Big Bear Nolan's Blog

PJ Fleck’s career with the Minnesota Gophers has always intrigued me. After Fleck’s Gopher team found its groove at the end of 2018 to make and win their first bowl game under Fleck. The Minnesota Gophers have become a relevant team. In 2019, it looked like it was the start of a dynasty for the Gophers under Fleck. A 10-2 season that included the upset over No. 4 Penn State and an Outback Bowl win over No. 12 Auburn got the Gophers a final ranking at No. 10 to end the 2019 season. Since then, the Gophers have been relevant and good for Gophers standards in recent history, but they haven’t really been overly exeptional. Some results for the Gophers since 2020 have shaped the PJ Fleck Gophers below.

Notable Gophers scores under Fleck since 2020:

• 2020
  • L 49-24 vs No. 18 Michigan
  • L 45-44 OT at Maryland
  • L 35-7 vs Iowa
  • W 24-17 at Nebraska
  • L 20-17 OT at Wisconsin
• 2021
  • L 45-31 vs No. 4 Ohio State
  • L 14-10 vs Bowling Green
  • W 20-13 at Purdue
  • W 30-23 vs Nebraska
  • L 14-6 vs Illinois
  • L 27-22 at No. 20 Iowa
  • W 23-13 vs No. 14 Wisconsin
    • Bowl win over West Virginia
• 2022
  • W 34-7 at Michigan State
  • L 20-10 vs Purdue
  • L 26-14 at No. 24 Illinois
  • L 45-17 at No. 16 Penn State
  • L 13-10 vs Iowa
  • W 23-16 at Wisconsin
    • Bowl win over Syracuse
• 2023
  • W 13-10 vs Nebraska
  • L 31-13 at No. 20 North Carolina
  • L 52-10 vs No. 2 Michigan
  • W 12-10 at No. 24 Iowa
  • L 49-30 at (2-7) Purdue
  • L 37-3 at No. 2 Ohio State
  • L 28-14 vs Wisconsin
    • Bowl win over Bowling green
• 2024
  • L 19-17 vs North Carolina
  • L 31-14 vs Iowa
  • L 27-24 at No. 12 Michigan
  • W 24-17 vs No. 11 USC
  • W 25-17 at No. 24 Illinois
  • L 26-19 at Rutgers
  • L 26-25 vs No. 4 Penn State
  • W 24-7 at Wisconsin
    • bowl win over Virginia Tech
• 2025
  • L 27-14 at Cal
  • W 31-28 vs Rutgers
  • L 42-3 at No. 1 Ohio State
  • W 24-6 vs No. 25 Nebraska
  • L 41-3 at Iowa

What is a common theme here, both a mix of consistency and inconsistency, perfectly mediocre. In years like 2024, you could argue that Minnesota was a play away from being in the mix for the CFP. They were a missed kick away from beating UNC, a controversial offsides away from beating Michigan and a play away from beating top five PSU. But while they have showed that they have had the ability to compete with the big boys, Minnesota also has the ability to get tripped up to a team that just doesn’t make sense on how they lost. Case in point, the 2021 upset to Bowling Green, or in a way last years loss at Rutgers. Fleck has brought a consistent streak of winning against rivals like Wisconsin and Nebraska, he also has brought the team a bowl winning streak dating back to 2018. However, Fleck’s Gophers has only one win against Iowa and they also haven’t made the a New Years Six Bowl Game either. Coming into 2025, with the talented young QB Drake Lindsey replacing one of the most underrated QB’s in CFB in Max Brosmer along with an easy home schedule. It looked like the Gophers could easily boast a 9-3 or 10-2 record. However, the issue is Minnesota not only has had a tough road schedule that included a Cal, Ohio State, Iowa, and Oregon. The Gophers have not even been close to competitive on the road in 2025, as they have been at their home (Huntington Bank Stadium). It is just another chapter describing Fleck’s tenure to the outside world. Mediocre.