Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (2-3) at NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (2-4)
When: Saturday, December 12 | 11:00 AM (CT)
Where: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: FOX Sports 1 (Eric Collins, Ben Leber)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Online Audio: Huskers.com | TuneIn.com/Huskers | Huskers App | TuneIn App
Satellite Audio: Sirius (Ch. 108) | XM (Ch. 196)
This Week's Numbers
17 - Nebraska will have 17 seniors who will be honored during pre-game festivities on Saturday. The group includes 10 players who have been in the Nebraska program for five or more seasons. The 17 honorees have made a combined 246 starts in their Husker careers.
85 - Nebraska held Purdue to -2 rushing yards in last Saturday's victory. The defensive effort marked the first time in 85 games the Blackshirts held an opponent to negative rushing yards. Michigan had -21 rushing yards on Nov. 9, 2013. The effort vs. Purdue marked the 22nd time in school history Nebraska has held an opponent to negative rushing yards.
9 - Place-kicker Connor Culp has made nine consecutive field goals heading into the Minnesota game. Culp has made 12-of-13 field goals this season and is perfect on 14 PAT attempts. He made a career-long 49-yard field goal at Purdue. Culp is tied for the national lead in field goals per game at 2.0 per contest.
Nebraska
Record: (2-4)
Last Game: at Purdue (W 37-27)
Streak: W1
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Scott Frost
- (11-19) 3rd year at Nebraska
- (30-26) 5th year overall
Record vs. Minnesota: (1-1)
Minnesota
Record: (2-3)
Last Game: vs. Purdue (W 34-31)
Streak: W1
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck
- (25-18) 4th year at Minnesota
- (55-40) 8th year overall
Record vs. Nebraska: (2-1)
The Matchup
Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium to complete its regularly scheduled 2020 contests this Saturday when the Huskers play host to Big Ten West foe Minnesota. Game time at Memorial Stadium is set for 11 a.m. with television coverage provided by FS1. Saturday's game will mark the latest home game in the 131-year history of Nebraska football.
Nebraska comes into the matchup with Minnesota carrying a 2-4 record following a 37-27 road victory over Purdue on Saturday. The Huskers jumped to a 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game and made timely plays in all three phases of the game to hold on for the 10-point victory.
The Huskers will look to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season on Saturday. Nebraska last won consecutive games in weeks 3 and 4 of the 2019 season when the Huskers defeated Northern Illinois and Illinois.
Minnesota will bring a 2-3 record to Lincoln and the contest will be the Gophers' first game in 22 days. Minnesota defeated Purdue, 34-31, in Minneapolis on Nov. 20, but had its next two games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Coach P.J. Fleck's team has one of the Big Ten's most explosive and balanced offenses, averaging better than 400 yards per game. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim is among the nation's rushing leaders, averaging 163.4 yards per game, while scoring 13 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Tanner Morgan is one of the Big Ten's most experienced quarterbacks and leads an efficient passing game.
Series History
Saturday's game will mark the 61st all-time meeting between Nebraska and Minnesota. The Golden Gophers hold a 33-25-2 edge in the all-time series between the two schools. The Huskers own a 12-9 advantage in Lincoln, including an 11-8 mark at Memorial Stadium.
- Nebraska holds a 5-4 advantage over the Gophers since joining the Big Ten Conference. The Huskers' most recent win in the series in 2018 marked the first Nebraska victory for head coach Scott Frost.
- Nebraska has played Minnesota more than any other Big Ten opponent. The schools met 51 times before Nebraska joined the Big Ten, including 19 straight seasons from 1934 to 1952. NU also played Minnesota eight straight years from 1967 to 1974. Saturday's matchup marks the 10th consecutive meeting between the programs as conference foes.
- Nebraska won 16 straight games in the series between 1963 and 2012, before a Minnesota victory in 2013.
1900 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 12 (Lincoln)
1901 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1902 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1904 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 12 (Minneapolis)
1905 - Minnesota 35, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1906 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1907 - Minnesota 8, Nebraska 5 (Minneapolis)
1908 - Nebraska 0, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1909 - Minnesota 14, Nebraska 0 (Omaha)
1910 - Minnesota 27, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1911 - Minnesota 21, Nebraska 3 (Minneapolis)
1912 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1913 - Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1919 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 6 (Minneapolis)
1932 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1934 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1935 - Minnesota 12, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1936 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1937 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 9 (Lincoln)
1938 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1939 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1940 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1941 - #2 Minnesota 9, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1942 - #14 Minnesota 15, Nebraska 2 (Lincoln)
1943 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1944 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1945 - Minnesota 61, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1946 - Minnesota 33, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1947 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
1948 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 13 (Minneapolis)
1949 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 6 (Lincoln)
1950 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 26 (Minneapolis)
1951 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 20 (Minneapolis)
1952- Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1954 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1959 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 12 (Minneapolis)
1960 - Minnesota 26, #12 Nebraska 14 (Lincoln)
1963 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1964 - Nebraska 26, Minnesota 21 (Minneapolis)
1967 - #7 Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1968 - #9 Nebraska 17, #17 Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1969 - Nebraska 42, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1970 - #6 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 10 (Minneapolis)
1971 - #1 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1972 - #7 Nebraska 49, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1973 - #2 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1974 - #6 Nebraska 54, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1983 - #1 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 13 (Minneapolis)
1984 - #1 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1989 - #3 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1990 - #8 Nebraska 56, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
-----------------------BIG TEN------------------------
2011 - #13 Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012 - #16 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014 - Minnesota 28, #21 Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015 - Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016 - #21 Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
2018 - Nebraska 53, Minnesota 28 (Lincoln)
2019 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
Nebraska Set for December Football
Saturday's game will be the second of three consecutive December Saturdays that Nebraska is scheduled to play to conclude the 2020 season. The stretch began last Saturday at Purdue and will conclude with a Champions Week crossover game with a Big Ten East Division foe on December 19.
- The December 12 matchup with Minnesota this weekend is the latest home game in school history
- The December games mark Nebraska's first December regular season games since a matchup with Kansas State in the Tokyo Bowl on Dec. 5, 1992
- Since that 1992 game, Nebraska's only December contests had been conference championship games (6 times) or bowl games (11 times).
- Before last Saturday's game at Purdue, the last time Nebraska played a December game at home or on an opponent's home field was a Dec. 4, 1982 game at Hawaii
Husker Seniors to be Honored
Saturday's game will mark the final scheduled home game of the 2020 season. Before Saturday's game Nebraska will recognize 17 members of the senior class. The 2020 seniors could return for the 2021 season due to NCAA eligibility relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ten of the 17 players being honored have been in the program for at least five seasons.
- The group has 246 starts at Nebraska, led by offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes (39) and Matt Farniok (34). Dicaprio Bootle leads the Blackshirt seniors with 31 career starts, while tight end Jack Stoll (25), offensive guard Boe Wilson (23) and defensive end Ben Stille (20) also have 20 or more career starts
2020 Nebraska Seniors
Dicaprio Bootle (CB - Miami, FL)
Jared Bubak (TE - Lincoln, NE)
Ty Chaffin (WR - Burwell, NE)
Marquel Dismuke (S - Compton, CA)
JoJo Domann (LB - Colorado Springs, CO)
Levi Falck (WR - Circle Pines, MN)
Matt Farniok (OG - Sioux Falls, SD)
Christian Gaylord (OT - Baldwin City, KS)
Will Honas (LB - Wichita, KS)
Brenden Jaimes (OT - Austin, TX)
Collin Miller (LB - Fishers, IN)
Dedrick Mills (RB - Waycross, GA)
Brian Perez (TE - Hartley, IA)
Ben Stille (DE - Ashland, NE)
Jack Stoll (TE - Lone Tree, CO)
Deontai Williams (S - Jacksonville, FL)
Boe Wilson (OG - Lee's Summit, MO)
About Minnesota
Minnesota was one of the top programs in the early decades of college football. The Golden Gophers have posted 14 undefeated seasons, all before 1942. Minnesota claims seven national championships (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941 an 1960) with its most recent in 1960. Minnesota has won 18 Big Ten titles, most recently in 1967. In addition to appearing in 21 bowl games, Minnesota also sports one Heisman Trophy winner in program history (halfback Bruce Smith, 1941).
Nebraska has played more games against Minnesota than any other Big Ten opponent. The Huskers were just 6-29-2 against the Gophers prior to 1960, with Minnesota handing Nebraska its only loss of the season in 1900, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1932 and its only loss of the regular season in 1940.
First Year: 1882
All-Time Record: 707-528-44
Bowl Record: 9-12
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Enrollment: 47,568
About 2020 Minnesota Football
Schedue
Michigan (L 24-49)
at Maryland (L 44-45 OT)
at Illinois (W 41-14)
Cockeye (L 7-35)
Purdue (W 34-31)
at Wisconsin (Canceled)
Northwestern (Canceled)
at Nebraska
Minnesota's last two contests have been canceled for COVID-19 related reasons. The Golden Gophers haven't played since Nov. 20 when they beat Purdue 34-31.
Mohamed Ibrahim leads the Minnesota offense. He has 817 rushing yards and 13 of the team's 17 rushing touchdowns on the season. He's averaging 163 rushing yards per game and more than five yards per carry. He also has eight catches for 56 yards.
Quarterback Tanner Morgan is 76-for-128 through the air with 1,033 yards and four touchdowns. His top target was Rashod Bateman who had 472 yards and two touchdowns before opting out of the the season a couple of weeks ago. Chris Autman-Bell will likely move into that top receiver role with Bateman's absence. Autman-Bell has 315 receiving yards and one touchdown. Minnesota will need other targets to step up as Bateman and Autman-Bell were the only two receivers with more than 57 receiving yards this season.
On defense, Tyler Nubin and Mariano Sori-Marin both have a team-high 29 tackles. Boye Mafe has 3.5 sacks, which leads the team and is adding 16 tackles on the season.
About P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck was named head football coach at Minnesota on January 6, 2017. Fleck, age 40, is the 30th head coach in program history. He has a career record of 53-37 and is 23-15 at Minnesota.
In 2019, Fleck led Minnesota to new heights as the Gophers won 11 games for the first time since 1904. Minnesota also won seven Big Ten games for the first time in school history, beat two top-10 teams, won a Jan. 1 bowl game and ended the season ranked No. 10.
Fleck was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year by his fellow conference head coaches and was named AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for the George Munger Award, Dodd Trophy, Eddie Robinson Award, Bear Bryant Award and AFCA National Coach of the Year. The Gophers ascended to No. 7 in the AP Poll, which was the team's highest ranking since it was No. 5 on Nov. 19, 1962. Minnesota was also ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings, which is the highest CFP ranking in school history.
Fleck played wide receiver at Northern Illinois from 1999 through 2003 and spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He began his coaching career in 2006 as an assistant at Ohio State and then spent time as an assistant at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL in 2012 as a receivers coach. In 2013 Fleck was named head coach at Western Michigan, a job he held through 2016. Fleck was 30-22 with the Broncos, including a 13-1 season in 2016 when he led the team to an undefeated regular season and a 24-16 loss to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl.
Last Meeting: October 12, 2019
Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7
MINNEAPOLIS - Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks and Mo Ibrahim took turns helping Minnesota overpower Nebraska to stay undefeated with a 34-7 victory on Saturday night on the strength of 322 yards rushing in the second-coldest October game in the 11-season history of TCF Bank Stadium.
"We prepare for this all the time," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. "We love our weather, and we think it's an advantage."
The kickoff temperature was 37 degrees with gusty wind and a rain-snow mix, so the Gophers turned their senior tailbacks Smith and Brooks loose with a solid dose of the powerful sophomore Ibrahim as well. This was the first time all three players were healthy for the same game.
"All three of us out there is tough for defenses, and we know that," Smith said. "We have three different running styles, and we have fresh bodies rolling in."
Smith ran for 139 yards and a touchdown, Brooks rushed for 99 yards, Ibrahim had 84 yards and three touchdowns, and the Gophers (6-0, 3-0) stayed in a tie for first place in the Big Ten West Division with rival Wisconsin behind an all-around performance that had the Huskers (4-3, 2-2) on their heels all evening. Minnesota's last 6-0 start was in 2003, and the eight-game winning streak including the last two contests of last season is the longest for the program since 1948-49.
With Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez sidelined by a left knee injury, Noah Vedral took over for his first career start and was under pressure often. He went 14 for 23 for 135 yards and rushed 15 times for 49 yards, but the Gophers had four sacks and kept the Huskers from scoring until early in the fourth quarter. Leading receiver Wan'Dale Robinson left on a cart with an injury to his lower left leg in the second quarter, one of an endless string of setbacks for the Huskers.
"I thought we had a team that was ready to play," Nebraska coach Scott Frost said. "We got pushed around on both sides of the ball."
After a well-covered Maurice Washington dropped a fourth-and-2 pass by a heavily pressured Vedral from the 29 on the opening drive, the Gophers went the other way in five plays and 71 yards to score on a 15-yard tunnel screen pass from Tanner Morgan to Chris Autman-Bell.
Vedral found JD Spielman wide open off a crossing route for a 51-yard gain on the following possession to reach the 26, but then he was sacked on back-to-back plays. Still with a prime opportunity to tie the game on their next series, Robinson scampered down the sideline on a run that ended inside the 5 on the first play of the second quarter, but fellow wide receiver Kanawai Noa wiped that out with an illegal block on the second.
On the first play of the third quarter, Morgan froze the Huskers with a hard run fake and found Tyler Johnson wide open for 45 yards to set up Ibrahim's second touchdown. On third-and-44 at their 44, trailing 21-0, the Huskers tried a fake punt, but tight end Austin Allen was stopped short after taking the snap. With a three-score lead, the Gophers just kept on running.
Minnesota outgained Nebraska in total offense 450 yards (128 pass, 322 rush) to 299 yards (148 pass, 151 rush). There were no turnovers in the contest. Minnesota held an advantage in time of possession at 32:47 to 27:13.
Tanner Morgan was 8-of-13 passing for 128 yards with 1 TD. Rodney Smith ran 18 times for 139 yards and a TD, Shannon Brooks added 13 carries for 99 yards and Mohamed Ibrahim carried 15 times for 84 yards and 3 TDs. Tyler Johnson was the leading Minnesota receiver with five catches for 109 yards. Chris Autman-Bell had one catch for 15 yards and a TD.
For Nebraska, Noah Vedral was 14-of-23 for 135 yards and rushed 15 times for 49 yards. Andrew Bunch was 1-of-16 for 13 yards. Brody Belt was the second leading rusher for NU with 4 carries for 29 yards. Other rushers for Nebraska were Dedrick Mills (9 car, 28 yds, 1 TD), Wan'Dale Robinson (6 car, 24 yds), Maurice Washington (6 car, 20 yds), and Austin Allen (1 car, 2 yds).
JD Spielman was the leading Husker receiver with three catches for 59 yards. Others included Kade Warner (3 rec, 38 yds), Jack Stoll (4 rec, 18 yds), Dedrick Mills (1 rec, 13 yds), Wan'Dale Robinson (2 rec, 10 yds), Maurice Washington (1 rec 5 yds) and Jaron Woodyard (1 rec, 5 yds).
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (2-3) at NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (2-4)
When: Saturday, December 12 | 11:00 AM (CT)
Where: Memorial Stadium | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: FOX Sports 1 (Eric Collins, Ben Leber)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Online Audio: Huskers.com | TuneIn.com/Huskers | Huskers App | TuneIn App
Satellite Audio: Sirius (Ch. 108) | XM (Ch. 196)
This Week's Numbers
17 - Nebraska will have 17 seniors who will be honored during pre-game festivities on Saturday. The group includes 10 players who have been in the Nebraska program for five or more seasons. The 17 honorees have made a combined 246 starts in their Husker careers.
85 - Nebraska held Purdue to -2 rushing yards in last Saturday's victory. The defensive effort marked the first time in 85 games the Blackshirts held an opponent to negative rushing yards. Michigan had -21 rushing yards on Nov. 9, 2013. The effort vs. Purdue marked the 22nd time in school history Nebraska has held an opponent to negative rushing yards.
9 - Place-kicker Connor Culp has made nine consecutive field goals heading into the Minnesota game. Culp has made 12-of-13 field goals this season and is perfect on 14 PAT attempts. He made a career-long 49-yard field goal at Purdue. Culp is tied for the national lead in field goals per game at 2.0 per contest.
Nebraska
Record: (2-4)
Last Game: at Purdue (W 37-27)
Streak: W1
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Scott Frost
- (11-19) 3rd year at Nebraska
- (30-26) 5th year overall
Record vs. Minnesota: (1-1)
Minnesota
Record: (2-3)
Last Game: vs. Purdue (W 34-31)
Streak: W1
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck
- (25-18) 4th year at Minnesota
- (55-40) 8th year overall
Record vs. Nebraska: (2-1)
The Matchup
Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium to complete its regularly scheduled 2020 contests this Saturday when the Huskers play host to Big Ten West foe Minnesota. Game time at Memorial Stadium is set for 11 a.m. with television coverage provided by FS1. Saturday's game will mark the latest home game in the 131-year history of Nebraska football.
Nebraska comes into the matchup with Minnesota carrying a 2-4 record following a 37-27 road victory over Purdue on Saturday. The Huskers jumped to a 17-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game and made timely plays in all three phases of the game to hold on for the 10-point victory.
The Huskers will look to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season on Saturday. Nebraska last won consecutive games in weeks 3 and 4 of the 2019 season when the Huskers defeated Northern Illinois and Illinois.
Minnesota will bring a 2-3 record to Lincoln and the contest will be the Gophers' first game in 22 days. Minnesota defeated Purdue, 34-31, in Minneapolis on Nov. 20, but had its next two games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Coach P.J. Fleck's team has one of the Big Ten's most explosive and balanced offenses, averaging better than 400 yards per game. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim is among the nation's rushing leaders, averaging 163.4 yards per game, while scoring 13 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Tanner Morgan is one of the Big Ten's most experienced quarterbacks and leads an efficient passing game.
Series History
Saturday's game will mark the 61st all-time meeting between Nebraska and Minnesota. The Golden Gophers hold a 33-25-2 edge in the all-time series between the two schools. The Huskers own a 12-9 advantage in Lincoln, including an 11-8 mark at Memorial Stadium.
- Nebraska holds a 5-4 advantage over the Gophers since joining the Big Ten Conference. The Huskers' most recent win in the series in 2018 marked the first Nebraska victory for head coach Scott Frost.
- Nebraska has played Minnesota more than any other Big Ten opponent. The schools met 51 times before Nebraska joined the Big Ten, including 19 straight seasons from 1934 to 1952. NU also played Minnesota eight straight years from 1967 to 1974. Saturday's matchup marks the 10th consecutive meeting between the programs as conference foes.
- Nebraska won 16 straight games in the series between 1963 and 2012, before a Minnesota victory in 2013.
1900 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 12 (Lincoln)
1901 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1902 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1904 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 12 (Minneapolis)
1905 - Minnesota 35, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1906 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1907 - Minnesota 8, Nebraska 5 (Minneapolis)
1908 - Nebraska 0, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1909 - Minnesota 14, Nebraska 0 (Omaha)
1910 - Minnesota 27, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1911 - Minnesota 21, Nebraska 3 (Minneapolis)
1912 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1913 - Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1919 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 6 (Minneapolis)
1932 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1934 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1935 - Minnesota 12, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1936 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1937 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 9 (Lincoln)
1938 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1939 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1940 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1941 - #2 Minnesota 9, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1942 - #14 Minnesota 15, Nebraska 2 (Lincoln)
1943 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1944 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1945 - Minnesota 61, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1946 - Minnesota 33, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1947 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
1948 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 13 (Minneapolis)
1949 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 6 (Lincoln)
1950 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 26 (Minneapolis)
1951 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 20 (Minneapolis)
1952- Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1954 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1959 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 12 (Minneapolis)
1960 - Minnesota 26, #12 Nebraska 14 (Lincoln)
1963 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1964 - Nebraska 26, Minnesota 21 (Minneapolis)
1967 - #7 Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1968 - #9 Nebraska 17, #17 Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1969 - Nebraska 42, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1970 - #6 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 10 (Minneapolis)
1971 - #1 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1972 - #7 Nebraska 49, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1973 - #2 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1974 - #6 Nebraska 54, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1983 - #1 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 13 (Minneapolis)
1984 - #1 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1989 - #3 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1990 - #8 Nebraska 56, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
-----------------------BIG TEN------------------------
2011 - #13 Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012 - #16 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014 - Minnesota 28, #21 Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015 - Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016 - #21 Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
2018 - Nebraska 53, Minnesota 28 (Lincoln)
2019 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
Nebraska Set for December Football
Saturday's game will be the second of three consecutive December Saturdays that Nebraska is scheduled to play to conclude the 2020 season. The stretch began last Saturday at Purdue and will conclude with a Champions Week crossover game with a Big Ten East Division foe on December 19.
- The December 12 matchup with Minnesota this weekend is the latest home game in school history
- The December games mark Nebraska's first December regular season games since a matchup with Kansas State in the Tokyo Bowl on Dec. 5, 1992
- Since that 1992 game, Nebraska's only December contests had been conference championship games (6 times) or bowl games (11 times).
- Before last Saturday's game at Purdue, the last time Nebraska played a December game at home or on an opponent's home field was a Dec. 4, 1982 game at Hawaii
Husker Seniors to be Honored
Saturday's game will mark the final scheduled home game of the 2020 season. Before Saturday's game Nebraska will recognize 17 members of the senior class. The 2020 seniors could return for the 2021 season due to NCAA eligibility relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ten of the 17 players being honored have been in the program for at least five seasons.
- The group has 246 starts at Nebraska, led by offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes (39) and Matt Farniok (34). Dicaprio Bootle leads the Blackshirt seniors with 31 career starts, while tight end Jack Stoll (25), offensive guard Boe Wilson (23) and defensive end Ben Stille (20) also have 20 or more career starts
2020 Nebraska Seniors
Dicaprio Bootle (CB - Miami, FL)
Jared Bubak (TE - Lincoln, NE)
Ty Chaffin (WR - Burwell, NE)
Marquel Dismuke (S - Compton, CA)
JoJo Domann (LB - Colorado Springs, CO)
Levi Falck (WR - Circle Pines, MN)
Matt Farniok (OG - Sioux Falls, SD)
Christian Gaylord (OT - Baldwin City, KS)
Will Honas (LB - Wichita, KS)
Brenden Jaimes (OT - Austin, TX)
Collin Miller (LB - Fishers, IN)
Dedrick Mills (RB - Waycross, GA)
Brian Perez (TE - Hartley, IA)
Ben Stille (DE - Ashland, NE)
Jack Stoll (TE - Lone Tree, CO)
Deontai Williams (S - Jacksonville, FL)
Boe Wilson (OG - Lee's Summit, MO)
About Minnesota
Minnesota was one of the top programs in the early decades of college football. The Golden Gophers have posted 14 undefeated seasons, all before 1942. Minnesota claims seven national championships (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941 an 1960) with its most recent in 1960. Minnesota has won 18 Big Ten titles, most recently in 1967. In addition to appearing in 21 bowl games, Minnesota also sports one Heisman Trophy winner in program history (halfback Bruce Smith, 1941).
Nebraska has played more games against Minnesota than any other Big Ten opponent. The Huskers were just 6-29-2 against the Gophers prior to 1960, with Minnesota handing Nebraska its only loss of the season in 1900, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1932 and its only loss of the regular season in 1940.
First Year: 1882
All-Time Record: 707-528-44
Bowl Record: 9-12
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Enrollment: 47,568
About 2020 Minnesota Football
Schedue
Michigan (L 24-49)
at Maryland (L 44-45 OT)
at Illinois (W 41-14)
Cockeye (L 7-35)
Purdue (W 34-31)
at Wisconsin (Canceled)
Northwestern (Canceled)
at Nebraska
Minnesota's last two contests have been canceled for COVID-19 related reasons. The Golden Gophers haven't played since Nov. 20 when they beat Purdue 34-31.
Mohamed Ibrahim leads the Minnesota offense. He has 817 rushing yards and 13 of the team's 17 rushing touchdowns on the season. He's averaging 163 rushing yards per game and more than five yards per carry. He also has eight catches for 56 yards.
Quarterback Tanner Morgan is 76-for-128 through the air with 1,033 yards and four touchdowns. His top target was Rashod Bateman who had 472 yards and two touchdowns before opting out of the the season a couple of weeks ago. Chris Autman-Bell will likely move into that top receiver role with Bateman's absence. Autman-Bell has 315 receiving yards and one touchdown. Minnesota will need other targets to step up as Bateman and Autman-Bell were the only two receivers with more than 57 receiving yards this season.
On defense, Tyler Nubin and Mariano Sori-Marin both have a team-high 29 tackles. Boye Mafe has 3.5 sacks, which leads the team and is adding 16 tackles on the season.
About P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck was named head football coach at Minnesota on January 6, 2017. Fleck, age 40, is the 30th head coach in program history. He has a career record of 53-37 and is 23-15 at Minnesota.
In 2019, Fleck led Minnesota to new heights as the Gophers won 11 games for the first time since 1904. Minnesota also won seven Big Ten games for the first time in school history, beat two top-10 teams, won a Jan. 1 bowl game and ended the season ranked No. 10.
Fleck was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year by his fellow conference head coaches and was named AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for the George Munger Award, Dodd Trophy, Eddie Robinson Award, Bear Bryant Award and AFCA National Coach of the Year. The Gophers ascended to No. 7 in the AP Poll, which was the team's highest ranking since it was No. 5 on Nov. 19, 1962. Minnesota was also ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings, which is the highest CFP ranking in school history.
Fleck played wide receiver at Northern Illinois from 1999 through 2003 and spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He began his coaching career in 2006 as an assistant at Ohio State and then spent time as an assistant at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL in 2012 as a receivers coach. In 2013 Fleck was named head coach at Western Michigan, a job he held through 2016. Fleck was 30-22 with the Broncos, including a 13-1 season in 2016 when he led the team to an undefeated regular season and a 24-16 loss to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl.
Last Meeting: October 12, 2019
Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7
MINNEAPOLIS - Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks and Mo Ibrahim took turns helping Minnesota overpower Nebraska to stay undefeated with a 34-7 victory on Saturday night on the strength of 322 yards rushing in the second-coldest October game in the 11-season history of TCF Bank Stadium.
"We prepare for this all the time," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. "We love our weather, and we think it's an advantage."
The kickoff temperature was 37 degrees with gusty wind and a rain-snow mix, so the Gophers turned their senior tailbacks Smith and Brooks loose with a solid dose of the powerful sophomore Ibrahim as well. This was the first time all three players were healthy for the same game.
"All three of us out there is tough for defenses, and we know that," Smith said. "We have three different running styles, and we have fresh bodies rolling in."
Smith ran for 139 yards and a touchdown, Brooks rushed for 99 yards, Ibrahim had 84 yards and three touchdowns, and the Gophers (6-0, 3-0) stayed in a tie for first place in the Big Ten West Division with rival Wisconsin behind an all-around performance that had the Huskers (4-3, 2-2) on their heels all evening. Minnesota's last 6-0 start was in 2003, and the eight-game winning streak including the last two contests of last season is the longest for the program since 1948-49.
With Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez sidelined by a left knee injury, Noah Vedral took over for his first career start and was under pressure often. He went 14 for 23 for 135 yards and rushed 15 times for 49 yards, but the Gophers had four sacks and kept the Huskers from scoring until early in the fourth quarter. Leading receiver Wan'Dale Robinson left on a cart with an injury to his lower left leg in the second quarter, one of an endless string of setbacks for the Huskers.
"I thought we had a team that was ready to play," Nebraska coach Scott Frost said. "We got pushed around on both sides of the ball."
After a well-covered Maurice Washington dropped a fourth-and-2 pass by a heavily pressured Vedral from the 29 on the opening drive, the Gophers went the other way in five plays and 71 yards to score on a 15-yard tunnel screen pass from Tanner Morgan to Chris Autman-Bell.
Vedral found JD Spielman wide open off a crossing route for a 51-yard gain on the following possession to reach the 26, but then he was sacked on back-to-back plays. Still with a prime opportunity to tie the game on their next series, Robinson scampered down the sideline on a run that ended inside the 5 on the first play of the second quarter, but fellow wide receiver Kanawai Noa wiped that out with an illegal block on the second.
On the first play of the third quarter, Morgan froze the Huskers with a hard run fake and found Tyler Johnson wide open for 45 yards to set up Ibrahim's second touchdown. On third-and-44 at their 44, trailing 21-0, the Huskers tried a fake punt, but tight end Austin Allen was stopped short after taking the snap. With a three-score lead, the Gophers just kept on running.
Minnesota outgained Nebraska in total offense 450 yards (128 pass, 322 rush) to 299 yards (148 pass, 151 rush). There were no turnovers in the contest. Minnesota held an advantage in time of possession at 32:47 to 27:13.
Tanner Morgan was 8-of-13 passing for 128 yards with 1 TD. Rodney Smith ran 18 times for 139 yards and a TD, Shannon Brooks added 13 carries for 99 yards and Mohamed Ibrahim carried 15 times for 84 yards and 3 TDs. Tyler Johnson was the leading Minnesota receiver with five catches for 109 yards. Chris Autman-Bell had one catch for 15 yards and a TD.
For Nebraska, Noah Vedral was 14-of-23 for 135 yards and rushed 15 times for 49 yards. Andrew Bunch was 1-of-16 for 13 yards. Brody Belt was the second leading rusher for NU with 4 carries for 29 yards. Other rushers for Nebraska were Dedrick Mills (9 car, 28 yds, 1 TD), Wan'Dale Robinson (6 car, 24 yds), Maurice Washington (6 car, 20 yds), and Austin Allen (1 car, 2 yds).
JD Spielman was the leading Husker receiver with three catches for 59 yards. Others included Kade Warner (3 rec, 38 yds), Jack Stoll (4 rec, 18 yds), Dedrick Mills (1 rec, 13 yds), Wan'Dale Robinson (2 rec, 10 yds), Maurice Washington (1 rec 5 yds) and Jaron Woodyard (1 rec, 5 yds).
