2 0 1 9 S E A S O N P R E V I E W
2018
RECORD
7-6, 3-6 Big Ten
COACH P.J. Fleck (12-13 in two seasons
at Minnesota; career record: 42-35)
SERIES RECORD Penn State leads the
all-time series, 9-5. The Nittany Lions
have played the Golden Gophers less
o?en than any other Big Ten opponent.
MOST RECENT MEETING Saquon
Barkley scored a 25-yard touchdown on
Penn State's er a season-ending foot in-
jury against Maryland.
SPECIAL TEAMS Punter Jacob Herbers
is back a?er averaging 41.2 yards per at-
tempt last season. The Gophers need to
-weeks prior to two big
games (the league opener at Purdue on
Sept. 28 and a home date vs. Penn State
on Nov. 9), it also gives the Gophers a
reprieve from having to face Ohio State,
Michigan and Michigan State.
GAME OF THE YEAR The Gophers got lit
up by previously winless Nebraska last
year, falling behind 28-0 en route to a
53-28 loss in Lincoln. They'll meet again
Oct. 12 in Minneapolis.
OUTLOOK Minnesota ended last season
on a roll, winning three of its last four
games, all by three touchdowns or more.
Morgan played well as a redshirt fresh-
man, completing 59 percent of his
passes for 1,401 yards, but the biggest
di>erence in the latter part of the season
was the defense. The Gophers surren-
dered an average of 43.2 points per game
in their ered
through
an injury-plagued 2018 season
but still managed to post a winning
record. Assuming they don't have an-
other run of bad luck, they've got enough
returning talent to improve substantially
on last year's seven-win performance.
Enough to vie for the league title? If
Lewerke regains his sophomore form,
and if the o>ense recovers a?er averag-
ing only 18.7 points per game last year,
anything
is possible. At the very least,
Penn State needs to be wary. Michigan
State seems to have a way of catching the
Lions just as they're coming o> a de=at-
ing loss, and this year's matchup will take
place one week a?er a high-stakes White
Out showdown with Michigan. –M.H.
WEEK 9 MINNESOTA
T I M E T B A | N O V . 9 | T C F B A N K S T A D I U M | M I N N E A P O L I S , M I N N .
FLECK
