Gophers football ranked as top 40 program in future power rankings

Minnesota football has a bright future ahead of itself.

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Koi Perich (3) intercepts a pass during the second half against the USC Trojans at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

With a redshirt freshman quarterback, a new defensive coordinator and star sophomore Koi Perich on the defensive side of the ball, 2025 could be the start of a new window of success for Gophers football.

ESPN college football writer Adam Rittenberg released a future college football program power rankings through the 2026 season on Wednesday, and the Gophers were ranked 40th among 68 power conference teams.

Future Power Rankings is back and reimagined: One projection covering 2 years rather than 3, after portal dust settles, and it examines/ranks the power conference teams and ND, 1-68.

The result: a 28,000-word monster that should keep you busy.

Enjoy!https://t.co/rf56qj9hYu

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) June 11, 2025

Rittenberg used six aspects to judge programs, which included returning quarterback, likelihood of a multi-year QB on the roster, offensive line/defensive line outlook, roster management, star power (All-Americans, national award contenders, all-conference contenders) and coaching staff.

Related: 5 recruits to watch for Gophers ahead of key official visit weekend

He noted how important Drake Lindsey's success will be for the program's ceiling, along with some answers on the offensive line. He also pointed out the star power of Koi Perich, Darius Taylor and Anthony Smith, something that not all programs currently have.

"Koi Perich earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and likely will have a role on offense. Running back Darius Taylor is an effective rusher when healthy, and Smith could be primed for a breakout season at defensive end. Minnesota's success always hinges on its line play, and the offensive line transfers are worth tracking," Rittenberg wrote.

Outside of daunting road games against Ohio State and Oregon, Minnesota has a very workable schedule this season. It's hard to put all of the pressure on the quarterback, but the Gophers' 2025 and 2026 ceilings will heavily hinge on the performance of Lindsey. They have all of the pieces to make a surprise run, but they will need impressive quarterback play.