Minnesota Golden Gophers is 1-0 on the season, 1-0 against the spread, and holds a power rating of +7.5. Minnesota Golden Gophers enters the season with a power rating of +7.5, placing them above average relative to the FBS midpoint. The Minnesota Golden Gophers host Mississippi State next in Week 2. In 2025, Minnesota Golden Gophers went 8-5 overall, 4-8 against the spread, and 6-7 on totals.
In Week 1 of 2026 the Minnesota Golden Gophers Power Rating of +7.5 is 7.5 points above the FBS average according to Blue Chip Analytics. Minnesota Golden Gophers have logged 0 miles of travel so far, out of a season total of 6,864 miles, ranking 72nd heaviest in the FBS.
Drake Lindsey QB, Darius Taylor RB, Noah Jennings WR
Kerry Brown S, Maverick Baranowski LB, Anthony Smith DE, TJ Bush Jr. DE, Naquan Crowder DT
Beckham Sunderland K, Daniel Jackson K, Tom Weston P
| After | Record | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Week 2 | 2-0 | 0-1 | 1-1 |
| Week 3 | 2-1 | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Week 5 | 3-1 | 0-3 | 2-2 |
| Week 6 | 3-2 | 0-4 | 3-2 |
| Week 7 | 4-2 | 0-5 | 3-3 |
| Week 8 | 5-2 | 1-5 | 3-4 |
| Week 9 | 5-3 | 1-6 | 4-4 |
| Week 10 | 6-3 | 1-7 | 4-5 |
| Week 12 | 6-4 | 1-8 | 5-5 |
| Week 13 | 6-5 | 2-8 | 6-5 |
| Week 14 | 7-5 | 3-8 | 6-6 |
| Postseason | 8-5 | 4-8 | 6-7 |
A season record is a record, not a forecast. Blue Chip Analytics' own research finds that beating the closing line repeats at close to zero from one season to the next - see most underrated and overrated teams. Read the table as what happened, not as what is likely to happen next.
Opened +5.6 in the preseason and finished +7.5 after week 2, a move of +2.0 points. High +7.5 (week 2), low +5.6 (the preseason).
PreW2
SP+ is an independent opponent-adjusted efficiency rating, one of the systems blended into the Blue Chip Analytics power rating rather than a Blue Chip Analytics number itself. Defensive SP+ measures points allowed, so a lower figure is a better defence - the rank beside it already accounts for that.
Source spread is how far apart the independent rating systems are on this team, not a margin of error on our own number. A wide spread means the models disagree, which is itself worth knowing.
The measured and applied home field advantage agree to within 0.8 points here, so smoothing changes little for this venue.
| Opponent | Met | Record | ATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 4 | 0-4 | 1-3 |
| Purdue | 9 | 6-3 | 4-5 |
| Iowa | 10 | 1-9 | 1-8-1 |
| Indiana | 2 | 2-0 | 2-0 |
| UCLA | 1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Penn State | 4 | 1-3 | 3-1 |
| Northwestern | 8 | 4-4 | 4-4 |
| Wisconsin | 10 | 5-5 | 6-3-1 |
No meeting on record since 2016: Eastern Illinois, Mississippi State, Akron, Washington.
Week 06,864 mi total
| Week | Opponent | Distance | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | - | Bye | |
| Week 1 | Eastern Illinois | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 2 | Mississippi State | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 3 | Akron | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 4 | Washington | 1,395 mi | 2,791 mi |
| Week 5 | Michigan | Home | 2,791 mi |
| Week 6 | Purdue | 448 mi | 3,688 mi |
| Week 7 | - | Bye | |
| Week 8 | Iowa | Home | 3,688 mi |
| Week 9 | Indiana | 527 mi | 4,743 mi |
| Week 10 | UCLA | Home | 4,743 mi |
| Week 11 | Penn State | 830 mi | 6,402 mi |
| Week 12 | Northwestern | Home | 6,402 mi |
| Week 13 | Wisconsin | 231 mi | 6,864 mi |
| Week 14 | - | Bye | |
| Week 15 | - | Bye | |
| Week 16 | - | Bye | |
| Postseason | - | Bye | |
Minnesota opened with a 59-7 rout of FCS Eastern Illinois, covering a 42.5-point spread and hitting the over. The scoreboard was impressive, but the opponent was overmatched, so the margin of victory should not be mistaken for proof of a leap. The Gophers did what they should have done, and the real tests begin now.
Javon Tracy set a program record with two punt return touchdowns, totaling 167 return yards on four returns, and also added five catches for 98 yards in the first half. His performance filled the void left by Koi Perich's transfer to Oregon, at least for one game. If Tracy can sustain that dual-threat production, he becomes a game-changer in the return game and a reliable target for Drake Lindsey.
Darius Taylor rushed for three first-half touchdowns and added 31 receiving yards, becoming just the second running back in program history with 100 career receptions. The ground game, which ranked last in the Big Ten in 2025, looked sharper, but it came against an FCS front seven. Taylor's conditioning work and the offensive line's improvement will face a much stiffer test against Mississippi State and then Big Ten defenses.
Drake Lindsey completed 19 of 24 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball effectively and finding tight end Pierce Walsh for his first career score. The defense recorded nine tackles for loss, held Eastern Illinois to 51 rushing yards, and saw transfer defensive end TJ Bush Jr. notch a sack on the first possession. These are encouraging signs, but the level of competition was far below what the Gophers will see in conference play.
The Gophers still have unproven depth at defensive tackle after losing their top four from last season, and the kicking game remains a question mark despite Daniel Jackson making his first college field goal. The schedule now turns to Mississippi State, a Power Four opponent, and the Big Ten slate ahead. Minnesota's ability to establish a consistent run game, protect Lindsey, and hold up in the interior will determine whether they can finish in the top half of the conference as expected.
Minnesota Golden Gophers is 1-0 against the spread in the 2026 season, covering 100% of games.
Minnesota Golden Gophers holds a Blue Chip Analytics power rating of +7.5, representing their expected point margin against an average FBS team on a neutral field.
Minnesota Golden Gophers's home field advantage rating is 2.8 points, the venue adjustment Blue Chip Analytics applies for games at their home stadium.
Minnesota Golden Gophers's consensus regular-season win total for 2026 is 6.5 wins, priced at +110 over and -140 under. This is the betting market's expectation, not a Blue Chip Analytics projection.
Minnesota Golden Gophers travels 6,864 miles in the 2026 season, ranking 72nd heaviest in the FBS.
Cumulative travel distance counts both the outbound and return journey for every away game. For example, if a team travels 374 miles to play an away game, Blue Chip Analytics counts 748 miles (374 miles there, 374 miles back) toward the cumulative total. Home games and bye weeks add zero miles. The per-week Distance column shows the one-way distance only, as the return trip happens after the game is played.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: 1-0 overall, 1-0 ATS, power rating +7.5 (2026 records).
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