The three-game stretch that will make or break the Gophers' season

Late October might be the most important stretch for Gophers football in 2025.

Aug 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule looks on during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the most interesting teams in the Big Ten this season. With a new quarterback, new defensive coordinator, and playmakers all over the field, there are a lot of different ways 2025 could go for them. But there's a three-game stretch in the middle of the season that will make-or-break their campaign.

Minnesota will be heavily favored to win its first two games before a cross-country trip to California. The Golden Bears were voted to finish 15th in the preseason ACC poll, so there's a good chance the Gophers are favored in that one as well. They will have a bye before their first Big Ten game at home against Rutgers on September 27.

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An optimistic Gophers fan would think there's a good change they head into an October 4 meeting at Ohio State with a 4-1 record. With a Homecoming matchup against rebuilding Purdue on October 11, Minnesota has a clear path to starting 2025 with a 5-1 record.

If everything goes to plan, the Gophers will start the season 5-1, but there's a real chance that could be 4-2 or even 3-3 before the true meat and potatoes of the schedule, which begins on October 17 in a Friday night primetime matchup at home against the Cornhuskers.

Week 8: Oct. 17 vs. Nebraska

The Gophers have beaten Nebraska five straight times, and they will have a tough task to make it six in 2025. The national media continues to highlight Matt Rhule's year three success in program rebuilds at Baylor and Temple, but college football is now a much different sport. The Week 8 meeting at Huntington Bank Stadium is a true coin flip, and it will start a pivotal three-week stretch for Minnesota.

Dec 28, 2024; Bronx, NY, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) looks on before the game against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Week 9: Oct. 25 @ Iowa

Minnesota will have an extra day to prepare for its trip to Iowa City, and the Hawkeyes will be coming off a home game against Penn State. The Gophers broke a 24-year drought when they beat Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in 2024. They will look to make it two in a row on the road for the first time since 1979 and 1981. Iowa will be a Big Ten force with a new-look offense led by South Dakota State transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski.

Sep 21, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson (2) runs for a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Week 10: Nov. 1 vs. Michigan State

After a grueling two-week stretch, Minnesota will welcome an overlooked Michigan State squad to Huntington Bank Stadium in Week 10. The Spartans will be fresh off an in-state rivalry game with the Wolverines before they face the Gophers, but it's a game Minnesota cannot overlook. Second-year head coach Jonathan Smith and dual-threat QB Aidan Chiles have the pieces to surprise some.

Michigan State's Aidan Chiles prepares to snap the ball against Rutgers during the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Minnesota enters the Nebraska game 5-1, they could realistically handle two losses or even three during the pivotal stretch. If they trip up early in the season and start 4-2 or even 3-3, things could begin to look really dicey.

The Gophers could win all three games, lose all three, or land somewhere in the middle, and no outcome would really surprise me. Their performance against the Cornhuskers, Hawkeyes and Spartans in true toss-up games will determine if they're just another frisky 7-5/8-4 team, or someone who can make serious noise in the Big Ten.

With a bye in Week 11 before finishing the season against Oregon, Northwestern and Wisconsin, Minnesota's mid-season stretch will likely be what makes or breaks its season.