Minnesota is sitting at 1-1 right now, and man, that 38-13 home loss to Mississippi State? Brutal. It was supposed to be a showcase game for PJ Fleck and the Gophers, a chance to prove they belong in the Big Ten spotlight. Instead, it was an absolute embarrassment, and now? Their entire goal of six wins and a bowl appearance is already in jeopardy, especially with that brutal Big Ten schedule looming.
Gophers Need a Reset Button, Like Yesterday
Seriously, the Gophers need a short memory after that Mississippi State beatdown. That was a game they needed, and now they are scrambling. Looking ahead, it doesn’t get any easier. Next week, Minnesota rolls into Washington to kick off their brutal Big Ten season, and then they host Michigan. Talk about a gauntlet. If they are pouting after last week, things are gonna get real ugly, real fast. And let’s be honest, the Gophers haven’t exactly crushed MAC teams in the past. They beat Buffalo by only 13 last year, Eastern Michigan 25-6 in 2023, and Miami University 31-26 in 2021. Akron isn’t just going to roll over, which means Minnesota’s gotta come ready to play.
Akron’s Sneaky Offense Could Spell More Trouble
Akron is also 1-1, and while they opened with a 38-16 loss to Wake Forest, they weren’t bad at all. In fact, their quarterback combo of Cibastian Broughton and Brayden Roggow has been absolutely brilliant, completing 85% of their passes with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. Zero! If Minnesota’s pass rush isn’t generating any pressure, Akron could seriously dink and dunk the Gophers to death, just like Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor did last week, lighting them up for three scores. Now, Wake Forest’s Gio Lopez did “light up” Akron’s secondary like a Christmas tree, getting up 38-3 before a few late Zip scores. So Gophers star quarterback Drake Lindsey, who wasn’t awful against Mississippi State but struggled to get anything moving deep, should be able to take advantage. Akron doesn’t have the pass rush to bother him.
So, what’s the deal for Saturday? This won’t be a walk in the park if Minnesota lets last week’s loss linger, but PJ Fleck’s program usually doesn’t work that way. The prediction is Minnesota 37, Akron 13, so they should get the win. But Akron’s efficient attack definitely has the potential to keep this from getting out of hand. Next week, Akron gets a quirky home game against UNLV, and then they start their MAC campaign at Central Michigan. The Gophers need to come out firing on all cylinders, because with Washington and Michigan up next, this rebound game is absolutely massive for their season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply