Underdog Gophers with One Big Edge on No. 4 PSU

 

Temperatures will be in the 30s when the Golden Gophers play their final home game of the season Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium against No. 4 ranked Penn State.  The cold fact is the Nittany Lions are expected to win by at least 12 points.

Minnesota’s record is 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten games.  PSU is 9-1 and 6-1.

The Nittany Lions roster is stacked with stud players, and it shows in their team statistics. PSU ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten in total offense per game, No. 3 in defense.

Minnesota is No. 14 and No. 5 in the 18-team Big Ten.

If you’re a Gopher fan looking for optimism while anticipating what could be a dreary November day for both weather and results on the field, then consider one factor where Minnesota has an edge.  The Gophers are coming off a bye week and the benefits that offers.

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer offered a perspective on not having played a game since the November 9 loss to Rutgers on the road.  “Playing Big Ten football is no joke.  I think anybody can see that; where your body is getting worn down week in and week out. … (With the bye) getting in the weight room.  Getting in the treatment room, spending as much time with your body as you can.  But also, just decompressing for a second.”

Brosmer, playing his first and only season for the Gophers after transferring from FCS New Hampshire, has been a head-turner for the program. His 67.1 completion percentage is on track to set single season and career records for Minnesota. With a passer grade of 86.5 from Pro Football Focus, he ranks No. 11 among FBS quarterbacks.

Another playmaker Minnesota will count on Saturday attempting to pull off a huge upset is running back Darius Taylor.  His numbers include ranking third in the Big Ten in total touchdowns with 11.  An elite runner out of the backfield and pass receiver in space, he ranks sixth in Big Ten all-purpose yards per game with 109.33 and points, 7.3.

Taylor has not been 100 percent physically in recent games.  Brosmer was asked how his teammate looked during the schedule bye.  “He’s moving great.  He’s a healthy Darius.  I am excited to see him run Saturday.”

The other benefit of the bye week is coaches have the opportunity to self-evaluate and extra time to prepare for the opponent.  Regarding the former, Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said: “(Opportunity to)…look at what we need to improve on. I think we achieved that.”

The Gophers had a bye in the schedule after an October 12 win at UCLA.  Two weeks later playing at home, Minnesota took it to Maryland with an impressive 48-23 victory over the Terps.  The 25-point margin of victory is the largest for Minnesota in Big Ten play this season.

Penn State has had two byes, with the first coming only two games into the season.  The second was between October 12 and 26. Since then the Nittany Lions have played four consecutive games including a rugged 13-10 loss to No. 2 ranked Ohio State.

Conclusion? The Gophers should be the better rested, healthier and more prepared team.

The winner of Saturday’s game will take home the Governor’s Victory Bell.  It’s the most recent of Minnesota’s rivalry trophies having begun in 1993 with the initiative of Pennsylvania acting governor Mark Singel and Minnesota’s Arne Carlson.  The latter has long been a Gopher football fan and first followed the program back in its glory days long ago.

The Gophers have four active trophy games including Floyd of Rosedale with Iowa, the Little Brown Jug, Michigan; and Paul Bunyan’s Axe, Wisconsin.  That’s more than any other college football program in the country.

Minnesota, which claims seven national titles, has a glorious past with its many successes and rivalries.  The Gophers hope to add a chapter Saturday and say “bye, bye” to the Nittany Lions.

PERICH, OTHR U ATHLETES CONNECT ON  NIL WITH EX-GOPHER 

KLN Family Brands is a Minnesota-based company now developing ties with University of Minnesota athletes including freshman football star Koi Perich.  The company has Name, Image and Likeness deals with Perich, and women’s basketball player Mara Braun, gymnast Mya Hooten and baseball player Noah Rooney.

KLN’s CEO is former Golden Gopher baseball outfielder Charlie Nelson who set the school record for career stolen bases with 93 about 30 years ago.  “I am a Gopher.  Always will be,” Nelson said in expressing his passion for the University of Minnesota.

Nelson’s company is making an initial entry into NIL partnerships, with work led by Patrick Klinger’s Agile Marketing company in St. Paul.  The athletes promote KLN products but there’s more to it than that.  They learn about giving back to community causes, something that is a core value at KLN.  The way Nelson phrases it is “trying to create a philanthropic mindset.”

“It’s been a nice thing thus far,” Nelson said about working with the four athletes.  “It’s small deals but I think it means something to them, and it means something to us.”

Perich is a Big Ten leader in interceptions and punt returns, and he has earned national recognition early in his career as first-year player.  He is promoting KLN’s NutriSource Pet Foods and the “B.A.R.K. Buddies” Facility Dog Program at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital and Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain. He visited the hospital Monday where he interacted with patients and learned more about the program that uses trained facility dogs to help calm children during their hospital stays.

Braun has endorsed KLN’s Spot Dog Training facility in Rockford. Among the services is training dogs to go home with military vets and enhance their well-being.

In addition to NutriSource, Gopher athletes are endorsing two other KLN consumer brands: Sweet Chaos Popcorn and Wiley Wallaby Licorice.   “They’re all excited to represent us,” Nelson said about the athletes.  “I think they appreciate that we’re giving back to organizations like Masonic.”

Perich is the headliner among the four athletes because of his performance and the notoriety of football.  His deal with KLN, which includes using social media for promotion, goes until February 1 but could extend further.

“Honestly, I think it’s kind of a little bit of see how it goes,” Nelson said. “But so far, so good. He seems like a good young man, and he’s embraced our initiatives, and that’s a big part of it for us.”

What also could be on the horizon for KLN is hooking up with students at the U who aren’t athletes.  Nelson is interested in exploring other young people and their endeavors. “We don’t think NIL deals should only be specific to student-athletes,” he said.

It doesn’t take long for a listener to understand Nelson cares about people in a variety of ways including providing quality products and creating jobs.  He’s proud that NutriSource buys ingredients from local farmers and growers. And that the NutriSource product focuses on providing all-important gut health to the dogs and cats who consume it. NutriSource is made in Perham while canned wet pet food, along with treats for dogs and cats, is produced in Delano.

Nelson played for legendary baseball coach John Anderson who retired earlier this year. At Perham High School he participated in baseball, basketball, football, and track and field.  “I had a busy letterman’s jacket,” he quipped.

Nelson said he had some “growing up” to do after he arrived at the U.  He credited Anderson for being a major influence on him.

That contributed to his loyalty to Gopher baseball, other sports at the U and how he feels about the state.  “Minnesota will always be home,’” he said.