"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:

2015 Score Note

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

Kent State W, 10-7 Gophers couldn’t move the ball against the Golden Flashes.

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

 

2014 Score Note

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

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

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

 

2013 Score Note

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

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

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

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

 

2012 Score Note

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

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

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

 

2011 Score Note

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

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

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