"Soft" opponent doesn't always mean an easy game for Gophers

When soft is hard

If you see "Indiana State" on the Gophers schedule and think "blowout," cool your jets. The Gophers of the Jerry Kill/Tracy Claeys Era have not throttled nonconference opponents from non-Power 5 conferences. The Gophers have just one loss in these early games the past five seasons (Kill's first season was 2011), but there have been several close calls:

2015ScoreNote

at Colorado St.W, 23-20 (OT)Mitch Leidner had to lead a comeback for OT victory.

Kent StateW, 10-7Gophers couldn't move the ball against the Golden Flashes.

OhioW, 27-24U needed a TD with 30 seconds remaining to win.

2014ScoreNote

E. Illinois*W, 42-20Defense shines; Gophers led 35-0 in second half.

Mid. Tenn.W, 35-24Gophers gave up 24 in second half but hung on.

San Jose St.W, 24-7Game was 10-7 Gophers in second quarter.

2013ScoreNote

UNLVW, 51-23Big number, but Gophers scored 21 in fourth to pull away.

at N. Mex. St.W, 44-21Gophers controlled most of the game, added 14 in fourth.

W. Illinois*W, 29-12In the fourth, Gophers scored 14 and shook loose.

San Jose St.W, 43-24Another 14 in the fourth to finally pull away.

2012ScoreNote

at UNLVW, 30-27 (3OT)Opener could not have been closer: three-OT thriller in Vegas.

New Hamp.*W, 44-7U put up 30 in first half in perhaps biggest blowout of this era.

W. MichiganW, 28-23Gophers had to hang on in close one, scored just seven in second half.

2011ScoreNote

New Mex. St.L, 28-21Kill's first home game: He had a sideline seizure, and U lost.

Miami (Oh.)W, 29-23Kill got his first W as Gophers scored 13 in the fourth.

N. Dak. St.*L, 37-24Bison bulldozed Gophers, scoring 28 second-quarter points.