1,600 All-Purpose Yards.
Did it happen? Nope.
With 1,336 All-Purpose yards in 2024, I don’t think I was that crazy predicting Darius Taylor would get 1,600 in 2025. The only thing that would stop him from getting that was injuries, and boy, did that show up this past year. Darius appeared in 10 games but essentially only played in seven of them in 2025. In those seven games, he amassed 637 yards on the ground and 230 receiving. Which averages 123.8 all-purpose yards per game when healthy. If he had played all 13 games this year, you could say he would have reached 1,600 All-Purpose yards. Is this my way of justifying my prediction? Absolutely. I’m sure an injury-riddled 2025 season played a role in Darius’s decision to come back in 2026.
2. Koi Perich will score a touchdown in four different ways.
Did it happen? Not even close.
Yeah, I drank the Kool-Aid on this one. The videos Gopher football released on social media of Koi making plays on offense clearly blinded me and turned me into a person I no longer recognize. Koi’s 2025 season didn’t live up to the hype of his freshman season, which he finished as an All-American in many outlets’ rankings. There were a variety of reasons for this, but clearly, Koi’s role on offense was diminished by the third game of the season. Koi finished the season with one touchdown, a game-winning pick-six against Purdue. Not only was I way off on this prediction, but Koi is also no longer a Minnesota Golden Gopher as he is taking his talents to Eugene, Oregon.
3. There will be no change in the trophy case.
Did it happen? Yes!
Every season, two trophies are always on the line as games against Iowa and Wisconsin are protected by the Big Ten. The 2025 season would have another trophy on the line: the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy, fought over with Nebraska. Entering the 2025 season, Minnesota had possession of the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy and Paul Bunyan’s Axe while Iowa had Floyd of Rosedale. I predicted Minnesota would beat Nebraska and Wisconsin while losing to Iowa. That happened.
4. The Gophers will have two or more first-team All-Big Ten players for the fourth year in a row.
Did it happen? No, but close.
The Gophers have had an impressive streak with players being named first-team All-Big Ten the last three years. With players like Anthony Smith, Koi Perich, and Darius Taylor on the roster, I predicted that streak would continue. I was close, but my prediction didn’t come true. Defensive end Anthony Smith would be named First Team by Big Ten Coaches, while Safety Koi Perich was a second-time All-Big Ten by the media. Tailback Darius Taylor was left off as he struggled to stay healthy.
5. Drake Lindsey has the second-best season for a freshman QB in Gophers history.
Did it happen? You betcha!
It wouldn’t surprise you that Adam Weber is at the top of the list when it comes to Freshman passing yards (2,895) and passing touchdowns (24). It would surprise you how wide the gap is between Adam Weber and the person in second place. Tanner Morgan is second in passing yards for a freshman with 1,401, and Gophers legend Rickey Foggie is second in passing touchdowns by a freshman with 10.
Drake Lindsey had himself one heck of a season for a redshirt freshman as he finished the year with 2,382 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. The future is bright for Lindsey in Dinkytown.
6. Anthony Smith plays his way into a few Top 10 lists in program history.
Did it happen? Yes, I am a genius!
This might have been the easiest thing to predict, but you just never know in football and in Minnesota sports. Anthony Smith had himself a monster 2025 season for the Gophers, where he finished with 12.5 sacks (third best in the country) and 17.5 tackles for loss (fifth in the country). He is the first Gopher since Karon Riley in 2000 to lead the Big Ten in sacks. His 12.5 sacks rank fourth in program history in a season, while his 17.5 tackles for loss are tied for sixth best in a season for a Gopher. Anthony only needs 10 sacks next season to become all time leader in sacks in a career at Minnesota.