Minnesota Gophers Hosting Holiday Classic

The Minnesota Gophers are ready to host the annual Holiday Classic Tournament at Mariucci Arena on Friday (December 31st) and Saturday (January 1st) after a two week break. On Friday night, the Minnesota Gophers will square off against the Union Dutchmen. On Saturday night, the Minnesota Gophers will play the Ferris State Bulldogs. The Union Dutchmen are ranked #13 in the country and will provide a tough test for the Minnesota Gophers. The Gophers will be without 2 of their top players, with Nick Bjugstad playing for Team USA and Erik Haula representing Team Finland in the World Juniors Tournament. The 4th team in the tournament is the Bemidji State Beavers. Purchase your Minnesota Gophers hockey tickets with Ticket King!

Wisconsin Badgers Take Down Minnesota Gophers

The #13 ranked Minnesota Gophers were defeated by rival #24 ranked Wisconsin Badgers. It was the first Big Ten game for both teams. It was a letdown for Minnesota fans, who were hoping the recent up and down play against noncoference teams would make the team more prepared for the tough test against Bucky. However, they couldn't keep the lead with 7 minutes to play and Wisconsin didn't look back. Minnesota natives Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer led the Badgers with 22 and 16 points apiece.

Minnesota Gophers 85, South Dakota State 73

Well, it wasn't perfect. And if you've been paying attention, most of the Minnesota Gophers nonconference victories have been far from perfect. However, a win is a win and the Minnesota Gophers have finished the nonconference schedule with a 11-1 record. The Minnesota Gophers survived a tough South Dakota State team with an 85-73 victory. Devoe Joseph and Colton Iverson scored 15 points each. Al Nolen returned to the team after missing the last 5 games. The game was tied 63-63 but the Gophers went on a 23-10 run to close out the game.

Minnesota Gophers vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits

The Minnesota Gopher basketball team will take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Thursday, December 23 at Williams Arena. It is the last nonconference game before the Minnesota Gophers take on the Wisconsin Badgers on December 28 in Madison. The South Dakota State Jackrabbits are 7-3 currently and will be looking to pull an upset. The Minnesota Gophers are still ranked #20 in the country and will be looking to move to 11-1. Buy your Minnesota Gophers basketball tickets at Ticket King!

TCF Bank Stadium Goes Purple!

On Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears are battling out in the frozen tundra and elements of the Midwest. No, the game is not as Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The game is played at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This one is a historic game for the Minnesota Vikings and their fans. It's their first outdoor home game since December 20th, 1981. Throw on Joe Webb's first career start, the throwback jerseys, the snow, and the honoring of the Top 50 Minnesota Vikings of all-time, this is the most excited I have been for an NFL Game in a long time (for a team that is not qualified for the playoffs, at least).

Minnesota Gophers Get 3 Points From Duluth Bulldogs

The Minnesota Gophers took 3 points from the #2 team in the country, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. On Friday night, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Duluth Bulldogs 3-2. Kent Patterson made 37 saves, while Nick Larson, Jay Barribal, and Nico Sacchetti scored for the Gophers. It was an exciting game and it was one that the Minnesota Gophers earned. On Saturday night, the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie at Mariucci Arena. Jake Hansen and Jake Cepis scored for the Minnesota Gophers and again Kent Patterson had a strong outing. It was a good series for the Minnesota Gophers.

Minnesota Gophers 71, Eastern Kentucky Colonels 58

On December 11th, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 71-58. Ralph Sampson scored 19 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Trevor Mbakwe and Blake Hoffarber both scored 14 points a piece. The Minnesota Gophers went on a 30-3 run that broke open the game. The win moved the Gophers to 9-1 on the season. Outside of Williams Arena was a massive blizzard that hit the Twin Cities.

Minnesota Gophers 83, St. Joseph's Hawks 73

On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the St. Joseph's Hawks 83-73 in Philadelphia. Trevor Mbakwe grabbed 16 rebounds for the second straight game and Devoe Joseph scored 19 in the Gopher win. Trevor Mbakwe added 12 points of his own to record his team leading sixth double-double of the season, while Blake Hoffarber finished with 14 points. The win improved Minnesota to 8-1 on the year. They are currently #20 on the AP Top 25 poll. Up next for Minnesota is Eastern Kentucky at noon at Williams Arena.

Minnesota Gophers vs. Duluth Bulldogs

The Minnesota Gophers will square off with the #2 ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on Friday and Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. The Duluth Bulldogs are one of the nation's hottest teams with a 12-2-2 overall record and are 9-2-1 in the WCHA. Jack Connolly leads the team with 23 points and centers that No. 1 line with wingers Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine. Mike Connolly has a team-high 11 goals while Fontaine is third on the team with 21 points. The trio has combined for 26 goals and 66 points on the year. It will most certainly be a battle for the two squads. Purchase your Minnesota Gopher hockey tickets with Ticket King!

Minnesota Gophers 71, Cornell Big Red 66

On Saturday, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Cornell Big Red 71-66 at Williams Arena. Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points and 16 rebounds and Blake Hoffarber had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Cornell Big Red hit 14 3-pointers and Errick Peck scored 16 points for the squad. It was the 5th straight loss for Cornell, a team that made the Sweet Sixteen last season. It was a close game throughout, but the main thing was that the Gophers won. After losing to Virginia, a rebound win against Cornell was a must. Next game is against the St. Joseph's Hawks (at St. Joseph's).

Mankato Mavericks Sweep Minnesota Gophers

The Minnesota Gophers continued their up and down 2010-2011 campaign with suffering a sweep to the hands of the Mankato Mavericks over the weekend. On Friday night, the Mankato Mavericks dropped the Minnesota Gophers 3-2. On Saturday night, the Mankato Mavericks defeated the Gophers 2-1, behind a 49-save effort by goalie Phil Cook. It was the first sweep at Mankato in school history. It doesn't get any easier with #1 rated Minnesota-Duluth coming to Mariucci next weekend.

Minnesota Gophers Hire Jerry Kill

Joel Maturi has officially hired Northern Illinois Head Coach Jerry Kill to take over the football program. As a lifelong Gopher Football fan, this move does not make much sense to me. Athletic Director Joel Maturi promised Minnesota Gopher fans "a Tubby-Smith" like hire. There were plenty of rumors surrounding who the head coach would be - from Miami's Randy Shannon, Boise State's Chris Peterson, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, etc. Eventually Maturi settled for Jerry Kill, who most people never have probably heard of until yesterday. Time will tell, but this hire does not score any bonus points for Minnesota Gopher fans.

Minnesota Gophers vs. Mankato Mavericks

This weekend, the Minnesota Gophers will pay a visit to play the Mankato Mavericks in Mankato. The Minnesota Gophers are currently 8-5-1 while the Mankato Mavericks are 4-6-4. The Minnesota Gophers could definitely use a sweep, as they are 5th in the WCHA right now with a 5-4-1 record. The Mankato Mavericks are 2-6-2 for 6 points in the WCHA right now. Get your Minnesota Gopher Hockey tickets with Ticket King!

Virginia Cavaliers Upset Minnesota Gophers 87-79 in ACC Challenge

The Minnesota Gophers suffered their first defeat of the season on Monday night, to the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers. The final score read 87-79. Not many people expected the Gophers to lose this game, but that was the final outcome. It hurt the team that starting point guard Al Nolen is hurt and will be out a few weeks. Devoe Joseph returned to the lineup but it wasn't enough, even though he did score 16 points. Joe Harris scored 24 points for the Virginia Cavaliers. Next up is the Cornell Big Red on Saturday, December 4.

Minnesota Gophers Lose to Michigan State, Defeat Michigan

The Minnesota Gophers were defeated by the Michigan State Spartans 5-2 on Friday night and rebounded to defeat the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday afternoon 3-1. On Friday night, the Spartans scored 3 times in 9 minutes in the first period to take the lead. They would not look back and played better than Minnesota. On Sunday, the Minnesota Gophers played great and defeated #8 Michigan 3-1. Alex Kangas made 36 saves and Nate Condon, Nick Larson, and Erik Haula scored. The Minnesota Gophers will visit the Mankato Mavericks next weekend. For any Minnesota Gopher hockey tickets check out Ticket King!

Minnesota Gophers 84, North Dakota State Bison 65

The Minnesota Gophers defeated the North Dakota State Bison 84-65 on Wednesday night. Senior Blake Hoffarber scored 24 points in the victory. The Minnesota Gophers were ranked #15 in the polls last week. Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points and 7 rebounds. The Minnesota Gophers will host the Virginia Cavaliers on Monday, who are 3-3. The game is part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. For any Minnesota Gopher Basketball tickets, check out Ticket King!

Minnesota Gophers 27, Iowa Hawkeyes 24

The Minnesota Gophers defeated the #24 Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday evening by a score of 27 to 24. It allowed the Gophers to win their first rivalry trophy since 2006, winning The Floyd of Rosedale. Duane Bennett scored with 4:31 left in the game. Adam Weber threw for 164 yards and finished as the #3 passer in Big Ten history (in yards). He started all 50 career games for the Minnesota Gophers. Congratulations to the seniors who went out with a victory against a rival!

College Hockey Showcase This Weekend

The College Hockey Showcase is this weekend and will feature 4 big time programs: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Michigan State. All 4 teams are from the Big Ten Conference and the tournament will be played at Mariucci Arena. The Minnesota Gophers hope to solve their recent Mariucci Arena woes. The Minnesota Gophers will play the Michigan State Spartans on Friday night and the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday, since the football team will be playing on Saturday night. Go Gophers! Everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Minnesota Golden Gophers Win Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament

The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, North Carolina Tar Heels, and West Virginia Mountaineers en route to winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Minnesota Gophers are now 5-0 and are turning heads in the country. Trevor Mbakwe was named MVP and All-Tournament, as well as Blake Hoffarber. This team is deep and talented. In my opinion, they could challenge for the Big Ten title. When the new rankings get released this week, expect the Minnesota Gophers to be somewhere between 15 to 25. It's premature, but CBS Sports has Minnesota as high as #7. Congratulations to the Minnesota Gophers basketball team!

Minnesota Gophers 69, Wofford Terriers 55

The Minnesota Gophers defeated the Wofford Terriers 69-55 in their season debut on Friday night. Center Ralph Sampson III scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. Trevor Mbakwe scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Fellow center Colton Iverson had 8 points and 9 rebounds. It was a nice win for their season opening game. Unfortunately one of the top playmakers Devoe Joseph remains suspended from the team and hopefully he will return soon.

Minnesota Gophers 38, Illinois Fighting Illini 34

The Minnesota Gophers snapped their 9 game losing streak and defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign. It was a wild game and had an even better ending. Running back DeLeon Eskridge scored a 2 yard touchdown with 16 seconds remaining in the game. It was his 3rd touchdown of the game. Quarterback Adam Weber was 20 of 26 for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. He played a phenomenal game. The Gophers overcame a 10 point 4th quarter deficit to beat the Illini. Next week the Minnesota Gophers have a bye and then finish their regular season with the Iowa Hawkeyes at TCF Bank Stadium.

Wisconsin Badgers Take 3 Points from Minnesota Gophers

The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Minnesota Gophers 6-0 on Friday night and tied 3-3 on Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. The Minnesota Gophers only gained 1 point out of the series and have to be disappointed with the 6-0 shutout on Friday. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Saturday and a 3-2 lead but allowed the tying goal with 2 minutes left. The Minnesota Gophers must improve defensively if they want to move up in the WCHA. Next weekend they will play at Michigan Tech.

Michigan State Downs Minnesota Gophers 31-8

The Minnesota Gophers continue their free fall and lost to the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday in East Lansing, Michigan. With the loss, the Minnesota Gophers fell to 1-9 on the season and the Spartans improved to 9-1. There were not many highlights for the Gophers, as the Michigan State running back Edwin Baker ran for 179 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Gophers will play the Illinois Fighting Illini next weekend in Champaign, Illinois.

Minnesota Gophers Sweep Colorado College

The Minnesota Gophers swept the Colorado College Tigers in Colorado Springs over the weekend. On Friday night, the Gophers were victorious 4-1. Taylor Matson scored 2 goals and Kent Patterson made 27 saves. On Saturday night, the Gophers light the lamp 9 times en route to a 9-4 victory. Freshman forward Nate Condon registered 5 points. 8 Gopher players scored. It was a great weekend and hopefully we can build off of this series.

Ohio State 52, Minnesota 10

The Minnesota Gophers were defeated by the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night at TCF Bank Stadium. The final score read 52-10. It was a tough game to stomach, after Ohio State built a 31-7 lead at halftime. DeLeon Eskridge scored the only touchdown of the game for the Gophers, which tied the score at 7-7 in the first quarter. The Buckeyes outscored 45-3 the rest of the game. Rough game all around. Minnesota is now 1-8 and will play at Michigan State next weekend.

Minnesota Gophers Split With St. Cloud State

The Minnesota Gophers split with the St. Cloud State Huskies over the weekend at Mariucci Arena. On Friday, the Huskies trounced the Gophers 5-2 after a building a 5-0 lead in the 2nd period. The Gophers bounced back and beat the Huskies 2-1 on Sunday afternoon, which was moved from Saturday because of President Obama speaking on campus. They will travel to Colorado Springs next weekend and take on Colorado College.

Minnesota Gophers Fall to Penn State 33-21

The Minnesota Gophers were defeated by the Penn State Nittany Lions 33-21 at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon. In the loss, Gopher quarterback Adam Weber became just the 5th Big Ten quarterback to throw for 10,000 yards. Weber finished the game with 10,199 career yards after completing 26-of-49 passes for 299 yards on the day. Da'Jon McKnight caught 3 touchdown passes and accounted for 103 yards. The next game is this Saturday against Ohio State at home. Get your Gopher football tickets at Ticket King!

Tim Brewster Fired; Jeff Horton Named Interim Coach

Many Minnesota Gopher fans felt it was coming. Saturday's loss made it official: Tim Brewster was fired as the Minnesota Gopher head coach. Brewster came in with big aspirations claiming Big Ten Titles and Rose Bowl appearances. He went 15-30 in 4 seasons and 6-21 in the Big Ten. Losses to South Dakota and Northern Illinois at home were essentially the tipping point. Co-Offensive Coordinator Jeff Horton will take over coaching duties until the end of the 2010-2011 season. More analysis to follow on possible new head coaches.

Purdue Boilermakers 28, Minnesota Gophers 17

The Minnesota Gophers lost to the Purdue Boilermakers 28-17. The loss makes it the 6th loss in a row. Quarterback Rob Henry accounted for 4 touchdowns and linebacker Gary Tinsley for Minnesota had a costly fumble on an interception when it looked like he may score. The Boilermakers made it 28-9 in the 4th quarter which proved too much for the Gophers to mount a comeback against. Da'Jon McKnight caught 6 passes 123 yards and a touchdown. Next up is Penn State at TCF Bank Stadium.

Gophers Hockey plays Nebraska-Omaha, Gopher Football plays at Purdue

The Minnesota Gophers hockey team will take on the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks this weekend at Mariucci Arena. The Mavericks are an up and coming team with a coaching staff with Minnesota roots. Head coach Dean Blais played for the Gophers from 1970 to 1973. Assistant coaches Mike Guentzel and Mike Hastings are both former Gopher assistants.

The football team will travel to West Lafayette, Indiana to take on the Purdue Boilermakers. The team is now 1-5 and desperately needs a victory. Purdue is 3-2 and coming off of a 20-17 victory over Northwestern. For Gophers tickets, check out Ticket King!

Minnesota Gophers Sweep UMASS Minutemen

The Minnesota Gophers swept the Massachusetts Minutemen at Mariucci Arena this weekend. On Friday night, the Gophers won 5-3 and followed it up with a 5-4 victory on Saturday. Senior captain Jay Barribal had a pure hat trick in the first period on Saturday. Freshman center Erik Haula collected 4 assists over the weekend and played on the top line. Mike Hoeffel collected 4 points on 1 goal and 3 assists. It was a good showing for the opening weekend and next up is the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks as they enter their first season in the WCHA. The series will be at Mariucci Arena so check out Gophers Hockey Tickets to get Minnesota Gopher hockey tickets!

7 Years In a Row: Wisconsin 41, Minnesota 23

For the 7th year in a row, the Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Minnesota Gophers and retained Paul Bunyan's Axe. It was only 14-9 going into halftime, but Wisconsin used a 27 point second half to break the game open. 21 points were unanswered as the Badgers built a 35-9 lead. There was some controvery when head coach Bret Bielema went for a 2 point conversion when they were up 25. Tim Brewster had some choice words for him when they shook hands and expressed his feelings about the decision in his post game press conference. Brewster claimed "It was wrong." For any Minnesota Gopher tickets check out Gopher Football Tickets!

Battle for Paul Buynan's Axe: Wisconsin vs. Minnesota

On Saturday, the Minnesota Gophers will battle the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Both teams are coming off of a loss and as Minnesota fans know, we don't usually have the Badgers number. Last season, the Wisconsin Badgers came in to TCF Bank Stadium and upended the Gophers 31-28. The Gophers could use a signature victory like this, and by signature, I mean beating a solid Big Ten opponent. Beat Bucky. Get your Gopher football tickets at Ticket King!

Wildcats Rally on Homecoming: Northwestern 29, Minnesota 28

The Northwestern Wildcats defeated the Minnesota Gophers 29-28 at TCF Bank Stadium on Homecoming Saturday. The loss leaves the Gophers 1-4 and 4 straight losses at home. There were several chances to win this game but the Gophers let it slip away, especially after having the ball at the end. The defense surrendered 486 yards, which is way too much. Quarterback Dan Persa threw for 309 yards and ran for another 99. Adam Weber's pass was intercepted with 17 seconds left on a 4th and 11. Next week they play at Wisconsin.

Tough to Swallow: Northern Illinois 34 Minnesota 23

The Minnesota Gophers lost their 3rd straight game at TCF Bank Stadium, this time to the hands of Northern Illinois. The final score read 34 to 23. Northern Illinois Running back Chad Spann rushed 15 times for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns, a career high. Quarterback Adam Weber threw for 373 yards in a losing effort. This game was won in the 4th quarter. With a 20-16 Huskies lead going into the 4th quarter, NIU scored 2 touchdowns to put the lead at 34-16. Minnesota was not able to recover.

Troy Stoudermire Suspended, Plans on Transferring

According to the Pioneer Press, junior wide receiver and kick returner Troy Stoudermire has been suspended indefinitely and plans to transfer to another school. Last season, Troy Stoudermire was the team’s kickoff returner and led the team with 1,376 all-purpose yards and ranked third in receptions (26). In three games this season, Troy Stoudermire ranked third on the team in receiving yards with 114, including a 49-yard touchdown. Stoudermire wouldn’t be eligible to play until the 2012 season, because of NCAA transfer rules.

USC 32, Minnesota 21

The Minnesota Gophers lost 32-21 to the USC Trojans on Saturday. After a Da'Jon McKnight 31 yard touchdown catch from Adam Weber in the 3rd quarter, the Minnesota Gophers had a 14-13 lead. That lead lasted 8 seconds. The USC Trojans took the next kickoff 97 yards to the house. Followed by two more touchdowns in the 4th quarter, Minnesota found themselves down 32-14. They scored a late touchdown but by then it was too late. The Minnesota Gophers fall to 1-2 on the season.

Can the Minnesota Gophers Pull it Off? Why Not?

USC is #18 in the AP Poll coming into this weekend. Since USC is on probation and can't make a bowl game, the players are primarily playing for pride and a chance to show themselves for the NFL. The Minnesota Gophers are 1-1 and are playing USC for the first time since 1968, when O.J. Simpson used to play for the Trojans. If Minnesota can pull off the upset, it will be the biggest victory for the program in quite sometime. They will have to stop quarterback Matt Barkley. He is a solid player and can find the open guy if the defense doesn't pressure him. USC has played in 2 close first games thus far - so Minnesota should use that for some inspiration. Go Gophers!

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This Saturday: USC Trojans vs. Minnesota Gophers

This Saturday, the USC Trojans will visit TCF Bank Stadium to take on the Minnesota Gophers. After a tragic loss to South Dakota, there is little room for error against the USC Trojans if the Minnesota Gophers want to win. Several changes must be made if Minnesota wants to pull off the miracle. However, this should be an exciting weekend for fans. A program like USC's caliber visiting Minnesota most likely would have never happened if not for the new stadium. It will be a cool sight to see the team from Southern California to play in Minneapolis. More on a preview later this week.

A New Low: Minnesota Gophers Lose 41-38 to South Dakota Coyotes

On Saturday afternoon, most Minnesota Gophers fans believed that South Dakota would be a tune-up game for USC this weekend. Think again. The South Dakota Coyotes defeated the Minnesota Gophers 41-38 in front of 50,000 fans at TCF Bank Stadium. The Coyotes put up nearly 500 yards of offense and the Minnesota defense had no answer. The Coyotes had lost the weekend before 38-7 against Central Florida. Coach Tim Brewster has to be feeling the hot seat after this loss. He has now lost to North Dakota State and South Dakota, not to mention he beat South Dakota State by a field goal last season. On comes USC this weekend.

Minnesota vs. South Dakota Preview

On Saturday, the Minnesota Gophers will take on the South Dakota Coyotes at TCF Bank Stadium for the home opener. Simply put, this is a game the Golden Gophers should win. The game starts at 11 AM Central Time to all the Gopher fans out there. South Dakota lost the first game of the season to the University of Central Florida 38-7 so they will be looking for their first win of the season. The Minnesota Gophers should be able to move the ball and light up the scoreboard. My prediction for the game: Minnesota 35, South Dakota 14. Go Gophers!

Minnesota Gophers Win 24-17 over Middle Tennessee State

The Minnesota Gophers defeated the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 24-17 in the season opener. It wasn't the most flawless game for the Gophers but they will definitely take the win in Murfreesboro. Fullback Jon Hoese scored all 3 touchdowns and recovered a pivotal kick return fumble. He nearly didn't make the trip as his did suffered a severe stroke. Congratulations to Hoese for the great game. Running back Duane Bennett ran 30 times for 187 yards and reminded me of the Laurence Maroney or Marion Barber days. The Gophers didn't turn the ball over and committed only 4 penalties. Adam Weber threw for 150 yards on 10 of 17 passing.

It's Official: Dwight Dasher Suspended in Season Opener

Quarterback Dwight Dasher has been indefinitely suspended and will miss the season opener. Why do we care? Because Dwight Dasher is the starting quarterback for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. And, the MTSU Blue Raiders happen to be playing the Minnesota Gophers on Thursday night. The super talented quarterback will not be allowed to play until his situation with his gambling debt is resolved. He will have to wait until the NCAA reinstates him. This is a big advantage for the Minnesota Gophers. He had 2,800 passing yards and 1,150 rushing yards last season.

Minnesota vs. Middle Tennessee State Preview

On Thursday, September 2nd, the Minnesota Gophers and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will go toe to toe in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This game won't be a "gimme" game like most Big Ten schools play in their opening game. The Blue Raiders went 10-3 last season and were the Sun Belt Conference Runner-Ups. They return a lot of players from that team, with 8 starters on offense including dual threat quarterback Dwight Dasher. However, Dasher is under investigation by the NCAA and may be suspended, but that remains to be seen (he owes an 80 year old $1,500 for a poker debt, seriously). Middle Tennessee State is considered the favorite to win the Sun Belt this season. The game is now one week away.

Minnesota Gopher Receivers Outlook

Eric Decker is no longer a receiver for the Minnesota Gophers. Someone will have to step up and become the go-to guy for the Gophers. Juniors Brandon Green, Troy Stoudemire, and Da'Jon McKnight are expected to catch a lot of passes this season. All of them have experience and should be ready to lead the receiver corps. Senior Hayo Carpenter and sophomore Bryant Allen will also be counted on for playing time. Out of the group of 5, it will be interesting to see who becomes the Gopher's #1 wide receiver. Go Gophers!

Trevor Mbwake Appears Staying at U

According to the Pioneer Press, suspended Minnesota Gopher Trevor Mbwakwe has been reinstated by the program and is willing to stay a Gopher. After not playing last season due to a trial process, Trevor Mbwakwe has now been reinstated by Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi. Mbwakwe avoided felony charges and agreed on a pretrial intervention program that warrants 100 community service hours. After rumors of Trevor Mbwakwe transferring, right now coach Tubby Smith believes Mbwakwe will stay a Gopher. Hopefully Trevor will stay and Minnesota can keep the talented player. For Minnesota Gopher basketball tickets check out Gopher Basketball Tickets!

New Offensive Coordinator Jeff Horton

The Minnesota Gophers are on their 3rd offensive coordinator in the last 3 years. The new man for the job is none other than Jeff Horton. Horton will try to establish a balanced offense so that the passing game won't be depended on for every play. He was the quarterback coach for the Detroit Lions last season. The last two seasons have seen the Gophers rank last in the Big Ten in rushing. Jeff Horton will try to develop plays to get positive rushing yards and mix in DeLeon Eskridge and Duane Bennett as the starters. Let's hope Jeff Horton can be here to stay. For any Minnesota Gophers football tickets check out Gopher Football tickets!

MarQueis Gray Waiting for Opportunities

Although Adam Weber is the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Gophers, back up MarQueis Gray is ready for his chance to play. The prized recruit is a dual threat and athletic quarterback who got a taste of action last season backing up Weber as a freshman. Against Ohio State he went 5-6 with 51 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a total of 256 yards on the season. He lined up at both wide receiver and quarterback for the Minnesota Gophers. At Ben Davis High School in Indiana, he was rated the #3 dual threat quarterback in the nation and the #1 player in the state of Indiana by Rivals.com. If Weber struggles or gets injured, look for MarQueis Gray to get the call. Until then, he is the future starting quarterback of the Minnesota Gophers.

Expectations for 2010 Season?

Let's be honest - the Minnesota Gophers 2010 football schedule is not easy. The schedule features Southern California, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan State, and Iowa. All of these teams are consistently tough teams and usually slotted somewhere in the AP Top 25. Throw in a solid Middle Tennessee State team and an improving Northwestern program, the schedule does not have many gimmes. The Gophers are going to have to come to play each week and play both ways solid. Many experts are pinning the Gophers on a low finish in the Big 10, but like I say, anything is possible! Take it one game at a time and good things can happen!

Texas - Minnesota Series Cancelled

To be the best you have to beat the best. That was the Minnesota Gophers intention of scheduling USC in 2010 and 2011 as well as Texas in 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, that series against the Texas Longhorns will no longer take place. Last week, the University of Minnesota Athletic officials announced that the two game series had been cancelled due to a contract dispute involving video rights. TCF Bank Stadium would have played host in 2015, but now Minnesota says they will find another BCS quality opponent to replace Texas on the schedule. Gopher Head Coach Tim Brewster used to coach as an assistant at Texas.