Five things we want to see from Gophers sports in January 2026

From transfer portal activity to major opportunities in hoops and hockey, Minnesota has plenty to look forward to this month.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) against the New Mexico Lobos during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The calendar flipped to 2026, and with that, we have a very healthy dose of Gophers sports back on the schedule, including the return of men's and women's hockey, the Big Ten hoops seasons taking center stage, and the transfer portal wreaking havoc in football. Here are five things we'd like to see from the University of Minnesota in January.

1. Gophers men's basketball pulls some upsets

Dec 29, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Cade Tyson (10) shoots the ball over Fairleigh Dickinson Knights guard David Jevtic (35) during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

With Robert Vaihola's season over, the Gophers will be shorthanded the rest of the season. How much trouble that will spell against Big Ten teams is yet to be seen, but Minnesota didn't have Vaihola or Chansey Willis Jr. (season-ending foot injury) when they upset Indiana at The Barn, so they're clearly capable of remaining competitive.

We also don't know if B.J. Omot, who hasn't played yet this season due to a leg injury, will be back on the court any time soon. Either way, we want to see the Gophers win at Northwestern on Saturday to buffer their conference record to 2-1 before a gauntlet to finish January against No. 25 Iowa, No. 24 USC, Wisconsin, No. 20 Illinois, Ohio State, No. 13 Nebraska, and Wisconsin again.

Can they win a few of those games? If they do, it'll be extremely impressive and keep Minnesota's faint NCAA Tournament hopes alive a little bit longer.

2. Darius Taylor announces his decision

Taylor says he's not going to enter the transfer portal, yet he's unsure if he'll be back with the Gophers for his senior season in 2026. If Taylor doesn't enter the NFL Draft, it would seem likely that he'll be back with Minnesota next season. That's the best-case scenario for a Gophers team that already lost running back Fame Ijeboi to the portal.

If Taylor heads to the NFL, it will free up a nice chunk of NIL money that Minnesota could use to rebuild the 2026 roster. In that case, running back will become a major need along with wide receiver and safety following Koi Perich's decision to enter the portal.

3. Men's hockey shows it worth against nation's best

The Gophers celebrate after a goal in a 6-3 win at Ohio State. | Image courtesy of Minnesota Athletics

After starting the season 2-7-1, the Gophers found a bit of momentum and entered the holiday break with a 9-9-1 record. Now they've been awarded an opportunity to showcase their talent as they face some of the best teams in the country this month. Just look at their schedule following Friday night's exhibition at Bemidji State.

• at No. 8 Penn State, Jan. 9-10
• vs. No. 1 Michigan, Jan. 16-17
• at No. 3 Michigan State, Jan. 23-24
• vs. No. 2 Wisconsin, Jan. 30-31

Playing the top three teams in the nation in consecutive weeks is incredible, and it's an opportunity for Minnesota to put themselves back in the NCAA Tournament picture.

4. Women's basketball takes down a giant or two

Feb 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Kendall Dudley (22) defends Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Amaya Battle (3) during the fourth quarter at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The Gophers are off to a 10-3 start, though they should be 11-2 if not for an epic collapse against No. 7 Maryland on December 7. That game showed Minnesota's potential, which was again showcased in a 71-48 win at Indiana on December 29. Their only other losses are to Kansas (10-4) and Alabama (14-1), who could both wind up in the NCAA Tournament.

It's time for the Gophers to start winning games against top competition, and there will be no shortage of chances this month. Minnesota plays at No. 6 Michigan on January 5, followed by home games against No. 17 USC (January 11) and No. 4 UCLA (January 14).

Can they win one or two of those matchups against Final Four contenders? Those are the kind of wins that push a possible bubble team like the Gophers over the edge and into the field of 68 in March.

5. Gophers sign at least one top-notch WR in the portal

If Drake Lindsey is going to live up to his potential as Minnesota's quarterback, he's going to need some help. Not only does Minnesota need to regroup on the offensive line, but the wide receiver room might be completely void of talent outside of returning redshirt freshman Jalen Smith, who had 28 catches for 419 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Javon Tracy, who had 37 catches for 454 yards and six touchdowns, hasn't announced if he'll return to Minnesota for his final season of college football. With Le'Meke Brockington moving on and Tracy's future unknown, the Gophers could have a lot of talent to replace after Kenric Lanier, Quentin Redding, Cristian Driver, Legend Lyons, and Malachi Coleman all entered the portal.