Run the North | Golden Gophers football

[The Sauce]

I could FEEL the emotion from those last two updates. Definitely been there before

[ShireNiner]

CALL CAME DOWN!

You lost to Emory Williams and Ray Ray Joseph, shame on you, they are ass lmao

Isaac Brown though

would love that pick up IRL

Emory and Ray Ray had one big moment to be honest. Isaac was unreal though, hardest back I have faced in this game. He broke the first tackle every time and had a spin that made me miss multiple tackles.

Got to schedule Miami every year and get your lick back

I'm thinking about it actually. Next year, at Minny. Revenge game.

That’s a rough way to lose after hanging in there against a team like Miami

Yes, it was. We needed to play perfect and have some luck. The luck was against us.

[ShireNiner]

I could FEEL the emotion from those last two updates. Definitely been there before

If definitely sucks to lose a big game on something like that. It is fun for the story but I thought we would get killed, then we have a chance to win and something like that happens. It sucks.

[ShireNiner]

WEEK 2 RECAP: Irish dismantled again, Louisville survive, and is anyone beating Ohio State this year?

Not a lot of changes in the top-25 this week with only Notre Dame, Iowa, Washington, and Minnesota losing among the ranked teams. The Golden Gophers lost a close one at #10 Miami, dropping the Gophers down to #20 in the polls. Notre Dame lost for the second time this season, this time 30-7 to UCLA, suddenly the game between Minnesota and Notre Dame is not looking nearly as important for the end of season playoff implications. Iowa lost for the second straight season in the Cy-Hawk game, 56-13 in the biggest blowout in Cy-Hawk history while Washington lost to a very good USC side that now finds itself ranked.

For the winners, it was Ohio State again looking like the dominate team in the land. It was not just beating an FCS squad as expected, it was the way they dismantled them 49-0 and allowed less than 100 total yards of offense. Bo Jackson rushed for two more touchdowns giving him five on the year and Julian Jayin threw for 372 yards with two more touchdowns.

In the SEC country, Kentucky followed up last week's win over Miami with a comfortable 35-14 win over FCS east. Unranked Oklahoma put up 52 on Wake Forest and #13 Louisville barely survived 33-28 against South Carolina.

Who said what?
“Ohio State looks like a team on a mission. After getting bounced by Miami in last year’s playoff, they came into 2026 with a chip the size of Columbus on their shoulder. Julian Sayin’s dealing, Bo Jackson’s running angry, and at 2–0 this group doesn’t just want to get back—they want to finish the job. This is a Buckeye team that expects to win it all.” – David Pollack

“College football right now is absolute electricity, boys. Ohio State looks like they’re trying to stiff-arm the entire country on their way to a national title—Julian Sayin’s barely playing in the second half and he still looks like the Heisman favorite. But Texas? Arch Manning’s slingin’ it, they go into Penn State and walk out with a win like it’s nothing. SMU at No. 3?! Kevin Jennings is putting up numbers that should be illegal. And don’t sleep on AJ Turner at Minnesota—dude’s running like he’s late for class. The whole top 25 is chaos, the Heisman race is wild, and I absolutely love it. This season is gonna be AWESOME.” – Pat McAfee

The Heisman race
Kevin Jennings, QB, SR(RS)
Jennings has led SMU to the top 3 in the polls early in the season with 896 pass yards, 11 TDs, 1 INT and 150 rush yards. After throwing for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, Jennings is on an early pace to beat that in his senior season.
AJ Turner, RB, SR(RS)
Turner is second in the nation in rushing with 339 rush yards, last season Minnesota's running back Darius Taylor finished 4th in the Heisman and won the Doak Walker award. The offensive system is setup for a running back to put up big numbers but will voters hold that against Turner? To win the Heisman, he is going to have to carry Minnesota through a difficult Big Ten schedule and continue his pace of 170 yards per game.
Jayden Mandal, QB, JR(RS)
Mandal leads the FBS in passing yards with 957 yards and is tied for first with 11 touchdowns. His one interception is the only blemish on a nearly perfect start to the season after three games for the Fresno dogs.
Colton Joseph, QB, JR(RS)
The Irish have struggled this season losing two of the first three games but that cannot be put on Joseph who is doing everything a quarterback needs to do. 833 pass yards 7 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions shows what Joseph has done but voters will look at the record and look at only scoring 7 points against UCLA as a reason to keep Joseph out of the Heisman list as the season progresses.
Julian Sayin, QB, JR
The main front-runner and the most likely winner as it looks now. In his second season as the Buckeye QB, Sayin has thrown for 612 pass yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs in limited time this season. With Ohio State winning both games big, Sayin's attempts are down but expect that to increase as the schedule becomes harder. Last season Sayin threw for 4,398 yards with 43 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions leading Ohio State to the Big Ten title. This season the toughest tests will come in October when Ohio State face Oregon and USC in back-to-back weeks.

What their saying
“This Heisman race is as good as we’ve had in years. Kevin Jennings is playing video-game football, AJ Turner is carrying Minnesota like a grown man, and Jayden Mandal is lighting up box scores every Saturday. But let’s be real—Julian Sayin is the dude everyone’s chasing. He’s the best player on the best team right now, and if he keeps this pace once Ohio State hits the meat of their schedule, the trophy might be wrapped up by November.” – David Pollack

“What I love about this year’s Heisman race is how different each contender is. Jennings has SMU looking like a playoff team, Turner is the heartbeat of Minnesota’s offense, Mandal is throwing darts all over the Mountain West, and Colton Joseph is keeping Notre Dame afloat. But Julian Sayin? He’s the most complete quarterback in the country. If Ohio State keeps winning, everyone else is going to need some fireworks to keep up with him.” – Kirk Herbstreit

“Everybody’s talking about Sayin and Jennings, and rightfully so, but the player I’m keeping my eye on is Arch Manning. Going into Penn State in Week 1 and walking out with a win while throwing for seven touchdowns on the season already—come on. That’s big-time football. If Texas keeps stacking victories, Arch is the dark horse nobody wants to admit is creeping into this Heisman race.” – Paul Finebaum

AP Top 25
1. Ohio State (2-0)
2. Texas (2-0)
3. SMU (3-0)
4. Georgia (2-0)
5. Oregon (2-0)
6. Indiana (1-0)
7. Kentucky (2-0)
8. BYU (2-0)
9. Florida (2-0)
10. Miami (1-1)
11. Duke (2-0)
12. Baylor (2-0)
13. Louisville (2-0)
14. Texas Tech (2-0)
15. Michigan (2-0)
16. UCLA (2-0)
17. Texas A&M (1-1)
18. LSU (1-1)
19. Kansas State (2-0)
20. Minnesota (1-1)
21. Missouri (2-0)
22. Penn State (1-1)
23. USC (2-0)
24. Arizona State (1-0)
25. Illinois (1-0)

What we looking forward to
at
Top-25 matchup with Minnesota looking to bounce back after a defeat to Miami. A game that is big for the conference and can shape the season for both of these teams.

at
#14 Texas Tech going up against a Heisman favorite in Kevin Jennings. Expect this one to be a shootout.

at
#4 Bulldogs going against unranked Sooners. Oklahoma is looking dominant to start the season against nobodies, can they do it against a top team?

at
Stoops has the Wildcats looking like a football school, taking down Notre Dame two weeks again and now in the top 10. The Aggies broke into the top 5 last season but already have a loss this year. They need to be perfect to get back to the playoffs from here on out.

[ShireNiner]

Week 3: Another top-25 showdown
16 UCLA at 20 Minnesota

Bruin Breakdown
UCLA Bruins come to Huntington Bank stadium ranked 16th in the country after beating Notre Dame last week, 30-7. The Bruin defense ranks among the top in the country, allowing 6 points in week one and 7 points last week. But it is the offense that has gained just as much attention. Junior quarterback Nico Iamaleava is throwing 280.5 yards per game, hitting on 79% of his passes with five touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Iamaleava’s favorite target has been Mikey Matthews with 10 catches for 109 yards but their big play maker at receiver has been Rico Flores Jr, with 7 catches for 171 yards, averaging over 24 yards per catch.

In the backfield, three running backs have split carries this season. Jaivian Thomas leads with 47 carries, 254 yards and 4 touchdowns. Thomas already has 3 runs over 20+ yards and is averaging 127 yards per game. The other two are Troy Leigber and Karson Cox with 19 carries each and both just over 100 yards for the year.

Gophers Changes
Dylan Wittke has been ruled out after leaving week 2 with a knee injury. Freshman AJ Brand (pictured above) will be getting his first start at QB for the Gophers. Brand finished the Miami game in place of Wittke and looked comfortable running the offense and offering more options for the Gophers to attack. AJ Turner continues his Heisman run for the Gophers, averaging 169.5 yards per game. Minnesota will need someone from the receiving corp to step up this season, so far nobody has seperated themselves from the pack.

Kenric Lanier II has 8 catches for 78 yards and Jalen Smith has 8 catches for 78 yards to lead the team after two weeks.

Matchup to watch
Minnesota have been beat on the long ball both games this season, giving up a total for five touchdowns over 50 yards in the air. Safety Kerry Brown and cornerback Dexter Ricks Jr each have an interception this season and are the two leaders at the back for Minnesota. How they handle Matthews and Flores Jr will be key to Minnesota getting the win at home this weekend.

[The JZA]

Yeah, we gonna have to run that game back



Until then, every game is Miami for tune-up purposes

[redsox907]

Iamaleava ain't shit. You got this win bro

[ShireNiner]

Yeah, we gonna have to run that game back



Until then, every game is Miami for tune-up purposes

Unless I win next season, then no more rematches.

Iamaleava ain't shit. You got this win bro

Turns out Iamaleava was better than shit... he gave us a game

[ShireNiner]

ORE 36 | MIZ 37 | IND 20 | TTU 40| UGA 45 | AM 49 | BAY 35 | CIN 14|
USC 12 | LSU 21 | COL 17| FRE 13 | OKU 20 | UK 24 | ASU 21 | UF 42 |

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Minnesota survives in rainy shootout against Bruins, 47-45. AJ Brand shines in home debut for the Gophers

AJ Brand celebrates after throwing a 60-yard touchdown before the half on Saturday in Minnesota's win over UCLA.

By: Tony Liebert
Week 3, 2026

MINNEAPOLIS — In a downpour that turned Huntington Bank Stadium into a soaking, slipping arena of chaos, No. 20 Minnesota found just enough offense to outlast No. 16 UCLA in a 47–45 thriller that felt like a Pac-12 game more than it did a Big Ten game.

UCLA struck first when Nico Iamaleava found Mikey Matthews for a 20-yard touchdown with 3:40 left in the opening quarter, a clean pitch-and-catch before the conditions fully deteriorated. Minnesota’s offense sputtered early, but momentum swung at the start of the second quarter when AJ Brand capped a methodical drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Fame Ijeboi, who also added 60 rushing yards on the night.

The Bruins answered quickly. Iamaleava, who finished 22 of 34 for 274 yards, three passing touchdowns and 94 rushing yards, slipped through the middle for an 8-yard touchdown run at the 9:38 mark, reclaiming a 14–7 lead. Minnesota trimmed the deficit with a 41-yard Manuel Valles field goal, but UCLA responded again—this time with a 25-yard field goal to go up 17–10.

"It felt like anything we did they were a step ahead for most of the first half. The no-huddle offense had our defense guessing wrong most of the night and our offense started a little slow that put us behind the ball." Coach Mick Smith said after the game. "I liked how we kept responding and staying in the game, that is how good teams find a way."

With 1:54 left in the half, AJ Turner burst through a crease on a 4th and 2 and went on a 35-yard touchdown run, a preview of what became a career night. Turner finished with 225 rushing yards on 27 carries and added 46 receiving yards—showing exactly why after three weeks, he is in the Heisman discussions.

But UCLA countered immediately. On the next snap, Javian Thomas—who turned in a stunning 302-yard rushing performance—hit full speed on an 81-yard touchdown sprint that left the crowd silent, and Minnesota’s defense stunned. The silence didn’t last long. Just 14 seconds later, Brand threw a perfect deep out route to Jalen Smith for a 60-yard touchdown, sending the game to halftime tied 24–24 and setting the tone for the madness ahead.

UCLA opened the second half with more Thomas, more speed, and more gashed defensive fronts. His 64-yard touchdown at 7:22 put the Bruins ahead 31–24 and pushed him past 200 yards before the mid-third-quarter TV timeout. Minnesota, refusing to blink in what had become a basketball game on grass, responded on the next drive when Brand found Kenric Lanier II for a 61-yard touchdown, part of Brand’s sharp 24-of-40, 291-yard, 4-touchdown night. A Valles 38-yard field goal later extended the Gophers' lead to 34–31 heading into the fourth quarter.

UCLA struck again just minutes into the final frame, with Iamaleava finding Kwazi Gilmer on a 5-yard touchdown that nudged the Bruins ahead 38–34. Minnesota appeared to seize control with a slow, old school, clock-eating drive finished by Turner’s 2-yard touchdown run with 3:49 remaining, pushing the Gophers back in front 41–38.

Even on a night where Minnesota allowed 673 yards, linebackers Aidan Gousby (9 tackles) and Mike Carrier (six tackles, three TFLs, two sacks) made key plays in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Carrier, playing at the WILL position this season, came up with his second sack of the game on 3rd and 6, forcing the Bruins to punt with 2:42 remaining.

Turner and Ijeboi led another physical march downfield, five-yard runs after five-yard runs killing the Bruins time outs and draining the clock. With 37 seconds left, the Bruins used their last timeout with Minnesota facing a 3rd and goal. Smith decided to be aggressive, giving his young quarterback the chance to win the game. Brand found DeAree Rogers for a 4-yard touchdown, putting Minnesota up two scores. The ensuing blocked extra point left the door just barely cracked for UCLA—one they kicked open almost immediately. With 12 seconds remaining, Iamaleava connected with Gilmer for a 50-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to two. But the Bruins never touched the ball again, as Minnesota recovered the onside attempt and let the clock finally expire on a game that refused to sit still.

"It was chaos, it was fun at times, it was hell at times. But a win is a win. With this young team, young quarterback and the defense still figuring it out. We will take anything we can right now. They are a really good ball club, we will be facing more teams in the coming weeks, so we just need to keep improving every week and take it one game at a time." Smith said following the win.

[Count]

Holy shit, 302 rushing yards for Thomas? Dude was trying to go full Samaje Perine. Fortunate to come out with a win after defending like that