Minnesota Golden Gophers
8-5 2025 record (5-4 conf)
Title odds (#45 board)
Win total (O +128)
53% Returning starter games
40th Hardest path of 138
Coaching
All coachesP.J. Fleck Head Coach · 10th year
66–44 At MINN
96–66 Career · 14 seasons
Multiple Offense
4-3 Defense
Returning production
| Unit | Ret games | Games | Depth | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skill offense | 50% | 34 / 68 | 7 / 15 | 71% |
| Offensive line | 60% | 39 / 65 | 8 / 13 | 57% |
| Defensive front | 58% | 52 / 90 | 13 / 21 | 75% |
| Secondary | 40% | 24 / 60 | 9 / 14 | 89% |
Back 39
Gone 27
Fame Ijeboi RB · 495 yds · 11g · to PUR 8%
New 12
Michael Merdinger QB · 378 yds · 5g · from LIB 
Zion Steptoe WR · 337 yds · 11g · from TLSA 
Noah Jennings WR · 323 yds · 13g · from CIN 
Perry Thompson WR · 154 yds · 12g · from AUB 
Kaden Helms TE · 35 yds · 10g · from OKLA 
TJ Bush Jr. DL · 20 havoc · 13g · from CAL 2025 Percentile vs FBS
Offense
Points per game 23.0 25
Explosive play rate 7.5% 1
Red zone TD rate 65.4% 27
Line yards per carry 2.0 15
Sack rate allowed 5.7% 57
Defense
Points allowed per game 22.9 63
Explosive rate allowed 11.5% 43
Red zone score rate allowed 88.6% 15
Line yards per carry allowed 1.9 88
Sack rate 9.5% 97
2025 Margin by Game
BUFF
NWST
CAL
RUTG
OSU
PUR
NEB
IOWA
MSU
ORE
NW
WIS
UNM
2026 schedule
40th-hardest path in FBS · 4 title-contender games · 5 road| W1 | Fri 12:00 AM | vs | Eastern Illinois Panthers | 8 | Peacock/NBCSN | ||
| W2 | Sat 7:30 PM | vs |  Mississippi State | 5-8 | 32 | CBS | |
| W3 | Sat 4:00 PM | vs |  Akron | 5-7 | 22 | BTN | |
| W4 | Sat 5:00 PM | @ |  Washington | 9-4 | 50 | ||
| W5 | Sat 5:00 PM | vs |  Michigan | 9-4 | 50 | ||
| W6 | Sat 5:00 PM | @ |  Purdue | 2-10 | 31 | ||
| W8 | Sat 5:00 PM | vs |  Iowa | 9-4 | 43 | ||
| W9 | Sat 5:00 PM | @ |  Indiana | 16-0 | 84 | ||
| W10 | Sat 6:00 PM | vs |  UCLA | 3-9 | 29 | ||
| W11 | Sat 6:00 PM | @ |  Penn State | 7-6 | 49 | ||
| W12 | Sat 6:00 PM | vs |  Northwestern | 7-6 | 35 | ||
| W13 | Sat 12:30 AM | @ |  Wisconsin | 4-8 | 38 | NBC/Peacock |
Depth chart
Transfer First year| Starter | 2nd | 3rd | |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB |  Drake Lindsey JR · #5 |  Max Shikenjanski SR · #6 | Michael Merdinger JR · #12 |
| RB |  Darius Taylor SR · #1 |  A.J. Turner 5TH · #2 |  TJ Thomas JR · #23 |
| WR-X |  Jalen Smith JR · #8 | Noah Jennings SR · #13 |  Bradley Martino SO · #7 |
| WR-Z | Perry Thompson JR · #3 |  Donielle Hayes SR · #18 | |
| WR-SL |  Javon Tracy 5TH · #11 | Zion Steptoe 5TH · #25 | |
| TE | Kaden Helms 5TH · #87 |  Pierce Walsh SR · #19 |  Julian Johnson JR · #82 |
| LT |  Nathan Roy JR · #50 |  Kaveon Lee SO · #60 | |
| LG |  Greg Johnson SR · #65 |  Jaden Ball JR · #58 | |
| C |  Ashton Beers 5TH · #78 |  Brett Carroll JR · #56 | |
| RG |  Tony Nelson 5TH · #59 |  Jerome Williams SR · #55 | |
| RT |  Bennett Warren JR · #68 |  Daniel Shipp SO · #51 |
Roster 113
| # | Player | Pos | Class | Ht | Wt | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |  Anthony Smith | DL | 5TH | 6'6" | 280 | Shippensburg, PA |
| 1 | Darius Taylor | RB | SR | 6'0" | 215 | Detroit, MI |
| 1 |  Jaxon Howard | DL | SR | 6'4" | 260 | Crystal, MN |
| 2 |  Emmanuel Karmo | LB | SO | 6'2" | 235 | Minneapolis, MN |
| 2 | A.J. Turner | RB | 5TH | 6'0" | 200 | Hampton, VA |
| 3 | TJ Bush Jr. | DL | SR | 6'3" | 265 | Woodbridge, VA |
| 3 | Perry Thompson | WR | JR | 6'3" | 220 | Foley, AL |
| 4 | Roman Voss | TE | FR | 6'4" | 235 | Lakefield, MN |
| 4 |  Zack Harden | DB | SO | 6'1" | 210 | Covington, GA |
| 5 |  Aydan West | DB | SO | 6'0" | 195 | Gaithersburg, MD |
| 5 | Drake Lindsey | QB | JR | 6'5" | 230 | Fayetteville, AR |
| 6 | Max Shikenjanski | QB | SR | 6'2" | 185 | Stillwater, MN |
| 6 |  Maverick Baranowski | LB | 5TH | 6'2" | 230 | Ponce Inlet, FL |
| 7 | Bradley Martino | WR | SO | 6'3" | 190 | Naples, FL |
| 7 |  Aidan Gousby | DB | 5TH | 6'0" | 190 | Lehigh Acres, FL |
| 8 |  Mike Gerald | DB | JR | 6'0" | 190 | Houston, TX |
| 8 | Jalen Smith | WR | JR | 6'1" | 210 | Mankato, MN |
| 9 |  Xavier Ford | RB | SO | 5'10" | 210 | Leesville, LA |
| 9 |  Garrison Monroe | DB | SR | 6'0" | 205 | Shakopee, MN |
| 11 | Javon Tracy | WR | 5TH | 6'0" | 205 | Indianapolis, IN |
| 11 |  Karter Menz | DL | SR | 6'5" | 240 | Horace, ND |
| 12 | Michael Merdinger | QB | JR | 6'1" | 205 | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| 13 | Noah Jennings | WR | SR | 6'0" | 190 | Columbia, SC |
| 13 |  Zahir Rainer | DB | JR | 5'9" | 190 | Richmond, VA |
| 14 | Dylan Wittke | QB | SR | 6'1" | 215 | Buford, GA |
| 14 |  Kerry Brown | DB | SR | 5'10" | 190 | Naples, FL |
| 15 | Owen Lansu | QB | FR | 6'1" | 195 | Downers Grove, IL |
| 15 |  Samuel Madu | DB | JR | 6'1" | 180 | Bronx, NY |
| 16 | Hudson Dunn | LB | FR | 6'0" | 220 | Peoria, AZ |
| 16 | Brady Palmer | QB | FR | 6'2" | 210 | San Diego, CA |
| 17 | Braiden Stevens | WR | FR | 5'8" | 170 | Platte City, MO |
| 17 |  John Nestor | DB | SR | 6'1" | 210 | Chicago, IL |
| 18 |  Rhyland Kelly | DB | 5TH | 6'1" | 200 | Winnipeg, MB, CAN |
| 18 | Donielle Hayes | WR | SR | 6'0" | 190 | Pensacola, FL |
| 19 |  Joey Gerlach | LB | 5TH | 6'3" | 225 | Woodbury, MN |
| 19 | Pierce Walsh | TE | SR | 6'4" | 250 | Downers Grove, IL |
| 20 | Ryan Estrada | RB | FR | 5'10" | 190 | El Paso, TX |
| 20 | Parker Knutson | DB | SR | 6'0" | 190 | Sartell, MN |
| 21 |  Naiim Parrish | DB | SO | 5'11" | 180 | Freehold, NJ |
| 21 |  Grant Washington | RB | SO | 5'10" | 205 | Avon, OH |
| 22 |  Mekhai Smith | DB | JR | 6'2" | 215 | Lower Merion, PA |
| 22 |  Jaron Thomas | RB | SO | 6'0" | 225 | Elkhart, IN |
| 23 | Lamont Hamilton | DB | FR | 5'10" | 170 | Racine, WI |
| 23 | TJ Thomas | RB | JR | 5'8" | 190 | Thomasville, GA |
| 24 | Chance Payne | DB | FR | 5'10" | 185 | Jefferson, GA |
| 25 | Zion Steptoe | WR | 5TH | 5'11" | 190 | Little Elm, TX |
| 25 | Justin Hopkins | DB | FR | 5'11" | 190 | Nashville, TN |
| 26 |  Elisha West | DB | JR | 5'10" | 195 | Germantown, MD |
| 26 | Zeke Bates | RB | FR | 6'0" | 220 | Haverford, PA |
| 27 |  Simon Seidl | DB | JR | 5'10" | 190 | Hugo, MN |
| 28 | Niko Castillo | RB | FR | 6'1" | 235 | Schuylkill Haven, PA |
| 28 | Trason Richardson | DB | FR | 6'0" | 190 | Houston, TX |
| 29 |  Andrew Marshall | LB | SR | 6'2" | 235 | Carroll, OH |
| 31 | Jordan Lampkins | DB | FR | 6'0" | 190 | Germantown, MD |
| 32 | Angel Luciano | LB | FR | 6'1" | 210 | Steelton, PA |
| 33 |  Rhett Hlavacka | DL | SO | 6'5" | 260 | Fond du Lac, WI |
| 35 |  Nate Cleveland | LB | SO | 6'2" | 225 | Hoffman Estates, IL |
| 36 | Tavian White | DB | FR | 5'11" | 180 | Waukee, IA |
| 36 |  Daniel Jackson | K | SO | 5'10" | 175 | Alexandria, MN |
| 37 |  Zachary Robbins | P | SO | 6'3" | 220 | Santaquin, UT |
| 41 | Anthony Charles | DL | FR | 6'5" | 210 | Pittsburgh, PA |
| 42 |  Tom Weston | P | SR | 6'3" | 220 | Perth,, AUS |
| 43 |  Jakob Lutz | LS | SO | 6'0" | 205 | Peachtree City, GA |
| 44 | George Rohl | TE | FR | 6'6" | 245 | Ellsworth, WI |
| 44 |  Ethan Stendel | LB | SO | 6'3" | 240 | Caledonia, MN |
| 45 |  Sam Macy | DL | JR | 6'5" | 250 | Chanhassen, MN |
| 46 |  Mason Carrier | LB | JR | 6'3" | 235 | Detroit Lakes, MN |
| 47 |  Enoch Atewogbola | DL | SO | 6'4" | 255 | Avon, IN |
| 48 | Aaden Aytch | DL | FR | 6'3" | 240 | Lafayette, IN |
| 49 |  Matt Kingsbury | LB | SR | 6'3" | 235 | Chicago, IL |
| 50 | Nathan Roy | OL | JR | 6'5" | 305 | Mukwonago, WI |
| 51 | Daniel Shipp | OL | SO | 6'5" | 295 | Eastvale, CA |
| 55 |  Jaylin Hicks | DL | JR | 6'3" | 270 | Harlem, NY |
| 55 | Jerome Williams | OL | SR | 6'4" | 325 | Osseo, MN |
| 56 |  Jay'Quan Stubbs | DL | SO | 6'4" | 285 | Cleveland, OH |
| 56 | Brett Carroll | OL | JR | 6'5" | 320 | Olathe, KS |
| 57 | Aaron Thomas | OL | FR | 6'6" | 300 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 58 | Jaden Ball | OL | JR | 6'5" | 310 | Carroll, OH |
| 59 | Tony Nelson | OL | 5TH | 6'6" | 325 | Tracy, MN |
| 60 | Kaveon Lee | OL | SO | 6'5" | 320 | Chicago, IL |
| 65 | Greg Johnson | OL | SR | 6'6" | 325 | Prior Lake, MN |
| 66 | Beckett Schreiber | OL | FR | 6'5" | 295 | Madison, WI |
| 68 | Bennett Warren | OL | JR | 6'7" | 300 | Houston, TX |
| 69 | Gavin Meier | OL | FR | 6'5" | 305 | Janesville, WI |
| 70 | Naquan Crowder | DL | SR | 6'2" | 330 | Aliquippa, PA |
| 71 | Lucas Tielsch | OL | FR | 6'7" | 320 | Copley, OH |
| 75 |  Mark Handy | OL | SO | 6'7" | 320 | Albuquerque, NM |
| 77 |  Nick Spence | OL | SO | 6'6" | 300 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 78 | Ashton Beers | OL | 5TH | 6'6" | 320 | Slinger, WI |
| 79 | Andrew Trout | OL | FR | 6'7" | 300 | Cold Spring, MN |
| 80 |  Alan Soukup | LS | JR | 6'1" | 210 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 81 | Josiah Dozier | WR | FR | 6'1" | 190 | Moody, AL |
| 82 | Julian Johnson | TE | JR | 6'6" | 260 | Aurora, IL |
| 83 |  Sam Peters | TE | SR | 6'4" | 250 | Maple Grove, MN |
| 84 | Hayden Moore | WR | FR | 6'1" | 205 | Gainesville, FL |
| 85 | Rico Blassingame | WR | FR | 6'1" | 185 | Auburn, WA |
| 86 | Gabe Weaver | TE | FR | 6'5" | 240 | St. Louis, MO |
| 87 | Kaden Helms | TE | 5TH | 6'4" | 240 | Bellevue, NE |
| 88 | Josiah Anyansi | DL | FR | 6'3" | 260 | Atlanta, GA |
| 88 |  Jacob Simpson | TE | JR | 6'4" | 245 | Johnston, IA |
| 89 | Quayd Hendryx | WR | FR | 5'11" | 180 | Burlington Township, NJ |
| 90 |  Xion Chapman | DL | SR | 6'3" | 305 | Allentown, PA |
| 91 | Howie Johnson | DL | FR | 6'3" | 300 | Forest Lake, MN |
| 92 |  Beckham Sunderland | K | SR | 6'2" | 215 | Newport, KY |
| 92 |  Sid Kaba | DL | SR | 6'2" | 305 | Columbus, OH |
| 93 |  Riley Sunram | DL | JR | 6'5" | 305 | Kindred, ND |
| 94 |  Mo Saine | DL | JR | 6'4" | 275 | Eden Prairie, MN |
| 95 |  Colin Hansen | DL | SO | 6'7" | 265 | Byron, MN |
| 96 |  Abu Tarawallie | DL | SO | 6'3" | 290 | New Hope, MN |
| 97 | Jeremiah Benson | DL | FR | 6'3" | 280 | Detroit, MI |
| 98 |  Adam Kissayi | DL | JR | 6'8" | 255 | Palm Bay, FL |
| 99 |  Theorin Randle | DL | SR | 6'2" | 300 | Houston, TX |
| Luke Drzewiecki | K | SR | 6'0" | 186 | Shelby Township, MI |