Bleav in Minnesota

Final grades for Minnesota's win over Michigan, a quick look at Purdue, and this week's bowl projections. Dylan grades the offense, defense, special teams, and coaching, and makes the case that Fleck should have gone for two in the fourth quarter. Plus, where seven different outlets have the Gophers landing in December, and a quick hoops note on the Columbus Dispatch's Big Ten men's basketball preseason poll.

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Minnesota just beat Michigan at home for the first time since 1977, and the Little Brown Jug stays in the Twin Cities. Dylan Callaghan-Croley of Gophers Nation breaks down everything.

What we'll cover:

The defense holding Michigan to 180 yards and 2.8 yards per carry

Drake Lindsay's two interceptions, including the pick-six, and how Minnesota still won

The second-half turnover swing: Marsh's muffed punt, and interceptions by Aydan West and Zach Harden

TJ Thomas, Darius Taylor, and the offense

Greg Harbaugh Jr.'s play calling, and Fleck's decisions on the extra point and the late timeout

What the win means for the season, and a look ahead to Purdue

Join the conversation: Drop your game ball, your biggest surprise, and your questions in the live chat. We'll get to as many as we can.

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Minnesota is going for its first home win over Michigan since 1977. In this Friday preview of Bleav in Minnesota, Dylan Callaghan-Croley of Gophers Nation breaks down both injury reports, including the loss of center Ashton Beers and left guard Jaden Ball, and the matchups that will decide Saturday's game: Bryce Underwood against the Gophers' front six, and Drake Lindsay against Jay Hill's defense. He also gives his spread and score pick, plus a prediction from staff writer Maguire Doyle.

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Minnesota is chasing its first home win over Michigan since 1977. In this episode, Dylan breaks down the three keys that could get the Gophers there on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium (11 a.m. CT, Fox, with Big Noon Kickoff live from campus at 9 a.m.).

In this episode:

Kickoff info, Big Noon Kickoff's first trip to Minnesota, and where the betting lines stand

Chapters

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Dylan Callaghan-Croley discusses the season ending injury to Minnesota starting center Ashton Beers.

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It's Big Ten opener week, and Minnesota (2-1) travels to Husky Stadium to take on an undefeated Washington team (3-0) that entered the season as a Big Ten dark horse. On this Thursday preview episode of Bleav in Minnesota, Dylan Callaghan-Croley of Gophers Nation dives deep into Saturday's matchup.

Inside this episode: a full statistical breakdown of both teams, a look at Washington DC Ryan Walters' scheme and history against P.J. Fleck-coached offenses, where Minnesota's passing attack can exploit Washington's secondary, a full scouting report on Demond Williams Jr. and Washington's top receiving weapons, and the hidden-yardage factors — penalties, special teams, and turnovers — that could decide a game closer than the spread suggests. Plus, a full injury report breakdown for both Minnesota and Washington heading into Saturday night's 10 p.m. CT kickoff on FOX.

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a true building block for the run game or a flash in the pan? Dylan breaks down final thoughts on the Akron win, recaps P.J. Fleck's Monday press conference (Husky Stadium, Demond Williams Jr., Joey Gerlach's big month), digs into three weeks of advanced PFF metrics on both sides of the ball, and previews Saturday's Big Ten opener at Washington. Plus: Minnesota and Michigan are set for Week 5 on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff.

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Timestamps

0:00 – Intro

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Minnesota beat Akron 41-7, but the run game managed just 37 yards on 18 carries through three quarters before a 154-yard fourth. Does that change the outlook for Big Ten play? Not for me.

On this Bleav in Minnesota instant takeaway, Dylan Callaghan-Croley breaks down the win and what it means heading into Washington:

Why the fourth-quarter surge doesn't erase three quarters of struggles

The passing game: Drake Lindsey, Javon Tracy, Noah Jennings, and the young tight ends

T.J. Thomas' 71-yard touchdown and why he needs more carries

Danny Collins' defense: the two-deep, Joey Gerlach's forced fumble, and the line's bounce-back

Special teams, penalties, and health coming out of Week 3

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Dylan Callaghan-Croley discusses Minnesota's week three matchup against Akron. What he wants to see out of the Gophers and more.

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Minnesota dropped to 1-1 after an ugly Saturday showing against Mississippi State, and on this episode of Bleav in Minnesota, Gophers Nation publisher Dylan Callaghan-Croley digs into why this loss looked less like a bad week and more like the surfacing of two problems that have been building for multiple seasons.

On defense, Dylan goes through the secondary's rough afternoon — including the safety room's struggles and what the PFF coverage numbers actually show — before zooming out to the bigger issue: since the start of last season, Minnesota has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 67.1% of their passes. Against the three best quarterbacks the Gophers have faced in that span (Julian Sayin, Dante Moore and KaMario Taylor), that number climbs to a staggering 88.6%. Dylan makes the case that this isn't a talent problem — it's a schematic one, and one that has to get solved before Big Ten play arrives.

On the other side of the ball, the run game gets the same treatment. Minnesota is averaging 3.63 yards per carry over its last 40 games, a stretch spanning three seasons and multiple offseasons of promised fixes. Dylan breaks down why that's so hard to square with the talent on the offensive line, what the pass protection numbers say by comparison, and why this has to improve for the Gophers to reach bowl eligibility.

Dylan also digs into P.J. Fleck's Monday press conference, giving credit where it's due for the specificity and accountability in Fleck's answers — while pushing back on the postgame framing that leaned on the team's fight and refusal to quit. There's also injury news on Darius Taylor and Hayden Moore, early thoughts on Akron, and a look ahead at a Week 4 trip to Washington with a 10:00 p.m. CT kickoff.

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