THE ESSENTIALS – MINNESOTA AT CALIFORNIA
Date/Time: Sept. 13, 2025 / 9:30 p.m. CT
Site: Berkeley, Calif.
Stadium: California Memorial Stadium
Surface: FieldTurf
Capacity: 52,428
Series Overall: Minnesota trails 2-4
Streak Overall: Minnesota lost 2
Series at California: Minnesota trails 1-2
Streak at California: Minnesota lost 1
First Meeting: Minnesota lost 55-14 in Berkeley (10/6/1951)
Last Meeting: Minnesota lost 35-21 in Minneapolis (9/19/2009)
Television: ESPN // Dave Flemming (PXP), Brock Osweiler (Analyst), Stormy Buonantony (Reporter)
Gopher Radio: KFAN FM 100.3 | SiriusXM: 138 or 196; SXM App // Mike Grimm (PXP), Darrell Thompson (Analyst), Justin Gaard (Reporter)
MIGHTY MAX MAKES DEBUT
Gopher reserve quarterback Max Shikenjanski of Stillwater made his college football debut in last week’s 66-0 win over Northwestern State. He threw for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown in an emotional game for him. MNN sports director Mike Grimm spoke to Max:
Max Shikenjanski
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. Winners of four straight, Minnesota (2-0) hits the road for the first time this season Saturday when it visits California (2-0) in P.J. Fleck’s 100th game as head coach of the Golden Gophers. Kickoff from California Memorial Stadium is set for 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network. It’ll be the Gophers’ first regular season game on ESPN since Sept. 16, 2023, at North Carolina. Each of the last two Gopher bowl games have been broadcasted on the network.
2. Minnesota is 61-67-9 all-time in road openers, including a 4-4 mark under head coach P.J. Fleck. Saturday will mark the third time in program history that the Golden Bears will serve as Minnesota’s road opener, also doing so in 1964 (a 26-20 win for the Gophers) and 1951 (a 55-14 victory for Cal).
3. The Golden Gophers enter Saturday’s game with the top-ranked defense in the country, allowing just 96.5 yards per game. For context, the next closest team is BYU at 106.0 yards per contest. In addition, Minnesota also leads the country in passing yards allowed (65.0 per game), first downs allowed per game (5.0) and defensive touchdowns scored (two). Other categories where the Gophers rank in the top 10 in the FBS include yards per play against (2nd at 2.38), rushing yards allowed (3rd with 31.5), fumbles recovered (3rd with 3), 3rd-down rate (5th at 14.3 percent), scoring defense (6th at 5.0 points) and turnovers gained (6th with five).
4. Minnesota rewrote the school record books in Saturday’s 66-0 win over Northwestern State, which was ended with 6:15 to play due to inclement weather. The 66 points scored matched the modern era school record set against Murray State in 2001, and it tied for the most points in any Gopher game since a 69-7 victory over North Dakota State in the 1937 season opener. The 66-point margin of victory, meanwhile, tied for the 10th best in school history and was the largest since an 81-0 win over Butler in 1926. Minnesota’s 59 first-half points marked their most in any half since at least 1977, while the Gophers scored 35 points in the first quarter, their most in any quarter since at least 1973. Northwestern State’s 42 yards of total offense and 37 plays run were the lowest by a Gopher opponent since at least 1960, while the Demons’ 1.1 yards per play and two first downs recorded were the lowest by a Gopher foe since at least 1965. In addition, the 23 passing yards by NSU is the lowest total in an FBS game this year and were the fewest by a Gopher opponent since Michigan State had 0 yards passing in 1979. Minnesota scored two defensive touchdowns in the contest on John Nestor’s pick-six and Matt Kingsbury’s scoop and score, which both came in the first quarter. It was the first time with two defensive touchdowns in a game since Tyrone Carter had two fumble return scores in the third quarter against Syracuse in 1996.
5. The 2025 campaign is the ninth for P.J. Fleck at Minnesota, making him the fifth-longest tenured coach in program history. His record stands at 60-39, putting him fifth in program history in overall wins and games coached (99), in addition to ranking fourth in Big Ten wins (34). Fleck’s .606 win percentage is third best among Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games under their helm behind only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, ’45-50). In his 13th season overall as a college head coach, Fleck is 90-61 (.596).
