Realistic expectations for the rest of 2025 for Gophers football

The Gophers still have plenty to play for in their final three regular-season games.

Nov 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers players celebrate Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey’s game winning touchdown during overtime against the Michigan State Spartans at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Golden Gophers did not play a football game in Week 11, but there was still plenty that happened around the college football world. With only three games left on their regular season schedule, let's take a look at some realistic expectations for the rest of 2025.

Gophers bowl game projections

• On3 (Brett McMurphy): Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
• ESPN (Mark Schlabach): Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
• ESPN (Kyle Bonagura): Music City Bowl vs. LSU
• Athlon (Steve Lassan): Music City Bowl vs. LSU
• CBSSports (Brad Crawford): Rate Bowl vs. Iowa State
• The Athletic (Scott Dochterman): GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Western Michigan

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Dec 29, 2022; Bronx, NY, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers players hold the championship trophy in front of the main scoreboard after the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl against the Syracuse Orange at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Minnesota has recently played in the Pinstripe Bowl and the Rate Bowl in its current bowl game streak. One of those two destinations seems like the most likely outcome at this point, but ESPN's Bongura and Athlon's Lassan still think a trip to Nashville for the Music City Bowl is on the table. A 6-6 season would likely result in the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit, 7-5 would likely mean a trip to the Pinstripe or Rate Bowl, and 8-4 would be their best chance to get to Nashville to face an SEC team.

Big Ten outlook

The Gophers started the week all alone in seventh place in the Big Ten standings, and now they're technically in a tie for sixth place, despite not playing a game. Indiana survived a scare at Penn State, and Oregon scraped by in a hard-fought battle in Iowa City.

Big Ten standings after Week 11 | Picture via: ESPN

The most underrated team in the conference through 11 weeks might be USC. The Trojans have an interesting game this week against Iowa at home, and then a huge game the following week against former Pac-12 foe Oregon on the road. If Indiana or Ohio State trip up, USC has established itself near the top of tier two alongside the Ducks, Michigan and Iowa.

Liebert's post-Week 11 Big Ten power rankings

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. USC
5. Iowa
6. Michigan
7. Washington
8. Illinois
9. Minnesota
10. Nebraska
11. Northwestern
12. Rutgers
13. UCLA
14. Maryland
15. Wisconsin
16. Penn State
17. Purdue
18. Michigan State

Overall outlook

None of the three games remaining on Minnesota's regular-season schedule will be easy. Oregon is favored by more than three touchdowns this week in Eugene. A late November game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field will have its challenges, and Wisconsin's win over Washington proved that it will never be easy to beat the Badgers.

A final 9-3 record is obviously possible, but a 6-6 finish almost seems more possible for Minnesota. 7-5 or 8-4 are the two most likely scenarios. The Gophers will have to play better than they did against Iowa or Michigan State to get at least two wins to finish the season.

Losses to Oregon and Northwestern would obviously put a lot of pressure on the final week of the season against Wisconsin to end the regular season on a high note. A split on the road would ease some pressure, but Minnesota and P.J. Fleck badly need a win over the Badgers to boost their 2025 regular-season resume. Ultimately, there are plenty of opportunities for the Gophers to have some fun games before the 2025 season wraps up.