THE ESSENTIALS
Date/Time: Sept. 7, 2024 / 11 a.m. CT
Site: Minneapolis
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium
Surface: FieldTurf
Capacity: 50,805
Series Overall: First Meeting
Overall vs. Current FCS: Minnesota leads 61-4
Streak vs. Current FCS: Minnesota won 6
Last Meeting vs. FCS: Minnesota won 62-10 vs. Western Illinois in Minneapolis (9/10/22)
Television: Peacock // Brendan Burke (PXP), Kyle Rudolph (Analyst), Caroline Pineda (Reporter)
Gopher Radio: KFAN FM 100.3 | SiriusXM: 160 of 196; SXM App // Mike Grimm (PXP), Darrell Thompson (Analyst), Justin Gaard (Reporter), Tanner Hoops (Host), Dan Rowbotham (Engineer)
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. Minnesota (0-1) looks for its first win of the season when it hosts Rhode Island (1-0) Saturday morning at Huntington Bank Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. with Peacock providing streaming coverage. The game can also be heard on the Gopher Radio Network.
2. Minnesota is facing an FCS team for the first time since a 2022 game against Western Illinois. Overall, the Golden Gophers are 61-4 against teams currently in the FCS, good for a .938 all-time win percentage. The Gophers have won six straight against FCS teams dating back to a 2012 victory over New Hampshire. During that win streak, Minnesota has outscored FCS foes 263-98, resulting in an average final score of 44-16.
3. Minnesota is handing the keys to the offense to sixth-year transfer quarterback Max Brosmer from the University of New Hampshire. A finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award and a Second Team All-American, Brosmer last year completed 294-of-459 passes (64.1%) for 3,464 yards and 29 touchdowns against five interceptions, while also rushing 57 times for 126 yards and three scores. He led the FCS in passing yards per game (313.55) and total offense per game (325.0). Brosmer finished his Wildcat career by completing 760-of-1,225 passes for 8,713 yards, 70 touchdowns, 25 interceptions, 191 rushes, 263 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. In the season opener against North Carolina, Brosmer was 13-of-21 for 165 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also scored a rushing touchdown.
4. Justin Walley had an interception in the second quarter against North Carolina. It was the sixth of his career, and he now has at least one INT in each year of his Gopher career. He returned the pick 70 yards, the longest INT return of his career and the longest for Minnesota since Coleman Bryson’s 70-yard pick-six in the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl. The third longest interception return in Huntington Bank Stadium history, Walley’s return brought his career interception yardage total to 136 yards, putting him three yards away from cracking Minnesota’s career top 10 list that dates back to 1965.
5. The 2024 campaign is the eighth for head coach P.J. Fleck at Minnesota, where his record is 50-35. He is fifth in program history for overall wins, Big Ten wins (29) and games coached (85). Fleck’s .588 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 12th season overall as a college head coach, Fleck is 80-57 (.584).
MARCUS MAJOR
New Gopher running back Marcus Major spoke with MNN sports director Mike Grimm:
Marcus Major
(info and photos courtesy of Gopher Sports)
