2026 Gophers Season Preview

Goldy welcomes you to the 2026 season.

Normally, this post would be longer, and so would this introduction. In the past, I've gone long on cognitive dissonance, conference and Playoff expansion, sport as tradition and myth, and generally big themes about What College Football Means.

Today, I am not going to do that. For different reasons, I took longer than normal to start my 2026 season preview series. One of them is that I just had other things going on, but another is that my enthusiasm for college football in the offseason has changed.

More than ever, following the sport is not about the sport itself. I hold fairly neutral views on many (not all) of the individual reasons for that, but I nevertheless find it increasingly exhausting to keep up with college football in the middle of the summer. This affects my readiness to write thousands of words about college football when preseason camps start up across the country.

This time around, I needed football to be closer to tangible before I even wanted to think about it. I started so late that I was not sure I could actually complete this preview series. I withheld publishing the first post until I had enough of the others done that I believed that I could. It was deeply satisfying to finish this week, both because of the effort required to do so and because I finally feel mentally and emotionally ready for my favorite pastime.

This introduction is instead an explanation for my tardiness (see above), as well as a description of what follows. The main difference from past posts of this kind is that I will not be going in-depth on each of Minnesota's opponents. This took up considerable time in years past, time that I did not have this preseason.

Past readers, if any are here, will recognize the rest: I ask 10 big questions facing the 2026 Golden Gophers, divided between offense, defense, and special teams. I give my predicted depth chart, which is always mostly right but also always wrong in a handful of ways that will annoy me later. If you have not read any of my previews of each position group, below, you will find links to them all. I also predict the team's regular season record and bowl destination.

Then I shut up, and it's time for real, live football.

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Offense

Position previews: receivers and tight ends ・ running backs ・ quarterbacks ・ offensive line

Predicted depth chart:

Click to enlarge any image in this post.

How good is Drake Lindsey right now?

It was the lead question in last year's preview, and there cannot be any other first question this year. Not when Drake Lindsey had the highs he did as a redshirt freshman, not when he is getting buzz as a dark horse for Round 1 of the 2027 NFL Draft, not when so much of this offense depends on his development. Lindsey is the key to unlocking another level to this offense, both this season and however many subsequent seasons he plays in a Minnesota uniform. With more consistency, he could justify much of the hype surrounding him and give Minnesota a dangerous passing game again. If he does not raise the bar from an uneven showing in 2025, that may keep the Gophers from reaching a bowl.

Is there a legit No. 1 receiver on this roster?

Lindsey needs help. Jalen Smith and Javon Tracy have shown they are capable playmakers. Cincinnati transfer Noah Jennings should contribute as well. Someone else will emerge as the fourth wideout and maybe even find a more prominent role than that. But to really threaten opposing defenses and keep the offense on schedule, Minnesota needs a go-to receiver. Smith can become that by next season. Can he be now, though?

How much production will the Gophers get from their tight ends?

Minnesota starts almost from scratch at tight end. Pierce Walsh, Julian Johnson, and Jacob Simpson combine for three career receptions. Kaden Helms was in street clothes at the last open practice, and he was always more of a blocker anyway. Roman Voss seems like a future star but mostly takes reps with the 2s and 3s at this point. Barring any welcome surprises, it is about to be clear just how great a luxury it was having Jameson Geers on 3rd downs.

After Minnesota remade the right side of the offensive line, is the unit fully functional?

If quarterback and the skill positions are about finding a ceiling, then righting the offensive line is about re-establishing a floor. The Gophers can trust Greg Johnson and Ashton Beers. With a year of starts under his belt, how much better is Nathan Roy? Does Tony Nelson finally bring stability to right guard? Will right tackle once again be the weak link, or can Lindsey breathe more easily about his protection on that side? And will the rushing attack become a consistent threat again? There's no going anywhere if the front five cannot win its battles more consistently.

Defense

Position previews: defensive line ・ linebackers ・ secondary

Predicted depth chart:

Can the Gophers trust their cornerbacks?

Most of the decline of Minnesota's defense last year is attributable to years of struggling to develop a cornerback pipeline. When Justin Walley finally graduated, and effective one-year stopgap Ethan Robinson followed him out the door, everything just broke. The conference-best pass rush didn't matter, the NFL nose tackle didn't matter, and even the playmakers at safety didn't matter. If the other team could pass a little, they got what they wanted against the U of M.

The Gophers are finally starting to rebuild some continuity, though. John Nestor starts for the second straight year and will likely return for a third in 2027. Aydan West, who starts opposite Nestor, is new to the program but played a bunch for Michigan State and is just a true sophomore. Reserves Naiim Parrish, Mike Gerald, and Simon Seidl have plenty of eligibility left as well. In a year, this could be a solid group that is well-acquainted with the scheme and their teammates. Even the best long-term plans do not bring short-term results, however, and this may still be the biggest problem on the defense.

Does Minnesota have the right combination of players at tackle?

Minnesota added three transfer tackles, all of whom will figure into this year's defense. They were, however, bargain bets: two backups from Marshall, plus a part-time starter from Florida International. The two returning players who have a shot to start have appeared in a combined 11 college games. Like at corner, no one is out of eligibility after this season (aside from Anthony Smith, who will stay at his natural end position more often), so Minnesota's next great tackle pairing may be on the team right now. This group could still be outmatched until they gain experience.

How deep is this linebacker corps?

Maverick Baranowski is not a star, but he is a very capable middle linebacker with years of experience in Minnesota's defense. His partner in the starting lineup will probably be Matt Kingsbury most weeks, but their profiles are somewhat redundant. Joey Gerlach and Emmanuel Karmo have played part-time roles in past seasons. They need to prove they are ready for more regular, less situation-dependent playing time. Contributions from Mason Carrier or Nate Cleveland would be a bonus as well.

Is everything okay at safety?

Safety should be one of the deepest areas of the team. On his day, Kerry Brown is one of the best in the Big Ten at his position. Aidan Gousby has been a regular for years. The coaches have praised each of Garrison Monroe and Zach Harden, two players stepping into major roles for the first time. Mekhi Smith and Parker Knutson had prolific careers at lower levels before transferring to Minnesota.

It is reasonable to feel just a little concerned, however, after Koi Perich's transfer out and after the veterans (including Perich) looked a little shakier in 2025 than in the prior season. As impressive as Danny Collins' record is as a position coach, last year was his first balancing that job with coordinator responsibilities. Especially with the concerns elsewhere on the defense, Collins has to keep everything working at the back.

Special Teams

Position preview

Predicted depth chart:

Will Minnesota's preferred kicker be allowed to play?

Thanks to a court ruling, the Gophers were able to bring back Brady Denaburg in mid-August. Not long after, another ruling let them then add the experienced Luke Drzewiecki. Clearly, Minnesota would rather have a kicker who is more proven than the options they originally brought into camp.

For now, because of an NCAA appeal, Denaburg cannot play. Drzewiecki still can. If nothing changes on that front, then the best kicker on the Minnesota roster will be available. If not, and if Denaburg's wait lasts into the season, the Gophers will just have to see what they have in Beckham Sunderland and Daniel Jackson. The two of them have combined for three extra-point attempts in college.

What will the return game lose (and gain) in replacing Koi Perich?

Koi Perich was too aggressive as Minnesota's returner, which resulted in muffed punts where he took his eyes off the ball, and it led him to return kicks that were never going anywhere.

Perich is also one of the most explosive returners in college football. He makes reckless plays because for him, they are not always reckless. His superlative athleticism often makes the tradeoffs worthwhile. He backed the offense deeper into their own territory a few times, but how costly is that compared to having a drive or two start on the opponent's side of midfield?

T.J. Thomas, Noah Jennings, and anyone else returning kicks and punts will probably not be as omnidirectionally dangerous as Perich was as a Gopher. They will need to provide the right balance of safety and dynamism that both prevents special teams losses and makes his departure sting less.

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Schedule

There are few easy games on the Gophers' schedule. I think Massey overrates Purdue and Wisconsin's chances a bit, but only the former remains the only Big Ten opponent over whom Minnesota should be definitive favorites. Even if you dock Michigan, UCLA, and Penn State a few points of win probability due to coaching changes, they all look like at least competent teams. UCLA in particular may outperform expectations, having brought in a number of promising transfers. Indiana, in case you did not hear, won the national championship last season. The Halloween trip to Bloomington caps what could be a brutal October.

Much of the Iowa defense turns over, but the key men — Kirk Ferentz and Phil Parker — remain in place. If the Hawkeyes continue their gains on offense, reclaiming Floyd of Rosedale will be very difficult proposition. While a front-loaded schedule may cost Luke Fickell his job well before the Gophers go to Camp Randall on Black Friday, his 33 transfers into the program have likely made Wisconsin tougher.

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Prediction

Last year, the Gophers were probably lucky to finish 8-5. Twenty power-conference teams ranked lower than 60th in Bill Connelly's SP+ rankings of FBS. The only two that made a bowl were Minnesota and California, the latter of whom would not have made a bowl if Cal had not beaten the U of M in Berkeley.

By Connelly's postgame win expectancy stat, Minnesota played more like a team with a record of 5.8-7.2. They suffered blowouts at the hands of the three top teams on their schedule, and they rarely separated themselves from a pack of mediocre to bad opponents.

On a defense that was overall worse than usual, a handful of stars bailed the team out with turnovers and splash plays. I am afraid to believe in the cornerback room until I see it in action, but the pieces are there to reduce the constant barrage of completions that plagued this team all season. I have less optimism about the interior of the line, which lacks a single proven power-conference starter. The Gophers' (theoretically) deep pack of safeties and possibly nation-best pass rushing unit will have to carry the defense to improvement. They can, though that improvement will not be massive.

It is a similar story on offense. I doubt that right guard and right tackle will be true strengths, but reducing the degree to which they were weaknesses counts as meaningful progress. It is best not to overhype Drake Lindsey, who has a lot of room to grow, but he should make meaningful gains in his second season under center. That may even offset the shortcomings in his group of his pass-catchers, who themselves are gaining experience to potentially make waves a year from now.

This team should be better. There is potential to be a lot better, better enough to win eight or even nine games in the regular season without it feeling too fluky. The questions remain so big that I have doubts the Gophers can reach the upper end of that potential, particularly in light of their toss-up-laden schedule. At several key positions, there are just too many unknowns. With the right amount of proof of concept — an in-conference blowout, an upset or two, more consistent quarterback play — there will be very legitimate reason to anticipate a big 2027. This season, though, is most likely about working out the kinks and establishing continuity to set up that breakout. The final record may look like a step backward, even if things are trending in the right direction.

Predicted regular season record: 6-6

Predicted bowl: Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, New York) vs. Florida State