Way-too-early preview: Gophers open as heavy favorites in Week 1 against Buffalo

Minnesota is expected to roll in its season opener at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Sep 28, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Buffalo Bulls quarterback C.J. Ogbonna (7) runs with the ball against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

We are officially 100 days away from the Minnesota football team kicking off its 2025 season at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis against Buffalo. DraftKings Sportsbook has released betting odds for the Week 1 games, and the Gophers are favored to win their opener by 18.5 points.

We are 101 days away from Minnesota-Buffalo to open the 2025 season at Huntington Bank Stadium on Aug. 28!

The Gophers have opened as (-18.5) point favorites over the Bulls, via @DraftKings 🍿🍿🍿

Let's hear some way-too-early predictions... 👇 pic.twitter.com/Fgw3jtHCkg

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) May 19, 2025

Buffalo is coming off a 9-4 season with a Bahamas Bowl victory over Liberty. The Bulls are viewed as a contender in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), owning the fifth-best odds to win the conference at +800, according to DraftKings.

Related: Ranking the projected starting QBs Minnesota will face in 2025

The Bulls are building some momentum in the MAC under second-year head coach Pete Lembo. They return 1,000-yard rusher Al-Jay Henderson, and they made a relatively big splash in the transfer portal by signing quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson from Kansas State. Roberson was originally a four-star high school recruit who began his career at Penn State.

Minnesota has faced a team from the MAC six times since P.J. Fleck has been the head coach. The Gophers lost to Bowling Green at home in 2021, and they've won the five other games by an average of 12.6 points. It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.

The Gophers should be expected to roll in Week 1, but with a new starting quarterback and a new defensive coordinator, Buffalo is an opponent they cannot overlook. Minnesota will be heavily favored in its first two games, and it will likely be the same in Week 3 at Cal and Week 5 at home against Rutgers.

There's a strong chance the Gophers can start the season 4-0 before a trip to Ohio State on Oct. 4, but that will have to start in Week 1 against a pesky Buffalo team.

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