What the Gophers have to do in order to shock the college football world at Oregon

The Gophers will need a lot to go their way if they want to hang with the Ducks on Friday night.

Nov 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) celebrates his teams overtime win against the Michigan State Spartans at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

There aren't many people giving the Gophers a chance this week when they travel to Eugene, Oregon, to face the No. 7-ranked Ducks on Friday night. Latest betting odds from FanDuel Sportsbook view Oregon as a 25.5-point favorite, which is a larger point spread than Minnesota's Week 6 game at No. 1 Ohio State.

There have been plenty of upsets more shocking in the history of college football, so what do the Gophers have to do in order to shock the country and take down the Ducks?

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Oregon has lost two games at Autzen Stadium since Dan Lanning became head coach before the 2022 season. They lost 37-34 against Washington and Kalen DeBoer in 2022, and they lost 30-20 this season against Curt Cignetti and Indiana. That's a 22-2 total record in Eugene under Lanning.

The Oregon Duck walks away from the Washington Husky mascot during the game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lanning has lost only four games in his head coaching career to teams not named Washington. A Week 1 neutral site loss to Georgia in 2022, a loss on the road against Oregon State in 2022, last year's Rose Bowl against Ohio State, and this year's game against Indiana. The numbers are seriously stacked against the Gophers.

Outside of a rivalry loss to the Beavers, all those teams had some of the best head coaches in the sport and future first-round picks all over the field. Lanning really hasn't suffered a serious upset loss since taking over the Ducks. How can Minnesota buck the trend?

The Gophers had an extra week to prepare for this game, and they need to use that to their advantage. They need to show Oregon something they haven't on film all season. Come out of the locker room fast, go for it on fourth downs, and don't settle for field goals in the red zone. That's obviously easier said than done, but Minnesota has seen the worst of it against Ohio State and Iowa. What do they have to lose?

Oregon is expected to win Friday's game by nearly four touchdowns. Does a blowout loss hurt Minnesota's season-long goals? No, but a win, or even a competitive performance, could completely change the perception of this season and team.

It's hard to find any number or statistic that supports Minnesota's chances to win. Oregon has advantages all over the field. There's no secret formula that could give the Gophers a chance to win, but that's when the true upsets happen. They need to make things wacky and pull out all the stops in this game. They truly have nothing to lose, and they need to play like it.

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