Iowa Hawkeyes 2025 Opponent Preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck is rowing into his ninth season as the Golden Gophers’ head coach.

A year ago, the Golden Gophers had a similar season to Iowa, finishing with the same overall record (8-5). The Hawkeyes, though, proved superior when the teams met last year, with Iowa winning 31-14 in Minneapolis.

This year, Iowa hosts Minnesota at Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 25.

Here’s what to know about Minnesota:

2024 recap

So far, Fleck has been a good coach for the Golden Gophers — but he hasn’t turned them into a regular Big Ten contender yet.

In eight seasons under Fleck, the Golden Gophers are 56-39. Aside from his first year (2017) and the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Minnesota has reached bowl eligibility every season. The Golden Gophers, though, have reached double-digit wins just once under Fleck, going 11-2 with an Outback Bowl win in 2019.

The 2024 season was par for the course for Fleck’s teams at Minnesota — good but not great.

The Golden Gophers lost their season opener to North Carolina before winning the following two games against Rhode Island and Nevada. They lost their Big Ten opener to Iowa and fell to Michigan the next week.

Seemingly heading in the wrong direction, Minnesota found a groove midway through the season. The Golden Gophers won four games in a row, beating USC, UCLA, Maryland and Illinois.

Minnesota went 1-2 in its last three regular-season games, falling to Rutgers and Penn State but beating Wisconsin. The Golden Gophers finished the year with a Duke’s Mayo Bowl win against Virginia Tech.

Key returners

RB Darius Taylor (Jr.), WR Le’Meke Brockington (Jr.), DB Koi Perich (So.), DE Anthony Smith (Jr.), DT Deven Eastern (Sr.).

Notable transfer additions

RB A.J. Turner (Marshall), DE Steven Curtis (Illinois State), OL Marcellus Marshall (UCF), OL Kahlee Tafai (Washington), WR Malachi Coleman (Nebraska).

Strengths

Minnesota’s defense was not only one of the Big Ten’s best — it was one of the nation’s best.

The Golden Gophers placed third in the Big Ten in total defense (285.7 yards allowed per game) and fourth in scoring defense (16.9 points allowed per game). Minnesota placed in the top 10 nationally in both of those categories.

Weaknesses

More of a question mark than a weakness, but Minnesota will have to deal with life after Max Brosmer.

A transfer quarterback from New Hampshire, Brosmer played just one season with the Golden Gophers. Brosmer started 12 games for Minnesota in 2024, ending the season with 2,617 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and five interceptions, leading the Golden Gophers to a 7-5 record.

It will be a competition for the starting quarterback job.

The Golden Gophers return Drake Lindsey and Dylan Wittke from last year’s team, as both of them backed up Brosmer. They also acquired Emmett Morehead — who played three seasons at Boston College — from the transfer portal.

Minnesota will also be without its four leading receivers from 2024, making things harder on whoever gets the starting nod.

How do the Golden Gophers match up with the Hawkeyes?

Perhaps the question should be, “Which defense plays better?”

Both Iowa and Minnesota have defenses that are in the upper half of the Big Ten. Both programs have new quarterbacks, and the Hawkeyes hope running back Kamari Moulton can replicate the success of Kaleb Johnson, who now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Taylor broke out as a star for Minnesota last year, finishing with 986 yards and 10 touchdowns and averaging 4.8 yards per rush. The biggest key for the Hawkeyes will be neutralizing him.

If they can do that, the Hawkeyes and Kirk Ferentz — the longest-tenured coach in NCAA Division I FBS football — should have the upper hand.