Minnesota

Drake Lindsey's emergence as a proven starter anchors Minnesota's pursuit of fixing the Big Ten's worst rushing attack from a season ago. The Gophers' +3.8 JP+ rating lands them 40th nationally, with an offense grading at +1.3 (48th) that must overcome significant personnel turnover after losing running back Fame Ijeboi to Purdue and receivers Malachi Coleman (Wisconsin) and Kenric Lanier II (Missouri) through the portal. Minnesota countered by adding quarterback Michael Merdinger from Liberty (16.4 PPA), receiver Zion Steptoe from Tulsa (15.7 PPA), and Cincinnati wideout Noah Jennings (10.6 PPA) to reshape an offense that desperately needs ground-game improvement to complement Lindsey's development.

JP+ projects 6.0 wins for the Gophers, who managed 7-5 in 2025 despite their rushing struggles but face a schedule featuring road trips to Indiana, Washington, and Penn State. The defense remains stable with minimal departures, grading at +0.5 (58th nationally), while special teams rank a respectable 31st at +0.2 to provide consistent field position. If Lindsey takes another step forward and the rushing attack shows meaningful improvement with new personnel, Minnesota could push toward eight or nine wins. If the ground game remains stagnant and offensive continuity issues persist early, they'll struggle to match last year's seven-win mark.