University of Minnesota Athletics

September 7, 2024 / 11am CT
Website: Minneapolis
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium
Surface: FieldLawn
Capacity: 50,805
Series total: First meeting
Total FCS vs. current FCS: Minnesota leads 61-4
Series vs. current FCS: Minnesota won 6
Last meeting against FCS: Minnesota won 62-10 against Western Illinois in Minneapolis (10.9.22)
TV: 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 (Technician)

FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. Minnesota (0-1) is looking for its first win of the season when it hosts Rhode Island (1-0) at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday morning. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and Peacock will stream the game. The game can also be heard on the Gopher Radio Network.

2. Minnesota will face an FCS team for the first time since a 2022 game against Western Illinois. Overall, the Golden Gophers have a 61-4 record against teams currently in the FCS, for an overall winning percentage of .938. The Gophers have won six straight games against FCS teams since defeating New Hampshire in 2012. During that winning streak, Minnesota has outscored FCS opponents 263-98, resulting in an average final score of 44-16.

3. Minnesota hands over the keys to the offense to the sixth-year quarterback Max Brosmer from the University of New Hampshire. Brosmer, a finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award and a second team All-American, completed 294 of 459 passes (64.1%) for 3,464 yards and 29 touchdowns with five interceptions last year, while also running 57 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns. He led the FCS in passing yards per game (313.55) and total offense per game (325.0). Brosmer finished his Wildcat career having completed 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 completed 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 now he has at least one interception in every year of his Gopher career. He returned the pick 70 yards, the longest interception return of his career and the longest for Minnesota since Coleman Bryson's 70-yard pick-six in the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl. Walley's return was the third-longest interception return in Huntington Bank Stadium history, bringing his career total of 136 yards and putting him just three yards away from joining Minnesota's career top-10 list, which dates back to 1965.

5. The 2024 season is the eighth for the head coach PJ Fleck at Minnesota, where his record is 50-35. He is fifth in program history for total wins, Big Ten wins (29) and games as coach (85). Fleck's .588 winning percentage is the third-best among Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games under their direction, with only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, '45-50) being better. In his 12th overall season as a college head coach, Fleck has a record of 80-57 (.584).

You can read Minnesota’s complete game notes here.