Gophers football will play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Virginia Tech to finish their 2024 season and springboard the team into next year.

The 2024 campaign only gets sweeter as Minnesota capped its regular season with a border battle win over Wisconsin and now will play for a mayo bath. As is tradition at Duke’s Mayo Bowl, the winning head coach will be doused in Duke’s mayonnaise after the game.

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said traditions like the mayo bath are what college football is all about, and if his team wins the game he will participate in the mayo bathing. 

“It’s tremendous if we’re lucky enough and fortunate enough to win the football game — absolutely, make it double,” Fleck said.

West Virginia defeated North Carolina, 30-10, in the 2023 Duke’s Mayo Bowl and Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown participated in the festivities.

In the new college football era with the transfer portal opening and players weighing their professional football futures, few stars stick around for bowl games.

That narrative changed this season for the Gophers.

Minnesota’s sixth-year offensive lineman Quinn Carroll said before defeating Wisconsin that he will play in Minnesota’s bowl game this season.

“I want to set a standard, and that’s kind of been my goal ever since I came here was to be the leader to be the standard all the time,” Carroll said. “I don’t want it to become a standard that we don’t play in a bowl game if we have NFL aspirations.”

Carroll is not the only leader of the Gophers who will be staying until 2025 for Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Joining him is sixth-year quarterback Max Brosmer.

“It’s number one, a really cool experience, especially for someone coming from the FCS or a smaller division having the ability to play in a bowl game,” Brosmer said.

For both players, it is the next step in their prospective football careers. 

Brosmer and Carroll accepted invitations to the Hula Bowl, a college football all-star game for college players seeking the opportunity to play at the next level. Gophers defensive lineman Danny Striggow will join his fellow seniors at the Hula Bowl.

If Brosmer was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, he would become the first Gophers quarterback picked since Craig Curry in 1972.

Not only are a few Gophers players looking ahead to their futures, but Fleck is attacking the bowl game similarly. Fleck said a bowl game is a celebration and reward for the players and their work in the 2024 season, but also a chance for him to start figuring out next season’s roster.

“That’s why it’s so critical, it is early spring ball, it is already a jump forward to 2025,” Fleck said.

The Gophers will look to develop players with this extra month before the Jan. 3 game and find pieces to fill in the roster for 2025. Fleck said the team will add 10-15 players through the transfer portal.

The Gophers secured a member of their coaching staff for two more years in defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman. Hetherman’s defense finished the season ranked seventh in the nation in total defense and intercepted 16 passes, which was also top 10 in the country.

Fleck said Hetherman loves the players and staff, which was evident in the process of keeping him with the Gophers.

“We’ve only known him in the organization for the last 10-11 months, but I think he’s made a huge impact on and off the field to our players and staff,” Fleck said.

The Gophers will face a defense similar to theirs with great ball skills — the Hokies had 14 interceptions of their own this season.

The bowl game will be the first time the Gophers will face the Hokies and Minnesota’s first appearance in Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Gophers football head coach P.J. Fleck welcomed his ninth recruiting class to Minnesota on Wednesday morning. 21 new players joined the team.

Fleck expects to add at least 10-15 additional athletes through the transfer portal to fill his 2025 roster. The Gophers will replace Shane Marshall (Georgia Tech) and Grant Grayton (Kentucky), both members of the original recruiting class, who flipped their commitments on Wednesday.

Fleck said Ethan Stendel, Emmanuel Karmo and Abu Tarawallie were three members who connected the 2025 recruiting class. The trio hails from the state of Minnesota.

“Really forming one of the best Minnesota commitment classes we’ve had,” Fleck said.

The three players make up the top three ranked recruits in Minnesota, and according to 247 Sports, it is the first time Fleck recruited and had all three top three in-state prospects commit to the Gophers.

Karmo ranked the No. 1 2025 player in Minnesota, said his mom always wanted him to play for the Gophers and his family was a big reason why he honored his commitment.

“I felt like the first thing they wanted to do was build relationships with my parents,” Karmo said. “Where would I be without my parents.”

The player right behind Karmo in the Minnesota rankings is Stendel, a 6-foot-3-inch linebacker from Caledonia weighing 215 pounds.

Fleck said his body type is reminiscent of a player Gophers fans have seen over the last five years.

“Cody Lindenberg Jr., just think of that body type as a linebacker,” Fleck said. “This guy has got all the traits that Cody had … Grew up a Gopher fan and wanted to stay home.”

The third member of the trio, Tarawallie, plays the defensive line and stands at 6-foot-3-inches, 275 pounds.

Tarawallie said the reason he chose Minnesota was the culture and the people he met from the program, singling out his new position coach Winston DeLattiboudere III.

“He’s amazing, he’s done wonderful work,” Tarawallie said. “I’ve known him for almost three years now since I was a sophomore and he’s been with me every step of the way.”

Fleck said Tarawallie was looking for a life program and wanted to be a neurosurgeon.

A highlight of the Gophers 2025 class is four-star quarterback Jackson Kollock out of Laguna Beach, California. Kollock finished his senior season with 1,711 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns and 315 rushing yards plus eight touchdowns on the ground.

Fleck said the Gophers will bring in a transfer quarterback to compete for the starting role in 2025.

Kollock, after his official visit in June, said Fleck is a straight shooter and will tell you what he is looking for in a player.

“He was straight up with all of us which is something I personally love because I’m that way too,” Kollock said. “He’s like this is how it is, this is what it’s gonna be and if it fits you awesome, if not, we don’t need you.”

The Gophers quarterback conundrum allows Kollock to battle for the starting role as a true freshman with Drake Lindsey and a transfer.

Quarterbacks need receivers to throw to and Minnesota will lose its top two targets, Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer.

Fleck said he does not approach filling his receiver room as finding a new No. 1 target but rather supplementing the void with a plethora of options.

“We need pass catchers to come in,” Fleck said. “They’ve got a great opportunity while nobody’s here to keep developing.” 

Running back Trey Berry completed the 21-man class Wednesday night committing to the Gophers following Marshall’s de-commitment and Jordan Nubin’s plans to enter the portal.

The Gophers 2025 class is still in no way solidified. The new era of college football that allows players to seek money for their name, image and likeness means several athletes will move in and out of the transfer portal as the winter window opens on Dec. 9.

Minnesota’s defense dominated Wisconsin en route to a commanding 24-7 win over the Badgers at Camp Randall on Friday. 

For the third time in four years, the Gophers beat the Badgers and Paul Bunyan’s Axe returned to Minneapolis. This year, Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck brought the six-foot-tall trophy home on his 44th birthday.

Fleck said his team fought all year and made a lot of plays all day.

“The most physical team out here won and I thought that was the whole message going into the game that we were going to have to out-physical them,” Fleck said.

Fleck said people talked all week about Wisconsin’s records, but his players worried solely about winning their one-game championship against the Badgers.

Gophers senior cornerback Justin Walley said the win meant the world to him having spent all four years in college football at Minnesota.

“This is the game you play for in Minnesota. It’s the most important game on the schedule,” Walley said. “Just to go out with a win like that is the most perfect outcome I could think of.”

The Gophers’ defense had control from the beginning in the frigid elements. The flurry-filled morning in Madison, Wisconsin, saw the Gophers receive the opening kickoff of the 134th meeting.

Although the Big Ten West was dissolved with conference realignment, these two teams did not get the memo as the two rivals combined to punt on each of the first four drives of the game. 

Punting seemed to be never-ending until Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer found his groove. 

Brosmer used his top two targets, Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer, to march down the field but punched it in himself for a touchdown at the goal line for the first points of the game. Fleck said Jackson’s 37-yard over-the-shoulder catch was the play that got the team going on the drive.

Minnesota’s defense shut down Wisconsin again, giving the ball right back to the offense. 

Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. entered his bag of tricks and found another wrinkle to the tush push. This time Brosmer handed the football to Marcus Major who bounced outside for a 40-yard gain.

Brosmer connected with Jackson, who carved up his defender and caught it on the front pylon for a touchdown. The Gophers jumped out to an early 14-0 lead thanks to stingy defense and a creative offensive game plan.

Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman brought his innovation by sending cornerback Justin Walley on a blitz who got home for a 10-yard sack. Both teams traded punts as the clock hit zero in the first half. Wisconsin punted six times in the first half, the most they had punted in a game all year.

The Gophers shut out the Badgers’ offense in the first half for the first time since 1993. It was also the first time Wisconsin did not score before halftime this season. 

The Gophers defense only allowed five on Wisconsin’s opening drive of the second half. Wisconsin punted for a season-high seventh time on their seventh drive of the game.

Brosmer stayed dialed in after the half, finding four different receivers and going 6-for-6 for 47 yards and a touchdown mounting a 21-0 Gophers lead.

A late hit personal foul on Gophers linebacker Joey Gerlach gave Wisconsin a free first down on what would have been fourth-and-15. 

Momentum began to shift as the penalty gave life to both the Badgers and the crowd.

Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke found Vinny Anothy II for a 15-yard touchdown getting Wisconsin on the board.

The Gophers put together another drive deep into Badgers territory, but after making 11 straight kicks, Dragan Kesich’s 49-yard field goal fell short of the goalpost.

Looking to capitalize on their momentum early in the fourth quarter, the Badgers drove in the red zone, but a holding penalty and a missed field goal killed the mood in Camp Randall.

Fleck said his team showed its personality and what they have been all year, always responding to highs and lows.

Darius Taylor led Minnesota on a long, clock-consuming drive taking the life out of the stadium. The Gophers capped it off with a 43-yard field goal drilled by Kesich making it 24-7 Minnesota.

“It was a hard-nosed football game. That game is always going to be run the ball when they know you’re gonna run the ball,” Taylor said.

The Gophers defense wrapped the win up in a bow with a fourth down stop.

Gophers sixth-year offensive lineman Quinn Carroll said a couple of his brothers stormed the field postgame and had to be escorted out, but that it was a special moment.

“Growing up watching the Gophers you see the seniors chop down the goalposts whenever they win and that’s obviously a dream as a young kid from Minnesota,” Carroll said.

The Gophers commanded a victory on Wisconsin’s home field for the second straight time after beating the Badgers in 2022.

Gophers football travels to Madison, Wisconsin Friday morning to play in the FBS’ most-played rivalry game for Paul Bunyan’s Axe against Wisconsin for the 134th time.

Minnesota will look to snap Wisconsin’s 22-year bowl streak, the third-longest in the nation. When the Gophers lost at home to Wisconsin in 2023, it was the first time they lost to the Badgers in two years.

The last time the Gophers met the Badgers at Camp Randall, the maroon and gold won thanks to a 44-yard touchdown reception from Le’Meke Brockington late in the fourth quarter.

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said the past does not affect the game this week, whether it be Wisconsin’s recent struggles or the bowl streak the Badgers are looking to extend.

“The records get thrown out the window, what you did in the past gets thrown out the window, you get to learn from everything and go apply it,” Fleck said.

Fleck applied his motto of “one-game championship season” to how the Gophers are approaching this final regular season test.

Minnesota brought a full bag of tricks into the Penn State game on Saturday, but exhausting the playbook against the No. 4 team in the country was not enough.

The Gophers scored a touchdown on a double reverse pass to Jameson Geers and attempted a pass to left tackle Aireontae Ersery inside the red zone, which Penn State snuffed out.

Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said the game plan going into Saturday’s loss had 63 kills and alerts, which allowed quarterback Max Brosmer to change the play at the line.

“There were about five to seven play calls that were triple plays in the huddle that he had three different options to get to,” Harbaugh said. “But then going into this week you have one less day, so as a coach you can’t put that much on the guys.”

Harbaugh said the 63 checks at the line of scrimmage were by far the most he added to a game plan. He said it was not even as close as the first game of the year versus North Carolina, which only featured between 30 and 35.

Harbaugh said Brosmer handled the extra workload off the field well. The Gophers quarterback was impactful throughout the offense.

“I haven’t seen a relationship between a quarterback and each position group the way that we have had this year,” Harbaugh said. “That’s leadership and that’s a testament to Max.”

The Gophers offense will look to rekindle the flame found in the first half against Penn State. After scoring 17 first-half points, Minnesota only managed two field goals in the final 30 minutes of the game.

The defense kept Minnesota in the loss, but a back-breaking drive to end the game featured three fourth-down conversions.

Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said the biggest play of the game came on third-and-nine on the final drive. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar scrambled for eight yards on third-and-nine, and a play later the Nittany Lions converted a fake punt for 32 yards.

Prepping for Wisconsin as the next test, Hetherman said even with the offensive coordinator change for the Badgers their identity remains similar.

“The run game is very similar, the pass game I did feel like maybe there was a little bit more RPOs (Run-pass options),” Hetherman said. “Quarterback did a really nice job getting the ball out, distributing it.”

RPOs are play calls designed to stress defense including elements of the rush and pass game. The Gophers struggled with RPOs against Rutgers where the offensive coordinator for the Scarlet Knights, Kirk Ciarrocca, utilized the concept successfully throughout the first half.

Hetherman said the Scarlet Knights attacked the Gophers with the RPO and the defense will have an answer built in for those plays for the Wisconsin game.

Two sixth-year leaders of the Gophers offense will not be playing in their final game against Wisconsin. Minnesota received good news Monday morning from sixth-year players Quinn Carroll and Brosmer who decided to play in Minnesota’s bowl game, which will be decided on Dec. 8.

Fourth down execution and special teams in the fourth quarter haunted Minnesota against Penn State, falling short of upsetting the No. 4 team 25-26 in Minneapolis.

Late in the fourth quarter leading by one point, Penn State head coach James Franklin elected to fake a punt on his side of the field and picked up 32 yards. Three plays later, Franklin opted to be aggressive again by going for it on fourth-and-one, and a tush push gave the Nittany Lions a first down.

Fourth down execution and special teams in the fourth quarter secured No. 4 Penn State’s win over Minnesota 26-25 in Minneapolis.

Franklin poetically chose to go for it on fourth-and-one with a passing play on the final play of the game where Penn State quarterback Drew Allar found Tyler Warren for the first down.

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said his team played their hearts out, but Penn State is one of the best teams in the country.

“This is one of the top five teams I’ve ever played against as a football coach,” Fleck said.

The Gophers got off to a hot start and kept the Nittany Lions out of their element for most of the game.

Minnesota mounted a march of nine plays for 70 yards on their opening drive, capped off by a 20-yard touchdown run from Marcus Major.

The Gophers’ defense stuffed the Nittany Lions on third-and-short on Penn State’s first two drives, revving up the crowd inside Huntington Bank Stadium. After the Gophers’ first punt of the game, Penn State went for it on fourth-and-five and Anthony Smith jumped all over Allar for a 12-yard sack.

Max Brosmer unleashed a missile-like throw with a Nittany Lion defender in his face to Daniel Jackson for 23 yards. After stalling, Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich hammered a 48-yard field goal through the posts to give Minnesota a 10-point lead.

The Gophers’ defense made three third-down stops in the first quarter against the fifth-best third-down team in the nation. The Nittany Lions offense is averaging 454.1 yards per game this season and proved the point with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Omari Evans, 10-7 Gophers.

Miscommunication between Gophers corners Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson allowed Evans to roam free and walk into the endzone.

Fleck said his defense played exceptionally well against one of the best offenses in the country aside from a mental lapse.

“We had one miscommunication on the big explosive play, but other than that they played their tail ends off I couldn’t be more proud of that defense,” Fleck said.

The Gophers’ defense bent but did not break, helped by a second-down sack by defensive back Jack Henderson. 

Penn State kicker Ryan Barker drilled a 45-yard field goal to tie the game halfway through the second quarter. Minnesota responded moments later when Mark Crawford pinned the Nittany Lions at their three-yard line. Derek LeCaptain blocked the Penn State punt and Minnesota took over at the 21-yard line.

Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr., who tirelessly refines his game plan each week, went with a bit of trickery. Harbaugh drew up a double reverse pass and Brosmer found a wide-open Jameson Geers for the touchdown.

The Nittany Lions responded by cruising into Minnesota territory with the help of a defensive pass interference. Allar powered into the endzone for what looked like the game-tying touchdown with 19 seconds in the half.

Henderson breached the Penn State line on the extra point attempt blocking the kick, and Robinson returned it for two points giving Minnesota a 19-16 lead at halftime.

Henderson said he saw a gap in Penn State’s field goal unit he thought he could exploit during the week.

“Really just determination in the first PAT (point after touchdown) I got a glimpse of daylight and so I knew on the next couple I’d have an opportunity to make it so I just fired through that hole,” Henderson said.

The PAT returned for two for the Gophers since Mario Reese back in 2006.

Minnesota put together a sustained drive to open the third quarter and Kesich delivered again with a 42-yard field goal doubling his team’s lead.

Even as stout as the Gophers run defense was all night, Nick Singleton rumbled into the endzone and this time Barker made the PAT, 23-22 Penn State, their first lead of the game.

Looking for a response on the first play of the fourth quarter the Gophers turned the football over. Brosmer dropped the ball and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley recovered.

Brosmer said the two turnovers are something that cannot happen.

“At the end of the day I know it happens in football but I know that I can be way better and put my team in a better situation to go out and score more points,” Brosmer said.

Minnesota’s defense held strong keeping the Nittany Lions out of the endzone leading to a 32-yard field goal by Barker, 26-22 Penn State.

Brosmer picked apart the Nittany Lions’ defense until first-and-goal. Penn State shored up in the red zone and trailing by four the Gophers settled for a 26-yard field goal with under six minutes to play.

Penn State ran a fake punt on fourth-and-one, and Luke Reynolds picked up 32 yards. Once again the Gophers’ defense came up with a third-down stop but Franklin went again and a tush push got the first down.

Minnesota, expecting push on the final play, was unable to cover Warren, who broke free, and Allar put the ball on him for the game-sealing fourth down conversion.

While Saturday’s match was the last one at Huntington Bank Stadium this year, the Gophers still have a meeting set with a 5-6 Wisconsin team at Camp Randall Stadium for the annual battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday at 11:00 a.m.

The year was 2019, Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” was the top digital single, Disney+ came to TVs across America and the Gophers football team knocked off undefeated Penn State, 31-26 at TCF Bank Stadium.

A lot changed from that game five years ago, but one thing stayed constant.

The Gophers continue to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Minnesota picked off Penn State three times back in 2019. This season, the Gophers sit fourth in the nation in interceptions (16) with freshman Koi Perich leading the way with five.

Gophers senior cornerback Justin Walley said takeaways are one of the main things the defense focuses on in games.

“When you play a team that’s ranked top five in the country, a team like Penn State, if you don’t get any takeaways it’s hard to win a game like that,” Walley said.

The Gophers’ secondary is coming off of a game against Rutgers where former Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 240 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Minnesota’s offense is preparing to face one of the healthiest defenses they have faced all season, according to head coach P.J. Fleck.

“They’re really good at the small things,” Fleck said. “Yes they have a ton of talent but can you get that ton of talent to do the little things really well? We’ve got to play really good, sound football.”

Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer said he has never seen someone spend as much time as offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. on a game plan.

“It’s about how much he cares to be in the right call every single time and that’s an amazing help for me as a quarterback,” Brosmer said. “He simplifies things a lot.”

The offense hit its stride with Harbaugh heading into the Rutgers game on Nov. 9, but a fumble that turned into points for the Scarlet Knights was the difference in the loss.

Harbaugh said people misinterpret what goes into game planning and how he learned the skill back when he started coaching at North Carolina Wesleyan, a Division III school.

“Everyone thinks that you start the game plan on Sunday night, Monday’s a heavy, Tuesday’s a heavy day and then once you get through practice (Wednesday) the game plan is done,” Harbaugh said.

The Gophers defense will have to plan for Penn State’s Tyler Warren, a do-it-all tight end for the Nittany Lions. Warren leads all Power Four tight ends in receiving yards (808), yards after the catch (509) and missed tackles forced (13).

Penn State capitalizes on Warren’s ability to move all over the field. Gophers fifth-year defensive lineman Danny Striggow said Warren is a handful whether he is snapping, throwing, catching or running the ball.

“It’s important to know where he is because a lot of their offense is surrounding him,” Striggow said.

Although Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman admitted he does not know much about the Heisman Trophy, he believes Warren could be in the conversation for the award solely for the impact he has on Penn State’s offense.

Come Saturday, the Gophers will look for their third-ranked win of the season and improve on their six-win bowl-eligible season before heading to Madison, Wisconsin for the annual border battle.

The Gophers women’s tennis team completed their fall season Sunday at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) Fall Invitational, performing strongly in doubles and going undefeated in singles.

Minnesota ended the weekend 12-11 in singles and 8-4 in doubles. Head coach Lois Arterberry said it was not the team’s best performance adjusting between indoor and outdoor courts, but they started to shine on the final day.

Back in October, Arterberry said the team hoped to solidify groupings as it was one of the team’s weaker areas in the past.

Arterberry said there are some pairings the coaching staff feel comfortable with and the team will spend time in the offseason focusing on doubles.

“Still need some changes with a few of the pairs, but it’s something that we’re going to work on in the next couple of weeks,” Arterberry said. “Doubles is really going to be crucial for us next year so we want to make sure that we’re really, really focusing on it.”

One double pair the Gophers used during the fall was junior Anali Kocevar and sophomore Jeselle Ante.

Minnesota secured a strong record in doubles over the weekend and the Gophers found momentum on the final day. The Gophers rattled off seven straight singles wins on Sunday.

One victory came from junior Sofia Pinto, who finished 2-1 in singles at the Invitational.

Pinto said she has been improving a lot during her time at Minnesota after spending her freshman season at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

“I feel like I am more mature on the court, and I know what to do in every type of situation,” Pinto said. “I feel better with myself on the court.”

Pinto primarily slotted in at the top doubles spot with her partner Mia Liepert last season. The pairing led the Gophers in doubles wins.

Multiple members of the Gophers represented their home countries this fall during different tournaments.

Deniz Turan played for her country Turkey earlier in the season. Kocevar represented Slovenia and won her first two qualifying matches of the ITF W15 Tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska. In the first round of the main draw, Kocevar fell to U.S. representative and former Ohio State Buckeye Kolie Allen (4-6, 5-7).

Kocevar said she played for her country before, but having a tournament in the U.S. was very exciting and special.

“The level at these tournaments is so high that it’s a great achievement even if you win a match or two,” Kocevar said.

In California, Kocevar finished 2-0 in singles at the Invitational and 2-1 in doubles with Ante.

Ante transferred to Minnesota after spending her first season at the University of Wyoming. In her only season with the Cowgirls, Ante went 17-9 in doubles. She said discipline is a point of emphasis with the Gophers, and it is something she enjoyed in her transition to Minnesota alongside her fall doubles partner in Kocevar.

“We tried really hard to stick to the plan and listen to the coaches and just be really aggressive,” Ante said. “That helped us hone in on our points and teamwork focusing on communication despite not practicing much together.”

Arterberry said Ante was a role model for her teammates and is hungry and passionate about the program.

Arterberry said she will keep the intensity up with a shortened amount of court time in the fall.

The Gopher tennis team kicks off their spring season in January 2025.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis exacted revenge over his former Gophers team in victory formation Saturday, kneeling out a 26-19 win over the Gophers.

Minnesota led on the scoreboard heading into the fourth quarter, but self-inflicted wounds haunted the Gophers as they handed the Scarlet Knights the football and the game.

Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer hit Jameson Geers in the flat who turned right into a collision and fumbled the football in the fourth quarter. Minnesota’s first turnover in 17 quarters led Kaliakmanis to find Ian Strong open across the middle for a four-yard touchdown, giving the Scarlet Knights a 21-16 lead.

Rutgers hounded Brosmer and sacked him inside the 10-yard line to open the ensuing drive. The Gophers’ offensive line could not handle the pass rush as Rutgers defensive line Jordan Walker sacked Brosmer in the end zone for a safety.

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said he was not good at doing his job on Saturday but his team had opportunities to win the game.

“We did not play Gopher football like we have over the last however many weeks,” Fleck said. “It’s college football. It’s not an excuse nor is it acceptable.”

Kaliakmanis threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns leading his team to a victory and concluding their four-game losing skid.

The Gophers started the day with a strong opening offensive drive. Brosmer scampered for 28 yards and set up the offense deep in Rutgers territory.

Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. decided to go heavy with extra tight ends on third-and-eight. Darius Taylor broke through an open hole for an 18-yard touchdown run but the Gophers score stayed at six after kicker Dragan Kesich missed the extra point.

The Gophers’ defense looked to make Kaliakmanis beat them early and the Scarlet Knight answered the challenge. Kaliakmanis began the game 5-for-7 for 80 yards and threw a fourth-and-goal touchdown to Dymere Miller to take a 7-6 lead over the Gophers.

After missing the first extra point of his career,  Kesich nailed a 51-yard field goal to reclaim the lead.

Kaliakmanis, otherwise known as the “Greek Rifle,” continued firing, connecting with Miller for a second touchdown. He completed 80% of his passes through three drives for 146 yards.

Kirk Ciarrocca, the Scarlet Knights offensive coordinator, picked apart the defense he matched up with in practice over four years as the coordinator at Minnesota. First-year Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman is familiar with Ciarrocca’s offense after spending last season as the linebackers coach for Rutgers.

Ciarrocca tested the Gophers’ secondary, who traveled to Piscataway, New Jersey third in the nation with 15 interceptions.

Rutgers dialed up a deep ball to Strong, and Kaliakmanis put it right on the money for 65 yards, the longest completion of the senior quarterback’s career.

Kaliakmanis pressured in the red zone and threw an ill-advised interception to Ethan Robinson in the end zone who mirrored Daniel Jackson’s toe-touch catch from last year. Robinson’s interception was his first for the maroon and gold.

Minnesota’s offense struggled to sustain drives down the first-half stretch entering the break trailing 14-9.

At halftime, Fleck said the offense is close to clicking but in football, close is a long way.

“We just got to make the available throw and make the completion,” Fleck said.

Fleck added the defense was giving up too many explosive plays in the passing game and sure up their tackling.

Robinson said the defensive backs needed to go back to the drawing board and trust their techniques after struggling in the first half.

“We were in good positions. I felt like we just got to make plays on the ball,” Robinson said.

Offensively, Harbaugh started using the quick passing game more so he could utilize running backs and tight ends through the air.

Taylor caught 11 passes in 2023 and already had 43 receptions through eight games played in 2024. The other half of the running back duo, Marcus Major, had 16 catches of his own.

Brosmer finished off the second half’s opening drive with three straight quick completions to the flats. The third pass found a wide-open Major who raced into the end zone retaking the lead.

Kaliakmanis struggled to start the second half going 1-for-8 through the first three drives, all of which ended in punts.

The Gophers handed Rutgers all the momentum needed to reclaim the lead after Geers fumbled, setting up the Scarlet Knights inside the red zone.

Brosmer said postgame the Geers fumble is a part of football and the team works hard to make sure positive things happen but the other team is on scholarships for a reason.

“He’s got our utmost confidence the rest of the season,” Brosmer said. “He’s one of my favorite targets.”

After a short touchdown pass from Kaliakmanis, his third of the game, the Scarlet Knights reclaimed their lead from halftime. Rutgers’ defense added to the advantage with a safety on a sack from Walker.

Minnesota’s comeback concluded as Rutgers recovered the onside kick ending the Gophers’ four-game win streak.

Gopher Justin Walley read the quarterback, jumped the route and took his interception to the end zone putting the Gophers up 21 points in the first quarter. Minnesota never looked back in a 48-23 win.

Students and alumni were met with sunny weather as they packed the Huntington Bank Stadium stands on Saturday to watch their Gophers play in their annual homecoming game, where the Gophers pounced all over Maryland going 21-0 in the first 11 minutes. 

Minnesota headed into the week with just 12 first-quarter points through seven games. Daniel Jackson’s touchdown was the first for the Gophers in the first quarter all season, having struggled to start games through eight weeks.

Maryland came out firing with a long-developing play-action pass to the Big Ten’s leading receiver Tai Felton for 26 yards. The Gophers’ defense forced a fourth-and-one and defensive back Kerry Brown filled the gap making the tackle short of the line to gain.

Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer and company fed off the momentum and used their downfield passing game to attack the Maryland secondary.

Brosmer found wide receiver Jackson twice on the drive, the second for a 10-yard touchdown handing Minnesota an early lead in the first quarter. The Gophers quarterback finished the drive 3-for-3 for 47 yards and a touchdown.

During Minnesota’s next drive, Brosmer found Jackson on an out, and he turned upfield. As Jackson went to the ground, Maryland’s defensive back Judah Jenkins hit Jackson head on leading to Jenkins’ disqualification from the game.

Brosmer lofted a ball over a defender into the hands of Elijah Spencer to give Minnesota a two-score lead 10 minutes into the game. The Gophers quarterback ended the first two offensive drives 9-for-11 for 99 yards and two touchdown passes.

Brosmer said there is one key to having explosive plays on offense.

“The number one thing is we got down to the basics of execution, we really attacked the small details,” Brosmer said. “It really takes all four or five of those receivers to open one guy up and that’s what happened today.”

Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.’s second pass was behind the intended target and Gophers Walley jumped the route and ran it to the house.

Minnesota took a 21-point lead into the first quarter break. This is the first time the Gophers led by more than six points after 15 minutes this season.

“We came out attacking, not that we don’t come out attacking all the time but the attack plus the execution,” Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said.

Edwards Jr. stayed rattled as he overthrew a pass over the middle and Minnesota’s Koi Perich caught his fifth interception. Perich used his instincts as a returner to take it back 45 yards to Maryland’s 23-yard line.

The freshman defensive back did his dance, the viral “Bring the Boom” celebration, popularized by the TikTok stars Big AJ and Big Justice.

“Yeah, we’ve been kinda doing that this week,” Gophers defensive back Jack Henderson said about the dance. “It’s to no surprise.”

The Gophers’ offense finally cooled off as the Terrapins got a stop and kicker Dragan Kesich nailed a 40-yard field goal giving Minnesota a 24-point lead.

A roughing the passer penalty on Gopher Deven Eastern kickstarted Maryland’s drive. The Terrapins moved deep into Minnesota territory, but the Gophers forced a short field goal keeping their three-touchdown advantage.

Brosmer found Jackson, to open the drive for 17 yards. Minnesota picked up another chunk play down the field to Spencer 28 yards to the Maryland 10-yard line.

Jackson broke open on an underneath crossing route across Brosmer’s face as Bromer put the ball on him allowing Jackson to walk into the end zone for his second touchdown opening up a 31-3 point lead.

The Terrapins mounted a sustained drive to the Gophers’ three-yard line. After a Minnesota timeout, Edwards Jr. took a read-option keeper into the end zone right before halftime.

Brosmer put together a six-play, 49-yard drive to end the first half, but not before Kesich hit a 34-yard field goal.

The 34-point first half for the Gophers was led by Brosmer’s 208 passing yards with three passing touchdowns and Jackson’s eight catches for 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

“The members and the playmakers that we have on the team is being showcased a lot more than it was compared to last year,” Jackson said.

A soul-snatching drive out of halftime put together by the Gophers’ offense put it out of reach for the Terrapins. A broken coverage in the Maryland secondary left Spencer wide-open for his second touchdown catch increasing the lead to 31 points.

The Gophers tacked on another touchdown on a 51-yard rumble by Darius Taylor and cruised to a 48-23 win over the Terrapins.

Minnesota travels to No. 20 Illinois next weekend. The Illini are coming off a 38-9 shellacking by the No. 1 Oregon Ducks.

On the final day of a two-week recruiting trip across Europe, Gophers women’s tennis head coach Lois Arterberry signed Deniz Turan, the final member of the 2024-25 recruiting class.

Turan was not expecting to attend college in the U.S. but was up for the challenge. She committed to the team one day before classes started at the University of Minnesota. She left the country a few days later to fly to Austria to represent her country, Turkey, in the J300 Oberpullendorf Junior Regional Championship.

Turan returned to Minneapolis one day before the Gopher Invitational and finished 3-0 in singles and 4-1 in doubles.

The freshman continued her dominance in singles in the B Draw of ITA Central Regional Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. Turan won five straight matches to claim the B Draw title and extended her undefeated streak to eight games to begin her collegiate career.

In the ITA Regional championship match, Turan trailed Missouri’s Gion Octa 8-4 in the tiebreaking third set. But she said it was an exciting moment for her having to fight back from the deficit.

“I try to focus on the moment and try to focus on my game instead of thinking like future or past,” Turan said. “Just play my best and not give up.”

The six-point run that won Turan the championship is not something coaches expect from players in their first season.

Arterberry said Turan is settling in with all the travel and games but has played well.

“It’s super impressive. As a freshman, it’s not easy to do,” Arterberry said. “It takes a lot of time and dedication, tears.”

The freshman represented Turkey earlier this year as a member of the U18 Turkish National Team in 2020 for the U14 team and for the U12 team in 2018.

Turan said she hopes to improve a few things as she progresses deeper into her first season.

“I’m trying to play more offense and I’m trying to step into the court more,” Turan said.

The Gophers women’s tennis team has 10 women with six of them arriving on campus this offseason. Junior Aiva Schmitz is the only upperclassman who has been with the Gophers her entire career.

Schmitz said she guides her teammates through the adjustment process of acclimating to the new school and team along with the level of Big Ten play.

“I’ve been here the longest. I’ve seen different coaches, three new teams,” Schmitz said. “I’ve always told them it’s okay if you’re confused about things. It’s okay if you’re overwhelmed. Everyone is overwhelmed their first year.”

Arterberry said Schmitz is a big advocate for the team making sure the culture is healthy.

Through two tournaments, Arterberry is still evaluating the level of this year’s team and making decisions on who will represent the Gophers in doubles and singles in the spring.

Arterberry said one thing the Gophers look to improve on from last season is doubles.

“Doubles was our downfall last year,” Arterberry said. “We really want to focus this year, in the fall, trying to solidify what teams we’re going to have.”

Setting the pairs early allows for the chemistry to be built and creates strategies that will boost their play on the court, according to Arterberry.

Minnesota will head to Hilton Head, South Carolina, to participate in the International Tennis Federation W35 tournament starting Oct. 21.