The Minnesota Gophers beat New Mexico in the 2025 Rate Bowl by a final of 20-17. P.J. Fleck is now 7-0 in bowl games at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Gophers finish the season with at least 8 wins for the fourth time in five years. The Minnesota Gophers were led offensively by Jalen Smith who had 6 catches for 64 yards with two great TD receptions. In postgame, star defensive lineman Anthony Smith announced that he is returning to the Minnesota Gophers in 2026.

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The Minnesota Gophers will look to move to 7-0 under P.J. Fleck in bowl games on Friday when they take on the New Mexico Lobos in the Rate Bowl. Who will win the game and why? What matchups favor the Minnesota Gophers and what matchups are a cause for concern? Thor Nystrom and Ross Brendel preview the game, look at Gophers in the pros and provide some thoughts on the college football playoff. 

1:30 – Thor says the wrong team is favored. It should be New Mexico.

4:00 – Why New Mexico can win.

7:30 – Logan Loya may have a say if the Gophers win.

10:15 – Matchups that favor the Minnesota Gophers and matchups that are a cause for concern

17:35 – The Rate Bowl could be a very close game

21:00 – What Gopher exceeded expectations and who didn’t meet them in 2025?

23:53 – Darius Taylor should return to school and wait on the NFL.

28:55 – Thoughts on optouts and transfers.

37:10 – College football playoff talk

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In honor of the Minnesota Gophers appearance in this years Rate Bowl, Ross Brendel and Manny Hill rate their belief in P.J. Fleck, Niko Medved and Bob Motzko in leading their respective programs. The boys also take a look at the Minnesota Gophers basketball team as they near conference play and provide their thoughts on the upcoming Rate Bowl.

2:06 – The boys rate Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck, Niko Medved and Bob Motzko.

13:43 – Gophers men’s hoops prepare for conference play.

18:50 – Minnesota Gophers vs New Mexico in the Rate Bowl

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If you are a college football sicko well then this is the show for you! On this edition of Gophers 101 SKOR North’s Ross Brendel and Daniel House from gophersguru.com break down every college football bowl game and first round college football playoff matchup. The two breeze through every game but pause to dive a bit deeper into the Minnesota Gophers and New Mexico in the Rate Bowl. The two close with a look ahead at the future of the college football playoff and bowl season.

0:00 – Welcome Daniel House from gophersguru.com

2:40 – We start the madness of all 39 games.

31:05 – Minnesota Gophers and New Mexico in the Rate Bowl.

1:12:30 – The future of the CFP and bowl season

1:20:30 – P.J. Fleck to Michigan? 

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The Niko Medved era at Minnesota got off to a great Big Ten start as the Minnesota Gophers upset the #22 ranked Indiana Hoosiers on Wednesday night at the barn. What a fun night as the maroon and gold got it done with a total team effort from the starting five. What does is mean for the 2025/2026 Minnesota Gophers and might they be better than expected? Ross Brendel and Manny Hill break down a court storming victory!

0:00 – Minnesota Gophers upset Indiana Hoosiers!

5:15 – Total team win PLUS and opportunity for Isaac Asuma.

11:15 – Minnesota Gophers need multiple players to carry the team. Not just Cade Tyson.

15:30 – What are reasonable expectations for the Minnesota Gophers the rest of the season.

20:45 - We are happy for Niko Medved!

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The Minnesota Gophers retained Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the fourth time in five years this past Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium. Thor Nystrom and Ross Brendel give their HOTTEST TAKES on Minnesota Gophers football as we head into bowl season. Did the Minnesota Gophers overachieve in 2025 and is the Gopher football program a better program than the University of Wisconsin? Ross and Thor also look at Championship Saturday and look at the college football coaching carousel.

0:00 – Always fun to beat the Wisconsin Badgers!

4:05 – What a day for John Nestor on Saturday!

6:15 – Minnesota Gophers HOTTEST TAKES… Minnesota is a better program than Wisconsin and the Gophers overachieved in 2025.

14:35 – Is P.J. Fleck a victim of his own success at the University of Minnesota.

22:30 – How can Minnesota Gophers defense be better in 2026?

28:20 – College football coaching carousel.

41:50 – Championship weekend preview!

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Was it pretty? No. BUT the Minnesota Gophers and P.J. Fleck again beat the Wisconsin Badgers to claim Paul Bunyan's Axe for the fourth time in five years on Saturday. The Minnesota Gophers now await their bowl placement and opponent while Wisconsin limps to another offseason filled with uncertainty. What a day for John Nestor and the Minnesota Golden Gophers defense, especially after last Saturday against Northwestern. Ross Brendel and Manny Hill also touch briefly on Niko Medved's Gophers basketball team and the challenges they face ahead. 

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It’s rivalry week in college football which means the Minnesota Gophers and Wisconsin Badgers do battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe this Saturday. Will the Minnesota Gophers be able to retain the axe over the Badgers for the fourth time in five years? Or, will the Minnesota Gophers defense make Wisconsin’s struggling offense look like one of the best in college football? Ross Brendel and Thor Nystrom also preview the weekend ahead in college football and Ross highlights a Gopher in the pros!

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The Minnesota Gophers suffered a heartbreaking and annoying loss to Northwestern on Saturday mostly due to a horribly inept defense. Is the Minnesota Gophers problem on defense schematic or personnel? Does a change need to be made at Defensive Coordinator? Even if it does, do you trust P.J. Fleck to make that change? Ross Brendel and Manny Hill are getting “defensive” on today’s Gophers 101. Oh yeah, and naturally Wisconsin is coming to town feeling good about themselves while the Minnesota Gophers continue to have questions across the board.

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The Minnesota Gophers will attempt to win a road game for the first time this season in their last opportunity when they take on Northwestern at Wrigley Field. The experts have Northwestern as the favorite and rightfully so, but what are the Minnesota Gophers chances to win on the road this Saturday? Is the game a must win for the Gophers? Will the defense show up and help the maroon and gold grab the victory? Thor highlights a few Gophers in the pros with his weekly Thorfer but let’s Ross decide who the one and only Thorfer is. PLUS, per usual, a look around college football.

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