For the first time in a decade, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3, 0-2) will take on the USC Trojans (3-1, 1-1). The Trojans, currently in the midst of their first year in the Big Ten will make the nearly 1,500 mile trip to Minneapolis this weekend for a primetime matchup that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
The Trojans are coming off a 38-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers, erasing a 21-10 halftime lead in order to pull out the victory. The win moved the Trojans record to 3-1 on the season and was a strong bounce back victory for Lincoln Riley's program who lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Michigan Wolverines one week earlier 27-24.
The Golden Gophers fell to 2-3 last weekend and 0-2 in Big Ten play following their own 27-24 loss to Michigan. It was the Gophers second-straight loss after losing to Iowa 31-14 one week earlier.
Below, you can find all the information needed for this weekend's matchup between the Gophers and Trojans.
When, Where, How to Watch:
WHEN: Saturday, October 5, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. CT
WHERE: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805)
TV: BTN // Guy Haberman (PXP), Yogi Roth (Analyst), Rhett Lewis (Reporter)
RADIO: KFAN FM 100.3 | Mike Grimm (PXP), Darrell Thompson (Analyst), Justin Gaard (Reporter)
SIRIUS XM: 385 | SXM APP
COACHING MATCHUP
Minnesota - P.J. Fleck (8th year at Minnesota ; 12th overall)
- Career Record: 82-57
- Record at Minnesota: 52-35
-- Career accolades: 2x MAC Coach of the Year (2014, 2016), MAC Champion (2016), Big Ten West champion (2019), Big Ten Coach of the Year (2019)
USC Trojans - Sherrone Moore (1st year at Michigan; 1st overall)
- Career Record: 77-19
- Record at USC: 22-9
- Career accolades: 4x Big 12 Champion, Broyles Award Winner (2015), Big 12 Coach of the Year (2018)
Series History
USC holds a 6-1-1 advantage all-time between the two programs and have won each of the last five matchups dating back to 1968.
Betting
Weather
While it will be a very warm October day with a high of 84 on Saturday, the temperatures will quickly dip into the 60s as kickoff approaches and could finish in the high 50s by the end of the game according to Accuweather. No precipitation is expected in the game. Wind speeds will be sustained around 15 mph throughout the game with gusts topping out around 30 mph.
GAME NOTES (COURTESY OF GOPHERSPORTS.COM)
All game notes courtesy of gophersports.com / Full game notes available, here.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. After hitting the road for the first time last week, Minnesota (2-3, 0-2 B1G) returns home Saturday for its initial Big Ten matchup with No. 11/15 USC (3-1, 1-1 B1G). Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with the game airing on Big Ten Network and the Gopher Radio Network. Saturday's contest be the first time the Gophers face one of the four new teams in the league.
2. The Gophers enter Saturday's game allowing just 96.8 passing yards per game, best in the FBS and best for Minnesota through five games since at least the 2000 season (see chart below). The next closest team this year is Iowa State at 102.5 yards per contest, while the next closest Big Ten program is Washington at 128.0 yards. No team has thrown for more than 117 yards this season against Minnesota. The Gophers limited Michigan to 86 yards passing, the second straight game they held an opponent under 100 yards passing after limiting Iowa to 62 on Sept. 21. The last time Minnesota held consecutive opponents under 100 yards passing came in 2021, while the 148 passing yards allowed over the last two games is the best for the team since at least 2000. More on the defense can be found on Page 7 of the notes.
3. True freshman Koi Perich has been electric in the return game so far this season. He's returned five punts for a total of 132 yards this season, which is already the most by a Gopher since Craig James had 139 in 2014, while Perich's current average of 26.4 yards per punt return would shatter the Gopher single-season record of 16.9 set by Paul Giel in 1953. Saturday at Michigan, Perich returned two punts for 82 yards, the most punt return yards by a player in eight years under P.J. Fleck. One of those returns was a 60-yarder that was Minnesota's longest since Demetrius Douglas had a 69-yard return for a TD at Wisconsin in 2018. Perich's return was the third longest of the Fleck era, and, in five career games, he's now got two of the five longest punt returns in the Fleck era including a 28-yarder against Rhode Island. Perich also has an interception on defense and is the team's primary kick return with six returns for 106 yards.
4. Minnesota is facing an AP Top-25 team for the second straight week as it takes on the 11th-ranked Trojans. The Gophers fell at No. 12 Michigan in Ann Arbor last week and also faced North Carolina and Iowa earlier this year, both of whom were receiving votes in the AP or Coaches Poll at the time of the game, and they account for all three Gopher losses. Minnesota faces top-12 teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since playing at both No. 1 Ohio State and No. 8 Iowa in November of 2015. USC has now been ranked for eight of the nine matchups all-time with the Gophers. The Gophers' last win over a team ranked 11th or better came against No. 9 Auburn in the 2020 Outback Bowl and the last such win at home was over No. 5 Penn State in 2019. Specifically against the No. 11 AP team, Minnesota is 2-4 all-time.
5. The 2024 campaign is the eighth for head coach P.J. Fleck at Minnesota, where his record stands at 52-37. He is fifth in program history for overall wins, Big Ten wins (29) and games coached (89). Fleck's .574 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 82-59 (.582).
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