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Stumping for Gophers

Why two Associated Press voters put Gophers in preseason Top 25

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck, center, looks on after the spring game on April 25 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Steven Garcia — Getty Images for ONIT

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Gophers running back Darius Taylor, center, runs through an opening in a game against the Oregon Ducks on Nov. 14 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Soobum Im — Getty Images

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By Andy Greder

agreder@pioneerpress.com

The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll gave some love to the Gophers last week, but it was deep in the fine print.

Minnesota was buried in the “others receiving votes” section with a total of five points from two pollsters. This effectively puts the Gophers at No. 38 in the nation going into the season opener against Eastern Illinois at Huntington Bank Stadium next Thursday.

Ralph Russo, the former AP reporter now with The Athletic, put the Gophers at No. 22, and Koki Riley of The Advocate in Baton Rouge, La., had the U at No. 25. They shared with the Pioneer Press this week their reasons for ranking the Gophers.

Russo, who used to organize the AP poll, said he likes to put a couple of outside-the-box teams toward the back of his Top 25. For him, that’s Flordia at No. 19 and the Gophers. He gave four reasons for landing on Minnesota.

“The Gophers tend to be a pretty high-floor group under (head coach P.J.) Fleck,” he said. “They mostly live in that 7-5/8-4 range. So, basically, I’m looking at (them) getting to 9-3, and that doesn’t seem like a stretch because Drake Lindsey raises the ceiling for an experienced offense.”

Lindsey returns for his redshirt sophomore season after completing 246 for 389 passes (63%) for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns against six interceptions while starting all 13 games last season.

“The Gophers are gonna do what they do offensively,” Russo said. “I’m not expecting them to suddenly become wide-open and fast-paced, but I think Lindsey and a healthy (running back) Darius Taylor can make them an efficient middle-of-the-pack Big Ten offense.”

On the other side of the ball, Russo said, defensive end Anthony Smith “gives the defense one of the best edge rushers in the Big Ten and the Gophers tend to be good at defense. I know they bottomed-out in 2023, but under Fleck the defense usually holds up against the non-elite competition.”

Russo also noted that the Gophers avoid two heavyweight Big Ten opponents this season in top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 Oregon.

“I generally try to avoid playing the schedule game in the preseason rankings, but it’s hard not to notice that Oregon and Ohio State are not here,” he said. “I could look pretty dumb if Mississippi State beats the Gophers in Week 2, but I think this is a low-level risk to take.”

Riley justified putting the Gophers at No. 25 because, “I think that Minnesota finally has the potential to have a relatively explosive offense to pair with a steady defense this season. Drake Lindsey at quarterback has the tools to be a first-round pick. I like that Darius Taylor is back at running back, and two of Lindsey’s top three wideouts from last year have also returned (Jalen Smith and Javon Tracy).”

She also respects the job Fleck has done since taking the Gophers’ job in 2017.

“P.J. Fleck clearly knows what he’s doing, and there’s a reason why Minnesota makes a bowl game every year despite trotting out offenses that have mostly been inept,” Riley said. “This year, finally, feels like the season that can break this offensive spell, even if the unit struggled last year with similar personnel.

“I think their talent will translate into better results on offense, and I believe that the defense will continue to be one of the better groups in the Big Ten.”

Minnesota has posted back-to-back 8-5 season, but Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Gophers pegged at 6.5 wins this season.

“I really like our football team,” Fleck said Monday. “… We don’t look at any of that stuff (preseason projections). We really don’t. … The real test happens when you are in-season. We play a lot of really good opponents.”

The Gophers have the 34th strongest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN. They play five opponents ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, including reigning national champion and sixth-ranked Indiana, as well as No. 16 Michigan, No. 17 Washington, No. 18 Penn State and No. 22 Iowa.

It’s been three-plus seasons since Minnesota has been ranked. In 2022, they briefly checked into the poll at No. 21 after a 4-0 start in September, but they lost 20-10 to Purdue to begin that October and haven’t been ranked since.