Run the North | Golden Gophers football

[ShireNiner]

Minnesota Golden Gophers Announce 2028 Season Schedule

By: Aiden “AJ” Wexler | August 6, 2028
Minnesota Gopher Report

MINNEAPOLIS— The 2028 season schedule has been announced, and for Minnesota fans, there are some big dates to look forward to mixed in with the usual grind of the Big Ten season.


1. Ball State (Non-Conference)
A rematch of last season's week 3, where Minnesota won 29-19 against a tough Ball State side that ran the ball surprisingly well.

2. at Pitt (Non-Conference)
The Minnesota Golden Gophers and Pittsburgh Panthers have a historic, albeit infrequent, college football matchup history, with notable games dating back to the 1930s. The last time these two met was in 1992.

3. Cincinnati (Non-Conference)
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two schools.

4. Florida State (Big Ten)
Florida State enters the Big Ten this season for the first time. Minnesota will welcome them to Minneapolis to open conference play.

5. at Michigan State (Big Ten)
In Mick Smith's first season, Minnesota held on for a 33-30 win over the Spartans. A classic game that came down to the wire early in Smith's career.

6. #7 Miami (Big Ten)
A 10 v 12 matchup in 2026, which left Minnesota fans fuming as they left Miami. A fumble that Minnesota felt was a tackle turned into a Miami touchdown, resulting in a 41-31 win for the Hurricanes.

7. Open

8. at UCLA (Big Ten)
These two met for a great game in 2026, with Minnesota winning 47-45 in a top-25 matchup. This will be the first trip to UCLA for Mick Smith.

9. Northwestern (Big Ten)
A routine 37-17 win last time these teams met, expect nothing different this time.

10. at #13 Ohio State (Big Ten)
It is well known now, 0-4 against the Buckeyes. This is the game Minnesota will be waiting for all season but they have to take care of business the first nine weeks to make this game matter.

11. Purdue (Big Ten)
One of the worst teams in the Big Ten over the last three seasons but they held their own against Minnesota in 2026, losing in a close 28-21 game.

12. at #1 Michigan (Big Ten)
Minnesota beat #3 Michigan 32-31 in 2026, the only top 5 win for Mick Smith and the only meeting against Michigan in his career.

13. at Wisconsin (Big Ten)
One of the worst rivalries in the last five seasons. Minnesota completely owns the Badgers, as most of the Big Ten have in recent years. Wins of 38-13, 52-10, and 57-17 in the last three seasons for the Gophers.

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Aiden “AJ” Wexler is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering Minnesota Gophers Football. He previously covered local high schools in the Minneapolis area. He is based in Minneapolis, MN. Follow AJ on Twitter @AidensFake.

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Comments

[Captain Canada]

That tail end of the schedule

[redsox907]

I'm calling for 10-2

Michigan ain't ever shit despite the high rankings. Ohio State and Miami gonna make you bite the belt doe

[ShireNiner]

That tail end of the schedule

I thought that last season and then everyone kept losing. We ain't scared.

I'm calling for 10-2

Michigan ain't ever shit despite the high rankings. Ohio State and Miami gonna make you bite the belt doe

No way I'm losing to fucking Miami again. Ohio State will beat me for sure.

[ShireNiner]

College Football Preview: Preseason Top 25


AP Top 25 — Preseason

↑ = moved up · ↓ = moved down · — = held · NR = newly ranked

RK	TEAM	CONF	REC	CHG	LAST	Head Coach
1	Michigan	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Steve Sarkisian
2	Texas	SEC	0–0	—	—	Lane Kiffin
3	Oregon	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Kenny Dillingham
4	Georgia	SEC	0–0	—	—	Kirby Smart
5	Tennessee	SEC	0–0	—	—	Trent Dilfer
6	Clemson	ACC	0–0	—	—	Shane Beamer
7	Miami	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Mario Cristobol
8	Alabama	SEC	0–0	—	—	Dabo Swinney
9	Minnesota	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Mick Smith
10	Penn State	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Marcus Freeman
11	SMU	ACC	0–0	—	—	Rhett Lashlee
12	Notre Dame	Ind	0–0	—	—	Dan Lanning
13	Ohio State	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Ryan Day
14	Boston College	ACC	0–0	—	—	Bill O’Brien
15	Florida	SEC	0–0	—	—	Bill Napier
16	Texas Tech	Big 12	0–0	—	—	Joey McGuire
17	LSU	SEC	0–0	—	—	Brian Kelly
18	Duke	ACC	0–0	—	—	Bill Belicheck
19	Texas A&M	SEC	0–0	—	—	M. Elko
20	USC	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Ken Whittingham
21	Nebraska	Big Ten	0–0	—	—	Kaleb DeBoer
22	Arkansas	SEC	0–0	—	—	M. Ryan
23	NC State	ACC	0–0	—	—	D. Doeren
24	Boise State	ACC	0–0	—	—	A. Amundson
25	Kansas State	Big 12	0–0	—	—	Collin Klein

Others receiving votes: Auburn, Missouri, Colorado, TCU.

Heisman Watch — Preseason

Top 5 candidates

RK	PLAYER	POS	SCHOOL	KEY STATS	CHG
1	Jareon-Keawe Sagapolutele	QB	LSU	No stats at this time	—
2	Tavien St. Clair	QB	Ohio State	No stats at this time	—
3	CJ Carr	QB	Washington	No stats at this time	—
4	George Parker	WR	Ohio State	No stats at this time	—
5	Ethan Grunkemeyer	QB	Penn State	No stats at this time	—

Stats through Week 1 regular season games only.

What did you think of this story?

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Bill Connelly is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering post-game news for College Football and Premier League Soccer. He previously worked at ESPN covering College Football, Tennis, and Soccer.

Comments

[Captain Canada]

Sarky at Michigan is so funny. Idk why the game is so obsessed with Dabo Swinney making his way over to Alabama

Started the season ranked 9th is huge. High praise.

[ShireNiner]

Sarky at Michigan is so funny. Idk why the game is so obsessed with Dabo Swinney making his way over to Alabama

Started the season ranked 9th is huge. High praise.

Same with Lane Kiffin at Texas and he suddenly makes them amazing.

[ShireNiner]

This years recruits are more important than ever for Mick Smith with a squad full of seniors (ShireNiner)

Minnesota Recruiting Report: 2028 Class Update
The Gophers are making noise on the trail — here is where the 2028 class stands heading into the dead period
By: Aiden “AJ” Wexler | August 30, 2028



Class at a Glance

Commits 0

Class Rank #115

B1G Rank 11th

5-Stars 0

4-Stars 0

3-Stars 0

Minneapolis — The Minnesota coaching staff heads into the 2028 recruiting cycle with a clear-eyed understanding of what's coming: a significant turnover across both lines and in the defensive backfield that will demand this recruiting class to be successful across the board.

The losses begin in the trenches. The Gophers are set to lose four senior offensive linemen (Nathan Roy, Jaden Ball, Trumaine Pointer, and Brett Carroll), leaving a unit that will need to be almost entirely rebuilt. It's no surprise, then, that offensive tackle and guard carry "High" need designations on Minnesota's board, with four-star prospects Omari Gross, Clay McCleskey, Tim Gallimore, and Dontrell Finley among the staff's priority targets. McCleskey, a Buffalo native, would be a home-state win; Gross and Finley represent bigger swings against programs like Ole Miss, Michigan, and Penn State.

The defensive line picture is nearly identical. All four of Minnesota's senior defensive ends (Tyson Ford, Riley Sunram, Mo Saine, and Adam Kissayi) will be gone, as is tackle Timothy Gulley. For a defense that relies on the pass rush to force mistakes, losing that many players in one summer is going to be a huge blow. Landing even two or three of the top defensive line targets on the board would go a long way toward stabilizing a front that cannot afford a rebuilding year.

In the secondary, the cornerback room faces its own reckoning. Vernon Woodward III, Mike Gerald, and Chris Tooley III are all seniors, and Minnesota has yet to secure a single cornerback commit in the 2028 class. Nolan Troup out of Indianapolis is the staff's top target at the position, a 6-2, four-star prospect who also holds offers from Notre Dame and Florida State. Minnesota was thin at defensive back last season, and the numbers did not improve this year. Coach Mick Smith cannot keep relying on the transfer portal to keep the defensive backfield in check.

2028 Recruiting Board
All commits, targets, and offers tracked by ShireNiner Nation


■ Committed ■ Minnesota Leader ■ Offer Extended ■ Decommitted

INTEREST	NAME	POS	STARS	HT/WT	HOMETOWN	OTHER OFFERS	VISIT
2nd	Xavier Abraham	WR	★★★★	5-11/197	Saint Paul, MN	Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa St, Iowa	TBD
2nd	Clay McCleskey	RG	★★★★	6-2/294	Buffalo, MN	Nebraska, Clemson, Michigan	TBD
2nd	Max Beckner	FS	★★★★	5-10/202	Rosemount, MN	LSU, Penn St, Notre Dame	TBD
4th	Charles Bragg	WILL	★★★★	6-2/221	Minneapolis, MN	Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska	TBD
2nd	Kevin Dutton	QB	★★★	6-3 / 217	East St. Louis, IL	Michigan, Iowa St, Nebraska	TBD
1st	Akeem Cookus	TE	★★★★	6-5 / 219	Carrollton, GA	Kentucky, Coastal Carolina, Notre Dame	TBD
10th	Donte Patten	RT	★★★	6-5 / 307	Akron, OH	Bowling Green, Kentucky, Ohio St	TBD
6th	Greg Washington	LT	★★★★	6-5 / 313	Sandusky, OH	Ohio St, Notre Dame, Michigan	TBD
2nd	Omari Gross	LT	★★★★	6-6 / 296	Biloxi, MS	Ole Miss, Oregon, Michigan	TBD
4th	Dontrell Finley	RT	★★★★	6-6 / 309	Muskegon, MI	Michigan, Boston College, Penn State	TBD
9th	James Fink	RG	★★★	6-5 / 285	Blue Springs, MO	Louisville, South Carolina, Texas	TBD
2nd	Tim Gallimore	RG	★★★★	6-1 / 279	Navarre, FL	Florida, Oregon, SMU	TBD
5th	Mustafa Ugheoke	C	★★★★	6-1 / 279	Columbus, GA	Miami, Florida, Florida St	TBD
4th	Evan Witherspoon	LEDG	★★★★	6-4 / 231	Tampa, FL	NC State, Cal, North Carolina	TBD
5th	Stephen Blizzard	REDG	★★★★	6-2 / 244	St. Louis, MO	Notre Dame, Illionis, SMU	TBD
4th	Ben Heppner	REDG	★★★★	6-5 / 226	St. Louis, MO	Illinois, Missouri, Penn State	TBD
2nd	Cole Bliss	REDG	★★★★	6-4 / 255	Macon, GA	Ole Miss, Ohio State, Texas Tech	TBD
4th	Stefon Trewyn	MIKE	★★★★	6-0 / 223	Euclid, OH	Notre Dame, Penn State, Duke	TBD
3rd	Nolan Troup	CB	★★★★	6-2 / 206	Indianapolis, IN	Notre Dame, Indiana, Florida State	TBD
5th	David Fackrell	CB	★★★★	6-2 / 162	Lees Summit, MO	Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Nebraska	TBD
10th	Demarco Coale	WR	★★★★	6-4 / 185	Saint Paul, MN	Michigan State, Oregon, Iowa State	TBD
4th	Torri Hoag	WR	★★★	6-5 / 185	Lakeville, MN	Temple, Memphis, Ball State	TBD
7th	Jermaine Hambrick	WILL	★★★	6-1 / 212	Powell, OH	Notre Dame, Ohio State, Temple	TBD
9th	Cliff Shavers	DT	★★★	6-5 / 275	North Royalton, OH	Kentucky, Notre Dame, Ohio State	TBD
9th	Rayshon Howerton	WILL	★★★	6-1 / 219	Fairfield, OH	Kentucky, Notre Dame, Louisville	TBD
5th	Kelvin Sun	SS	★★★★	6-0 / 181	Ironton, OH	Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State	TBD
6th	Danny Hajrullahu	DT	★★★★	6-3 / 298	River Grove, IL	Illinois, Michigan, Indiana	TBD
6th	Morgan Leon	DT	★★★★	6-4 / 280	Pickerington, OH	Penn State, Duke, Notre Dame	TBD
6th	Eric Michel	DT	★★★★	6-5 / 287	Louisville, MS	LSU, Ole Miss, Nebraska	TBD
7th	Titus Blanko	RT	★★★★	6-4 / 285	Aurora, CO	Nebraska, Oregon, Michigan	TBD
7th	Vernon Ismail	WR	★★★★	6-3 / 191	West Des Moines, IA	Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State	TBD
10th	John Cabrera	CB	★★★	5-9 / 165	Bradenton, FL	Georgia, Penn State, Florida State	TBD
10th	Kevin Drango	FS	★★★	5-10 / 194	Dayton, OH	Kentucky, Ohio State, Notre Dame	TBD
10th	Titus Abreu	SS	★★★	6-2 / 209	Richmond, VA	LSU, Penn St, Kentucky	TBD

Targets and offer lists are not exhaustive.

Needs Board
Where Minnesota still has roster needs in the 2028 class

POSITION	NEED	COMMITTED	TOP TARGET
Wide Receiver	Medium	0	Xavier Abraham
Offensive Tackle	High	0	Omari Goss
Offensive Guard	High	0	Clay McCleskey
Defensive End	High	0	Cole Bliss
Defensive Tackle	High	0	Morgan Leon
Cornerback	HIGH	0	Nolan Troup
Safety	Medium	0	Max Beckner

What to Watch on the Trail
Three recruiting storylines to follow before signing day


1. Edge Rusher
Minnesota's defensive end board features three four-star prospects, and the Gophers are firmly in the mix for all three. Blizzard and Heppner are St. Louis teammates, which creates an interesting dynamic: a double commit there isn't out of the question, but Notre Dame and Illinois are pushing hard for both. Bliss, meanwhile, is one of the more coveted edge prospects in the class nationally, with Ohio State lurking. Minnesota is listed as a leader for both Blizzard and Heppner, which makes the St. Louis pipeline the most urgent storyline to watch. Landing even one of the two would be a significant recruiting win for the Gophers' front office.

2. Hometown Recruits
Minnesota's home-state targets in the 2028 class represent some of the staff's most important work. The Gophers hold offers for all of them, but Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa are circling Abraham, while Coale has drawn interest from Michigan State and Oregon. Minnesota has historically struggled to lock up its own backyard against Big Ten competition, and losing multiple in-state four-stars to out-of-state programs would sting. How many of these kids stay home could define the early perception of this class.

3. The Trenches
The offensive and defensive line boards are loaded with high-upside four-star targets, but nearly all of them have offers from blue-blood programs that recruit those positions every year. Minnesota needs to find at least one marquee lineman to commit early and use that momentum to build the rest of the group. Without an anchor commit on either line, the board could unravel quickly.

What did you think of this story?

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Aiden “AJ” Wexler is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering Minnesota Gophers Football. He previously covered local high schools in the Minneapolis area. He is based in Minneapolis, MN. Follow AJ on Twitter @AidensFake.

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• A Fresh Start
• SMU lose top recruit pt. 2
• Notre Dame meet Bulls in Top 25 matchup

[redsox907]

Sarky at Michigan is so funny. Idk why the game is so obsessed with Dabo Swinney making his way over to Alabama

Started the season ranked 9th is huge. High praise.

Sarky at Michigan is so funny. Idk why the game is so obsessed with Dabo Swinney making his way over to Alabama

Started the season ranked 9th is huge. High praise.

Same with Lane Kiffin at Texas and he suddenly makes them amazing.

Sarky is at Michigan in mine and Kiffin just won his 2nd Natty at Texas in three years, it all checks out

[Count]

better lose to FSU