Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Thursday, August 31, 2023 | 7:00 PM (CT)
WHERE: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805) | Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
RADIO: Husker Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Cockeye (W 24-17 in 2022)
Ranking: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (0-0, 1st year NU) | (47-43, 8th year overall)
Rhule vs. Minnesota: 0-0
GOLDEN GOPHERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Syracuse (W 28-20 in 2022)
Rankings: NR
Coach: P.J. Fleck (44-27, 7th year at MIN) | (74-49, 11th year overall)
Fleck vs. Nebraska: 5-1
This Week's Numbers
1 - Thursday marks the Nebraska head coaching debut of Matt Rhule. Rhule is the first Husker coach to begin his career with a road game since Bernie Masterson, whose first game was also at Minnesota on Sept. 28, 1946
2 - Nebraska begins the season with road games at Minnesota and Colorado. The Huskers are opening a season with back-to-back road games for the first time since 1995, when Nebraska traveled to Oklahoma State and then to Michigan State.
7 - Each of the last three meetings between Nebraska and Minnesota have been decided by seven points, with the Gophers winning each game. Going back further, five of the last nine meetings have been one-score games.
The Matchup
Nebraska kicks off its 134th season on Thursday when the Cornhuskers begin the 2023 campaign with a Big Ten Conference road matchup at Minnesota. Thursday's season opener - the Nebraska debut for head coach Matt Rhule - will be televised on FOX with radio coverage on the Huskers Radio Network.
Rhule returns to the college game after spending the past three seasons as a head coach in the National Football League. In his last season as a college head coach in 2019, Rhule was the Big 12 Coach of the Year after guiding Baylor to an 11-3 record and a No. 13 final ranking. Each of the Bears' three losses came to top-10 opponents: a three-point setback to No. 10 Oklahoma in November, a seven-point overtime loss to the sixth-ranked Sooners in the Big 12 Championship Game and a 26-14 defeat to No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
A proven program builder, Rhule guided both Temple and Baylor to the highest win total in school history in his third season at each school. Rhule will not make his Memorial Stadium debut until Sept. 16, as NU begins the season with back-to-back road games for the first time since 1995. Rhule is the first Husker head coach to make his debut in a road game since Bernie Masterson, whose first game was also at Minnesota on Sept. 28, 1946 (33-6 loss).
As for Nebraska, the Huskers are beginning the season with a Big Ten Conference game away from home for the fourth straight season. NU traveled to Ohio State to open the Covid-shortened 2020 season, while the Huskers began the 2021 season at Illinois and took on Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, in last year's season opener.
Series History
Nebraska and Minnesota have met every year since the Huskers joined the Big Ten with the 2023 season marking the 13th straight year the two schools have played. Overall, Nebraska has faced Minnesota more than any other Big Ten team with Thursday's game marking the 64th all-time meeting between the two schools. Minnesota holds a 36-25-2 advantage in the series.
- Minnesota has a 7-5 edge since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, with four straight victories and five wins in the last six meetings.
- In games played in Minneapolis, the Gophers lead the series with Nebraska 24-13-2.
- Nebraska owned a 16-game winning streak in the series between 1963 and 2012, before the Gophers ended the streak with a 2013 victory in Lincoln.
- The 2020 game in Lincoln was played on December 12, the only December game in Memorial Stadium history.
- Five of the last seven meetings between the teams have been decided by seven or fewer points, with Minnesota holding a 4-1 record in those close games.
- Each of the last three meetings have been seven-point victories. The Huskers held a 10-0 halftime lead last season before Minnesota outscored Nebraska 20-3 in the second half. In the 2021 meeting, NU had three second-half drives come up scoreless inside the Minnesota 35-yard line, including two empty drives inside the 10-yard line in a 30-23 loss. In the 2020 meeting, Minnesota outscored Nebraska 14-0 in points off turnovers in a 24-17 victory.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota (Big Ten era)
2011: Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012: Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013: Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014: Minnesota 28, Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015: Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016: Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017: Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
2018: Nebraska 53, Minnesota 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
2020: Minnesota 24, Nebraska 17 (Lincoln)
2021: Minnesota 30, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2022: Minnesota 20, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
Husker History in Season Openers
Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 133 season openers, winning their first game more than 75 percent of the time while posting a 98-30-5 record.
- Nebraska is 32-5 in season openers since 1986
- The Huskers are opening a season on the road for the fourth straight year, the only four times this century that Nebraska has played its season opener away from Lincoln.
- Nebraska is 11-4 when it opens the season against a conference opponent. The Huskers are facing a conference foe in the season opener for just the sixth time since 1950, but Thursday marks the fourth consecutive year that Nebraska begins a season with a Big Ten Conference game
- Matt Rhule is making his Nebraska head coaching debut on Thursday and is looking to become the first Husker head coach to win his first game since Bo Pelini in 2008. Overall, seven of Nebraska's last 10 head coaches -- dating back to 1949 -- have been victorious in their debut game.
Season Opener Record: 98-30-5 (.756)
At Home: 85-14-3 (.848)
On the Road: 9-15-2 (.385)
At a Neutral Site: 4-1-0 (.800)
Biggest Win: 117-0 vs. Kearney State (1911)
Biggest Loss: 0-54 at Minnesota (1943)
Longest Win Streak: 29 (1986-2014)
Longest Losing Streak: 6 (1942-1947)
Huskers Boast 14-2 Record in August
Thursday's game will mark the 17th August game in the history of Nebraska football. The Huskers have lost just twice in the month, bringing a 14-2 record into the contest at Minnesota.
- Nebraska is not only 14-2 all-time in the month of August, but the average score of those 16 games has been 38-17. The Huskers are 7-2 in August when facing a current Power Five conference opponent, with the average score of those six contests being 32-14.
- In the history of Nebraska football, Thursday's contest will mark the fourth-earliest date of a conference game in Husker history.
Husker History on Thursday
Nebraska has played on a Thursday a total of 60 times, including the first game in program history -- a 10-0 shutout of the Omaha YMCA on Nov. 27, 1890. Nebraska owns a 40-17-3 all-time record on Thursday, including a 38-15-3 mark in regular season contests.
- Nebraska played on Thursday 45 times from 1890 to 1938. Since World War II, the Huskers have played on 15 Thursday games, including four bowl games.
- In the modern era, Nebraska is 9-2 in regular season Thursday games. The Huskers have won seven straight regular-season Thursday matchups dating back to a 27-13 win at Oklahoma State in 1993.
- Eight of Nebraska's 11 modern-day Thursday games have been played on the road, with the Huskers holding a 7-1 record in those eight games.
- Eight of Nebraska's 11 modern-day Thursday games have also been played against conference opponents, with the Huskers holding a 6-2 record in those eight games.
- Nebraska's most common Thursday opponent has been Cockeye. The Huskers and Cockeyes played on Thanksgiving every season from 1891 to 1898, including the first six meetings in Omaha and the final two in Council Bluffs, Cockeye. NU went 4-2-2 against Cockeye in those Thursday games.
- Nebraska and Minnesota have played once previously on a Thursday. The teams played on Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 29, 1900, with the Gophers earning a 20-12 win in Lincoln to hand the Huskers their only loss in a 6-1-1 campaign.
About Minnesota
Minnesota had fielded a football team since 1882, and the Golden Gophers have tallied over 700 wins as a program. Minnesota has claimed seven national titles and 18 Big Ten Conference championships.
The Gophers have made 23 bowl game appearances, claiming 11 wins. Minnesota's last bowl game appearance was last year when the Gophers defeated Syracuse 28-20 to win the Pinstripe Bowl.
First Year: 1882
All-Time Record: 716-530-42
Bowl Record: 11-12
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium
Capacity: 50,805
Playing Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Enrollment: 47,568
Colors: Maroon & Gold
About P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers with a 44-27 record at the school. Fleck is in his 11th season overall as a college head coach, with an overall record of 74-49.
In his first five years, Fleck has recorded two seasons with nine wins or more. In 2019, Minnesota finished 11-2, the most wins for a Gopher team since 1904. Fleck was named 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year and was a National Coach of the Year finalist.
Fleck came to Minnesota after spending four years as the head coach at Western Michigan, where he was 30-22 overall and 21-11 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos were 1-11 in his first year in 2013, but ended the 2016 season with a No. 12 ranking, a 13-1 record, a conference championship and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.
Prior to serving as a head coach, Fleck served as a wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012), Buttgers (2010-11) and Northern Illinois (2007-2009).
Fleck vs. Nebraska
Fleck will face Nebraska for the seventh time as a head coach on Thursday and holds a 5-1 record against the Big Red.
2023 Minnesota Schedule
Nebraska
Eastern Michigan
at North Carolina
at Northwestern
Louisiana-Lafayette
Michigan
at Cockeye
Michigan State
Illinois
at Purdoodoo
at Ohio State
Wisconsin
Last Meeting - November 5, 2022
Minnesota 20, Nebraska 13
LINCOLN -
Anthony Grant rumbled for 115 yards on 21 carries, but the Nebraska football team could not maintain a 10-0 halftime lead in a 20-13 loss to visiting Minnesota on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska's back-up quarterbacks Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers, along with a hard-hitting Husker defense, kept the Huskers within striking distance to the final possession, but they were unable to notch a victory. NU slipped to 3-6 on the season and 2-4 in the Big Ten, while Minnesota improved to 6-3 and 3-3 in the conference.
While Nebraska's defense continued to show impressive improvement, the offense put up better rushing totals than Minnesota, out-gaining the Gophers on the ground, 146-125. Minnesota entered the contest ranked 16th nationally allowing just 106 yards per game, while ranking 12th in the country with 222.8 rushing yards per game.
Nebraska's young quarterbacks added 121 passing yards on 11-for-26 efficiency, including 80 yards on 5-of-10 passing from Smothers late in the game in an attempt to rally the Huskers from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. Purdy finished 6-for-16 with 41 yards.
Minnesota managed 175 passing yards, including a spark from back-up quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the second half, who went 6-for-12 for 137 yards after halftime in relief of starter Tanner Morgan.
Marcus Washington led Nebraska with 63 receiving yards, all of which came on two long receptions on NU's final two drives of the game. Trey Palmer added five catches for 37 yards.
Daniel Jackson provided the receiving highlights for the Gophers with five receptions for 88 yards, while Dylan Wright added 54 receiving yards on a pair of catches.
On the defensive side, Myles Farmer led Nebraska with a game- and career-high 14 tackles, while linebacker Luke Reimer added nine stops. Caleb Tannor contributed six stops, including 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Nebraska jumped to a quick 10-0 first-quarter lead behind Purdy and the hard running of Grant. Purdy led the Huskers on a nine-play, 75-yard game-opening drive capped by his two-yard touchdown run with just 4:14 into the game to give the Big Red a 7-0 lead.
The Husker defense then forced a quick three-and-out on Minnesota's opening possession. The Gophers punted on 4th-and-19 from their own 11, and Nebraska started its second drive with excellent field position at the NU 44. Eleven plays and 50 yards later, the Huskers extended their lead to 10-0 on Timmy Bleekrode's 24-yard field goal to put Nebraska up 10-0 with 4:18 left in the first quarter.
At the end of the first quarter, Nebraska had amassed 106 yards rushing on 13 carries against a Golden Gopher defense that entered the game allowing just 106 yards per game. The Huskers finished the quarter with 125 total yards, compared to just 22 for Minnesota. Grant ended the first quarter with 80 rushing yards on 10 carries, while Purdy added 26 rushing yards on three totes, while going 3-for-6 for 19 yards through the air.
The Gopher defense slowed the Huskers in the second quarter, limiting Nebraska to just 26 total yards in the quarter. However, Nebraska's defense was even better, holding the Gophers to just nine total yards on 13 plays in a scoreless second quarter.
Nebraska went to halftime with a 10-0 lead and a 151-31 advantage in total yards. The Huskers held Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim to just 18 yards on eight carries, while sending quarterback Tanner Morgan to minus-28 rushing yards. On Minnesota's final offensive play of the half, Morgan was overwhelmed, sacked and shaken up.
Morgan, who completed 6-of-8 passes for 38 yards in the first half, did not return in the second half, giving way to Kaliakmanis.
The Gopher backup sparked the Gopher offense by completing several long passes in the third quarter. More importantly, Kaliakmanis did not take a sack, rushing three times for 27 yards in the game. His ability to keep Minnesota on schedule allowed Ibrahim to get untracked. After a 47-yard field goal got Minnesota on the board 4:30 into the third quarter, Ibrahim tied the game with a three-yard touchdown run with 3:20 left in the period.
Another field goal by Trickett in the opening minute of the fourth quarter gave Minnesota its first lead at 13-10, before Purdy threw an interception on third down on Nebraska's half of the field. Seven plays later, Ibrahim scored his second touchdown from three yards out on his 20th carry of the half. Ibrahim crossed the century mark on the drive, going for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries for the game.
After falling behind 20-10 with more than nine minutes left, the Huskers sent Smothers in at quarterback for his second series of the game. He led Nebraska on a 12-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a 26-yard Bleekrode field goal with 4:49 left to cut the Minnesota margin to one score at 20-13. The key play of the drive was a 32-yard pass from Smothers to Washington, who pulled in a spectacular catch at the Minnesota 13 on 4th-and-10. The play was initially ruled incomplete with Washington out of bounds, but instant replay clearly showed Washington in control of the ball with a foot inbounds.
The Nebraska defense held on its next possession, forcing a Minnesota punt with more than two minutes left, setting up Smothers and the offense 88 yards from a game-tying or game-winning score.
On third-and-long, Smothers connected with Washington again, this time for 31 yards. On 4th-and-5 from the NU 47, Smothers attempted to connect with Palmer down the middle, but the pass was broken up, ending the Husker hopes with 1:13 left.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (0-0, 0-0) | at | MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (0-0, 0-0) |
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WHEN: Thursday, August 31, 2023 | 7:00 PM (CT)
WHERE: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805) | Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
RADIO: Husker Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
HUSKERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Cockeye (W 24-17 in 2022)
Ranking: NR
Coach: Matt Rhule (0-0, 1st year NU) | (47-43, 8th year overall)
Rhule vs. Minnesota: 0-0
GOLDEN GOPHERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Syracuse (W 28-20 in 2022)
Rankings: NR
Coach: P.J. Fleck (44-27, 7th year at MIN) | (74-49, 11th year overall)
Fleck vs. Nebraska: 5-1
This Week's Numbers
1 - Thursday marks the Nebraska head coaching debut of Matt Rhule. Rhule is the first Husker coach to begin his career with a road game since Bernie Masterson, whose first game was also at Minnesota on Sept. 28, 1946
2 - Nebraska begins the season with road games at Minnesota and Colorado. The Huskers are opening a season with back-to-back road games for the first time since 1995, when Nebraska traveled to Oklahoma State and then to Michigan State.
7 - Each of the last three meetings between Nebraska and Minnesota have been decided by seven points, with the Gophers winning each game. Going back further, five of the last nine meetings have been one-score games.
The Matchup
Nebraska kicks off its 134th season on Thursday when the Cornhuskers begin the 2023 campaign with a Big Ten Conference road matchup at Minnesota. Thursday's season opener - the Nebraska debut for head coach Matt Rhule - will be televised on FOX with radio coverage on the Huskers Radio Network.
Rhule returns to the college game after spending the past three seasons as a head coach in the National Football League. In his last season as a college head coach in 2019, Rhule was the Big 12 Coach of the Year after guiding Baylor to an 11-3 record and a No. 13 final ranking. Each of the Bears' three losses came to top-10 opponents: a three-point setback to No. 10 Oklahoma in November, a seven-point overtime loss to the sixth-ranked Sooners in the Big 12 Championship Game and a 26-14 defeat to No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
A proven program builder, Rhule guided both Temple and Baylor to the highest win total in school history in his third season at each school. Rhule will not make his Memorial Stadium debut until Sept. 16, as NU begins the season with back-to-back road games for the first time since 1995. Rhule is the first Husker head coach to make his debut in a road game since Bernie Masterson, whose first game was also at Minnesota on Sept. 28, 1946 (33-6 loss).
As for Nebraska, the Huskers are beginning the season with a Big Ten Conference game away from home for the fourth straight season. NU traveled to Ohio State to open the Covid-shortened 2020 season, while the Huskers began the 2021 season at Illinois and took on Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, in last year's season opener.
Series History
Nebraska and Minnesota have met every year since the Huskers joined the Big Ten with the 2023 season marking the 13th straight year the two schools have played. Overall, Nebraska has faced Minnesota more than any other Big Ten team with Thursday's game marking the 64th all-time meeting between the two schools. Minnesota holds a 36-25-2 advantage in the series.
- Minnesota has a 7-5 edge since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, with four straight victories and five wins in the last six meetings.
- In games played in Minneapolis, the Gophers lead the series with Nebraska 24-13-2.
- Nebraska owned a 16-game winning streak in the series between 1963 and 2012, before the Gophers ended the streak with a 2013 victory in Lincoln.
- The 2020 game in Lincoln was played on December 12, the only December game in Memorial Stadium history.
- Five of the last seven meetings between the teams have been decided by seven or fewer points, with Minnesota holding a 4-1 record in those close games.
- Each of the last three meetings have been seven-point victories. The Huskers held a 10-0 halftime lead last season before Minnesota outscored Nebraska 20-3 in the second half. In the 2021 meeting, NU had three second-half drives come up scoreless inside the Minnesota 35-yard line, including two empty drives inside the 10-yard line in a 30-23 loss. In the 2020 meeting, Minnesota outscored Nebraska 14-0 in points off turnovers in a 24-17 victory.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota (Big Ten era)
2011: Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012: Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013: Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014: Minnesota 28, Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015: Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016: Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017: Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
2018: Nebraska 53, Minnesota 28 (Lincoln)
2019: Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
2020: Minnesota 24, Nebraska 17 (Lincoln)
2021: Minnesota 30, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2022: Minnesota 20, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
Husker History in Season Openers
Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 133 season openers, winning their first game more than 75 percent of the time while posting a 98-30-5 record.
- Nebraska is 32-5 in season openers since 1986
- The Huskers are opening a season on the road for the fourth straight year, the only four times this century that Nebraska has played its season opener away from Lincoln.
- Nebraska is 11-4 when it opens the season against a conference opponent. The Huskers are facing a conference foe in the season opener for just the sixth time since 1950, but Thursday marks the fourth consecutive year that Nebraska begins a season with a Big Ten Conference game
- Matt Rhule is making his Nebraska head coaching debut on Thursday and is looking to become the first Husker head coach to win his first game since Bo Pelini in 2008. Overall, seven of Nebraska's last 10 head coaches -- dating back to 1949 -- have been victorious in their debut game.
Season Opener Record: 98-30-5 (.756)
At Home: 85-14-3 (.848)
On the Road: 9-15-2 (.385)
At a Neutral Site: 4-1-0 (.800)
Biggest Win: 117-0 vs. Kearney State (1911)
Biggest Loss: 0-54 at Minnesota (1943)
Longest Win Streak: 29 (1986-2014)
Longest Losing Streak: 6 (1942-1947)
Huskers Boast 14-2 Record in August
Thursday's game will mark the 17th August game in the history of Nebraska football. The Huskers have lost just twice in the month, bringing a 14-2 record into the contest at Minnesota.
- Nebraska is not only 14-2 all-time in the month of August, but the average score of those 16 games has been 38-17. The Huskers are 7-2 in August when facing a current Power Five conference opponent, with the average score of those six contests being 32-14.
- In the history of Nebraska football, Thursday's contest will mark the fourth-earliest date of a conference game in Husker history.
Husker History on Thursday
Nebraska has played on a Thursday a total of 60 times, including the first game in program history -- a 10-0 shutout of the Omaha YMCA on Nov. 27, 1890. Nebraska owns a 40-17-3 all-time record on Thursday, including a 38-15-3 mark in regular season contests.
- Nebraska played on Thursday 45 times from 1890 to 1938. Since World War II, the Huskers have played on 15 Thursday games, including four bowl games.
- In the modern era, Nebraska is 9-2 in regular season Thursday games. The Huskers have won seven straight regular-season Thursday matchups dating back to a 27-13 win at Oklahoma State in 1993.
- Eight of Nebraska's 11 modern-day Thursday games have been played on the road, with the Huskers holding a 7-1 record in those eight games.
- Eight of Nebraska's 11 modern-day Thursday games have also been played against conference opponents, with the Huskers holding a 6-2 record in those eight games.
- Nebraska's most common Thursday opponent has been Cockeye. The Huskers and Cockeyes played on Thanksgiving every season from 1891 to 1898, including the first six meetings in Omaha and the final two in Council Bluffs, Cockeye. NU went 4-2-2 against Cockeye in those Thursday games.
- Nebraska and Minnesota have played once previously on a Thursday. The teams played on Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 29, 1900, with the Gophers earning a 20-12 win in Lincoln to hand the Huskers their only loss in a 6-1-1 campaign.
About Minnesota
Minnesota had fielded a football team since 1882, and the Golden Gophers have tallied over 700 wins as a program. Minnesota has claimed seven national titles and 18 Big Ten Conference championships.
The Gophers have made 23 bowl game appearances, claiming 11 wins. Minnesota's last bowl game appearance was last year when the Gophers defeated Syracuse 28-20 to win the Pinstripe Bowl.
First Year: 1882
All-Time Record: 716-530-42
Bowl Record: 11-12
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium
Capacity: 50,805
Playing Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Enrollment: 47,568
Colors: Maroon & Gold
About P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck enters his seventh season as the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers with a 44-27 record at the school. Fleck is in his 11th season overall as a college head coach, with an overall record of 74-49.
In his first five years, Fleck has recorded two seasons with nine wins or more. In 2019, Minnesota finished 11-2, the most wins for a Gopher team since 1904. Fleck was named 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year and was a National Coach of the Year finalist.
Fleck came to Minnesota after spending four years as the head coach at Western Michigan, where he was 30-22 overall and 21-11 in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos were 1-11 in his first year in 2013, but ended the 2016 season with a No. 12 ranking, a 13-1 record, a conference championship and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.
Prior to serving as a head coach, Fleck served as a wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012), Buttgers (2010-11) and Northern Illinois (2007-2009).
Fleck vs. Nebraska
Fleck will face Nebraska for the seventh time as a head coach on Thursday and holds a 5-1 record against the Big Red.
2023 Minnesota Schedule
Nebraska
Eastern Michigan
at North Carolina
at Northwestern
Louisiana-Lafayette
Michigan
at Cockeye
Michigan State
Illinois
at Purdoodoo
at Ohio State
Wisconsin
Last Meeting - November 5, 2022
Minnesota 20, Nebraska 13
LINCOLN -
Anthony Grant rumbled for 115 yards on 21 carries, but the Nebraska football team could not maintain a 10-0 halftime lead in a 20-13 loss to visiting Minnesota on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska's back-up quarterbacks Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers, along with a hard-hitting Husker defense, kept the Huskers within striking distance to the final possession, but they were unable to notch a victory. NU slipped to 3-6 on the season and 2-4 in the Big Ten, while Minnesota improved to 6-3 and 3-3 in the conference.
While Nebraska's defense continued to show impressive improvement, the offense put up better rushing totals than Minnesota, out-gaining the Gophers on the ground, 146-125. Minnesota entered the contest ranked 16th nationally allowing just 106 yards per game, while ranking 12th in the country with 222.8 rushing yards per game.
Nebraska's young quarterbacks added 121 passing yards on 11-for-26 efficiency, including 80 yards on 5-of-10 passing from Smothers late in the game in an attempt to rally the Huskers from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. Purdy finished 6-for-16 with 41 yards.
Minnesota managed 175 passing yards, including a spark from back-up quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the second half, who went 6-for-12 for 137 yards after halftime in relief of starter Tanner Morgan.
Marcus Washington led Nebraska with 63 receiving yards, all of which came on two long receptions on NU's final two drives of the game. Trey Palmer added five catches for 37 yards.
Daniel Jackson provided the receiving highlights for the Gophers with five receptions for 88 yards, while Dylan Wright added 54 receiving yards on a pair of catches.
On the defensive side, Myles Farmer led Nebraska with a game- and career-high 14 tackles, while linebacker Luke Reimer added nine stops. Caleb Tannor contributed six stops, including 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Nebraska jumped to a quick 10-0 first-quarter lead behind Purdy and the hard running of Grant. Purdy led the Huskers on a nine-play, 75-yard game-opening drive capped by his two-yard touchdown run with just 4:14 into the game to give the Big Red a 7-0 lead.
The Husker defense then forced a quick three-and-out on Minnesota's opening possession. The Gophers punted on 4th-and-19 from their own 11, and Nebraska started its second drive with excellent field position at the NU 44. Eleven plays and 50 yards later, the Huskers extended their lead to 10-0 on Timmy Bleekrode's 24-yard field goal to put Nebraska up 10-0 with 4:18 left in the first quarter.
At the end of the first quarter, Nebraska had amassed 106 yards rushing on 13 carries against a Golden Gopher defense that entered the game allowing just 106 yards per game. The Huskers finished the quarter with 125 total yards, compared to just 22 for Minnesota. Grant ended the first quarter with 80 rushing yards on 10 carries, while Purdy added 26 rushing yards on three totes, while going 3-for-6 for 19 yards through the air.
The Gopher defense slowed the Huskers in the second quarter, limiting Nebraska to just 26 total yards in the quarter. However, Nebraska's defense was even better, holding the Gophers to just nine total yards on 13 plays in a scoreless second quarter.
Nebraska went to halftime with a 10-0 lead and a 151-31 advantage in total yards. The Huskers held Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim to just 18 yards on eight carries, while sending quarterback Tanner Morgan to minus-28 rushing yards. On Minnesota's final offensive play of the half, Morgan was overwhelmed, sacked and shaken up.
Morgan, who completed 6-of-8 passes for 38 yards in the first half, did not return in the second half, giving way to Kaliakmanis.
The Gopher backup sparked the Gopher offense by completing several long passes in the third quarter. More importantly, Kaliakmanis did not take a sack, rushing three times for 27 yards in the game. His ability to keep Minnesota on schedule allowed Ibrahim to get untracked. After a 47-yard field goal got Minnesota on the board 4:30 into the third quarter, Ibrahim tied the game with a three-yard touchdown run with 3:20 left in the period.
Another field goal by Trickett in the opening minute of the fourth quarter gave Minnesota its first lead at 13-10, before Purdy threw an interception on third down on Nebraska's half of the field. Seven plays later, Ibrahim scored his second touchdown from three yards out on his 20th carry of the half. Ibrahim crossed the century mark on the drive, going for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries for the game.
After falling behind 20-10 with more than nine minutes left, the Huskers sent Smothers in at quarterback for his second series of the game. He led Nebraska on a 12-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a 26-yard Bleekrode field goal with 4:49 left to cut the Minnesota margin to one score at 20-13. The key play of the drive was a 32-yard pass from Smothers to Washington, who pulled in a spectacular catch at the Minnesota 13 on 4th-and-10. The play was initially ruled incomplete with Washington out of bounds, but instant replay clearly showed Washington in control of the ball with a foot inbounds.
The Nebraska defense held on its next possession, forcing a Minnesota punt with more than two minutes left, setting up Smothers and the offense 88 yards from a game-tying or game-winning score.
On third-and-long, Smothers connected with Washington again, this time for 31 yards. On 4th-and-5 from the NU 47, Smothers attempted to connect with Palmer down the middle, but the pass was broken up, ending the Husker hopes with 1:13 left.
