Gophers to face No. 1 team in the nation for first time since 2006

Ohio State is 4-0 with a stingy defense that has allowed just 22 points.

Oct 28, 2006; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker (55) Curtis Terry tackles Minnesota Golden Gophers running back (34) E.J. Jones in the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images © copyright Matthew Emmons | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

How big is the gap between Minnesota and Ohio State? The world is going to find out October 4 when the Gophers face the Buckeyes in Columbus — and it'll be the first time Minnesota has played the No. 1 team in the nation in almost 20 years.

The last time Minnesota played the team ranked No. 1 in the AP poll was 2006, when No. 1 Ohio State shut them out 44-0 at Ohio Stadium, which is better known as "The Shoe."

Those '06 Gophers, led by former head coach Glen Mason, finished 6-7 and lost to Texas Tech 44-41 in the Insight Bowl. That team also lost to No. 6 Michigan 28-14 and No. 22 California 42-17. In the week before getting smashed by Ohio State, the Gophers barely beat North Dakota State 10-9.

Notably, that NDSU team went 10-1 but it was just before the Bison dynasty began with the first of 10 national championships in 14 seasons between 2011 and 2024. And if you're not paying attention, NDSU is ranked No. 1 in the FCS again this season and they've outscored opponents 189-30 through four weeks.

According to our year-by-year research, MInnesota has faced the No. 1 team in the nation 18 times and has lost the game 15 times.

• 1947: No. 1 Michigan 13, Minnesota 6 (Ann Arbor)
• 1948: No. 1 Michigan 27, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
• 1955: No. 1 Michigan 14, Minnesota 13 (Minneapolis)
• 1960: Minnesota 27, No. 1 Iowa 10 (Minneapolis)
• 1961: Minnesota 13, No. 1 Michigan State 0 (Minneapolis)
• 1969: No. 1 Ohio State 34, Minnesota 7 (Minneapoils)
• 1970: No. 1 Ohio State 28, Minnesota 8 (Columbus)
• 1971: No. 1 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
• 1975: No. 1 Ohio State 38, Minnesota 6 (Minneapolis)
• 1976: No. 1 Michigan 45, Minnesota 0 (Ann Arbor)
• 1977: Minnesota 16, No. 1 Michigan 0 (Minneapolis)
• 1979: No. 1 USC 48, Minnesota 14 (Los Angeles)
• 1983: No. 1 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 13 (Lincoln)
• 1984: No. 1 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
• 1986: No. 1 Oklahoma 63, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
• 1997: No. 1 Penn State 16, Minnesota 15 (State College)
• 1998: No. 1 Ohio State 45, Minnesota 15 (Columbus)
• 2006: No. 1 Ohio State 44, Minnesota 0 (Columbus)

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At 3-1, Minnesota has a chance to shock the world Saturday and improve to 4-1 with back-to-back home games against Purdue and Nebraska next on the schedule.