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University of Minnesota Athletics
Game 4: Minnesota at Penn State
9/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
| Minnesota (3-0) at Penn State (2-2) | |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 |
| Time | 2:30 p.m. Central |
| Television | Big Ten Network |
| Radio | 100.3 KFAN | Gopher Radio Network |
| Internet | Listen Live | I Heart Radio App |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Penn State |
| Social Media | @GopherFootball | Facebook | Instagram |
FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Minnesota begins Big Ten play on Saturday as it heads to Penn State for its first road game of the season. Minnesota (15-5 in its last 20 road-openers) and Penn State have played for the Governor's Victory Bell since 2003, as the Gophers were the first Big Ten opponent to face Penn State when it joined the conference. Minnesota is 5-8 all-time against Penn State, but is in possession of the Governor's Victory Bell after a 24-10 home win in 2013. The series has been one of streaks, as Penn State won the first four games (1993, 1994, 1997 and 1998) between the teams. Minnesota then rattled off four straight wins (1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004) before Penn State again won four in a row (2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010). Minnesota last played at Penn State in 2009, which means that no current Gopher has played there.
2. The Gophers finished the non-conference slate of their schedule with a 3-0 record after beating Oregon State (first regular season win against a Pac-12 opponent since beating California 32-23 in 1987), Indiana State and Colorado State. Minnesota is 14-1 (loss was 23-17 to No. 2 TCU in 2015) in non-conference games at TCF Bank Stadium since the start of the 2012 season. Minnesota is also 21-10 at home during that span.
3. Minnesota scored 30 points against Oregon State, 58 versus Indiana State and 31 against Colorado State under new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson. It's the first time since 2008 (31 vs Northern Illinois, 42 at Bowling Green and 35 vs Montana State) that Minnesota has scored 30 or more points in each of its first three games of the season. Minnesota's 119 total points are also the most it has scored in the first three games of the season since it scored 143 combined points to start 2005 (41 at Tulsa, 56 vs Colorado State and 46 vs Florida Atlantic). Minnesota's 30 points against Oregon State were the most it scored in a non-conference game against a power five opponent since it scored 53 against Iowa State in 1997. In the eight qualifying games since, the most points Minnesota scored was 23 at Syracuse in 2009 in an overtime game. Minnesota's 58 points against Indiana State were the Gophers scored since piling up 63 against Indiana in 2006.
4. Minnesota will play five Big Ten road games (Penn State, Maryland, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin) this season, as conference play has expanded to nine games. This will be the first time in 33 years and just the fourth time in program history that the Gophers play five conference road games. They also did so in 1980, 1982 and 1983.
5. Minnesota has three senior captains this year in quarterback Mitch Leidner, safety Damarius Travis and linebacker Jack Lynn (junior tight end Brandon Lingen is also a captain). However, the Gophers only have 13 seniors/grad students on its roster. Those 13 represent the third smallest group in major college football (Kentucky 11, Penn State, Baylor 12). Of those 13, only three play on offense in Leidner (QB), Drew Wolitarsky (WR) and Jonah Pirsig (OL). Those three seniors are the fewest in major college football (Troy, Old Dominion, Florida and South Carolina have four).
