Tag: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Where are the Duke Blue Devils in the latest CBS Sports college football bowl projections?

Check out where the Blue Devils slotted into the latest CBS Sports bowl projections after their Week 13 victory over Virginia Tech.

With only one week left in the college football season, the bowl picture becomes clearer with each passing result. While the Blue Devils won’t know their final record until Saturday’s game against Wake Forest, there might be some clues for Duke football fans to know where they’ll end up on the bowl calendar.

According to the latest projections from CBS Sports analyst Jerry Palm, the Blue Devils could be set for a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Coincidentally, USA TODAY Sports writer Erick Smith put Duke in the same game in his updated bowl projections.

The Blue Devils improved to 8-3 with their 31-28 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The Golden Gophers came achingly close to a season-changing upset of the Penn State Nittany Lions, but the Nittany Lions held on for a 26-25 win that dropped Minnesota to 6-5 for the year.

Like Smith, Palm also thinks two ACC teams could make the 12-team College Football Playoff field. The CBS Sports writer slotted Miami, his presumed conference champion, at the No. 3 spot with the SMU Mustangs at the No. 11 spot.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl could include Duke Blue Devils, according to one projection

The Duke Blue Devils could end up playing in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, according to the latest projection from USA TODAY Sports.

USA TODAY Sports writer Erick Smith released his updated bowl projections for the 2024 college football season on Monday, and the Blue Devils stayed in a familiar spot against a familiar opponent.

Smith slated Duke in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the same slot and opponent that [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his team have drawn in the past several editions of Smith’s projections.

The Blue Devils put together one of their most productive (and dramatic) performances against the Virginia Tech Hokies in Week 13. Fifth-year wideout Eli Pancol ended the first two offensive drives with 86-yard and 77-yard touchdown receptions en route to an 188-yard game, earning him ACC Receiver of the Week honors, and quarterback Maalik Murphy broke a school record with his 25th passing touchdown of the season.

Despite four turnovers, Duke held on for a 31-28 victory over the Hokies to clinch its third straight eight-win season.

Over in the Big Ten, the Golden Gophers nearly upset the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, but the one-point loss left Minnesota just 6-5 for the season.

With a litany of SEC playoff hopefuls taking a hit over the weekend, Smith included a pair of ACC schools in his 12-team playoff bracket. The Miami Hurricanes took the first-round bye as conference champions, but the SMU Mustangs earned one of the remaining at-large bids.

Best photos from Penn State’s one-point win at Minnesota

Check out the best images from Penn State’s thriller of a victory over Minnesota.

No win in college football is ever to be considered easy, but this latest one for Penn State was one of the more nerve-racking games of the season for the Nittany Lions. Penn State did manage to come out on top of the Gophers with a 26-25 win that truly tested the mental strength of the program when faced with some adversity.

From injuries left and right on the turf to having to overcome special teams meltdowns and the inability to convert in short-yardage situations, Penn State dug deep to climb back from a 10-0 deficit and a small halftime deficit to improve to 10-1 on the year, and keeping Big Ten title hopes alive and well going into the final week of the regular season.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s one-point victory at Minnesota.

Penn State will close out the regular season at home next week against Maryland. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. Penn State can clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game with a win over the Terrapins if Ohio State is upset by Michigan next Saturday.

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Penn State escapes Minnesota’s upset bid, remains in Big Ten title contention

Penn State avoids massive upset at Minnesota and remains in the Big Ten title hunt going into next week.

It’s OK to breathe a sigh of relief, Penn State fans. The Nittany Lions are 10-1, but it certainly was not pretty on Saturday in a 26-25 victory over Minnesota. But a win is a win, and Penn State has 10 of them in 11 games.

Penn State came out sleeping its way to an early 10-0 deficit in the first half, and it was a constant battle to climb its way to a 23-22 lead in the third quarter. Penn State held a 26-25 lead after the Gophers kicked a field goal on its final possession of the game, and a fake punt and a fourth-and-short conversion on helped Penn State run the remainder of the game’s five minutes and change for a hard-fought victory. The win keeps Penn State in the mix for a spot in the Big Ten championship game and should keep the Nittany Lions for a potential first-round College Football Playoff game in Beaver Stadium.

And it was a roller coaster of emotions to get there.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] completed 20 of 27 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, a 45-yard strike to a wide-open [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag] in the second quarter. Allar also picked up a short touchdown run in a game where he was under some good pressure throughout the game and let his emotions boil over a bit on the sideline in the heat of the moment. But Allar delivered another gritty performance on the road like he did at USC earlier in the season.

Not surprisingly, tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] was a big reason why Penn State came away with the Governor’s Victory Bell. Warren caught eight passes for 102 yards, including the big fourth-down conversion in the final minute to help Penn State run the clock out for good. Warren was without a touchdown in the game, but he was the game’s leading receiver.

[autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag] rushed for a game-high 63 yards and a touchdown and he added six catches for 37 yards. [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] had a quiet day in the box score with three tackles, but he did bring some good pressure off the edge. Minnesota just found ways to avoid letting that pressure bring them down. Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer did throw an interception to [autotag]Dominic DeLuca[/autotag] and had a costly fumble when he just dropped the ball in the backfield, with Carter battling him for the fumble recovery.

Special teams disasters by Penn State have been rare this season, but they cost Penn State 9 points in the first half. A blocked punt out of the end zone led to a quick Minnesota touchdown to go up 17-10, and a blocked extra point just before halftime was returned by Minnesota for two points. Confusion on the field also led to a rushed shanked pooch punt by Warren as Drew Allar appeared to want to call timeout.

But it was the special teams that helped deliver a win in the biggest way. Kicker [autotag]Ryan Barker[/autotag] hit a 32-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to put Penn State up 26-22. After the Gophers had to settle for a field goal to cut the lead to one, Penn State picked up a 32-yard gain on a fake punt run by [autotag]Luke Reynolds[/autotag] from the Penn State 34-yard line to keep the drive moving. Penn State looked like it was going three-and-out on the drive after Minnesota cut the lead to one, so the fake punt was what ended up being the play of the game. But Allar picked up another fourth down conversion with a two-yard run with 2:10 remaining, and Allar’s pass to Warren for an 11-yard gain on 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 14-yard line and 26 seconds remaining was the icing on the cake.

With the win, and with Ohio State beating Indiana earlier in the day, Penn State is still in the running for a spot in the Big Ten championship game going into next week. Penn State will know when it takes the field next week if there is a chance to play for the Big Ten championship for the first time since 2016. If Ohio State loses to Michigan next week in the early kickoff window, then a Penn State win would send the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship game to face Oregon.

Penn State will close out the regular season next week at home against Maryland. Next week’s game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff and will air on Big Ten Network.

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Penn State vs. Minnesota final score predictions from Nittany Lions Wire

Will Penn State avoid the upset at Minnesota this weekend? Our staff weighs in.

Penn State hits the road one final time in 2024 with the opportunity to host a first-round College Football Playoff game coming into reach. But this week’s road trip to Minnesota is not to be taken lightly as Penn State has come up empty on each of its last two trips to Minnesota. The Nittany Lions are a big favorite on the road this weekend but Minnesota is coming off a bye week and P.J. Fleck will have his guys riled up to pull off a major upset at the end of the regular season that could shake up the playoff bracket projections.

Can Penn State avoid the upset and return home knowing it is one win away from locking up a spot in the College Football Playoff, and likely staying home for the first round?

Here are our staff predictions for this weekend’s matchup between Penn State and Minnesota.

Charlie: Minnesota must be respected and I am sure James Franklin made sure of that with his team this week. The Golden Gophers don’t generate explosive plays and that will make it challenging to knock off an elite defense. The successfulness of Minnesota’s running game will tell if the Gophers have any chance at pulling off the upset. Minnesota is 5-0 when it rushes for more than 80 yards and 1-4 when it doesn’t hit that number. The Nittany Lions must limit Darius Taylor’s impact on the ground.

It will be tough to score for both teams and turnovers will likely make the difference with Minnesota’s defense thriving in taking the ball away. Penn State playing a clean game likely means leaving Minneapolis with a win and a near-guaranteed College Football Playoff spot.

Penn State 27, Minnesota 14

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Shayne: Penn State is trying to put a bow on what should be an 11-1 season and a berth in the College Football Playoffs. Minnesota offers a strong challenge this week, however, sitting at 6-4 and 4-1 record in their last five games.

Minnesota’s calling card is their strong defense, allowing just 17.7 points per game. Penn State’s offense may have a difficult time moving the ball consistently, but their defense should create the same problem for Minnesota’s lackluster offense. I expect this to be a close game throughout, but the better offense wins out in the end.

Penn State 28, Minnesota 17

Kevin: The way Penn State has been playing since losing to Ohi State has been nothing but encouraging. Back-to-back blowout victories tell me this team is locked in and ready to wrap up a first-round home playoff game this postseason. Taking that agenda on the road for the final time will be no easy task as Minnesota has some players that can make some things dicey at times. But this Penn State defense is not about to let the Gophers be much of a sustained threat Saturday afternoon.

Other than Ohio State, this will be the best defense Penn State has faced this season. A rocky start by the offense would not be surprising and Minnesota could seize the momentum early on, so the defense will be tasked with keeping things from getting out of hand. Eventually, the offense will figure out how to move the ball and put some points on the board. Penn State, in the second half, has been solid, so that will pay off one more time this weekend.

Penn State 31, Minnesota 16

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Where are the Duke Blue Devils in the latest USA TODAY Sports bowl projections?

Check out where the Duke Blue Devils fit on the college football bowl schedule in the latest USA TODAY Sports projections.

With seven wins in their first 10 games, the Duke Blue Devils have done more than cement their place on the bowl calendar. Head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his team look poised for a primary spot on the schedule.

According to the latest projections from USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith, Duke fans can book a trip to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl for a January 3rd game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Golden Gophers have rebounded well from a 2-3 start to the season. They beat the USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, and a ranked Illinois Fighting Illini squad during a recent four-game win streak. Minnesota already reached six wins, which is helpful with a closing schedule that includes the Penn State Nittany Lions and Wisconsin Badgers.

Smith still thinks the Miami Hurricanes are in line for the ACC title, setting them up for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff bracket. The SMU Mustangs, Miami’s likely opponent in the championship game, didn’t make the 12-team field.

What is Penn State’s all-time record against Minnesota?

Penn State looks to add another win to the all-time record against Minnesota this weekend.

Penn State officially ushered in its Big Ten era of football in 1993 when it moved into the conference after decades of football independence. Joining the Big Ten meant forming some new rivalries and facing some new opponents the Nittany Lions never faced before. Penn State hosted Minnesota to kick off the 1993 season and for its historic Big Ten debut. With the first meeting between the two schools came a brand new trophy game with the introduction of the Governor’s Victory Bell.

To date, with the series set to continue this weekend, Penn State leads the all-time series with Minnesota with a record of 10-6. That includes a 45-16 in the most recent meeting in 2022. The home team has won each of the last four meetings in the series as well, dating back to 2013.

Penn State is 4-4 in games played in Minneapolis. That includes a 1-2 record with two straight losses in Minnesota’s current home stadium, Huntington Bank Stadium. Penn State’s last road trip to the home of the Gophers was a pivotal 2019 matchup that handed no. 4 Penn State its first loss of the season. Sean Clifford was intercepted in the end zone with 1:01 remaining in the game (his third interception of the game) as Penn State came up short, 31-26.

Penn State faces Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS. Penn State opened as a two-touchdown favorite for the final road game of the regular season.

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ESPN computer predicts Penn State win probability at Minnesota

The ESPN win probability is trending up for Penn State at the right time this weekend.

Penn State will play one final road game this regular season before closing out the season at home, and a chance to host a first-round College Football Playoff game is coming into view. Of the two final games of the regular season, the more challenging of the two continues to appear to be this week’s road game at Minnesota. But as the game has finally arrived, it seems the trends for this week’s Big Ten road trip are swinging back in Penn State’s favor at just the right time.

ESPN’s win probability figures are giving Penn State a 75.1% chance of coming home with a win against the Gophers this week. That figure is notable because the projected win probability for Penn State in this particular matchup had been decreasing on a weekly basis since the start of October.

On October 1, Penn State’s win probability was calculated at 77.9% according to ESPN’s computers. That figures dropped to 74.2% the following week, then to 72.1% the following week, and eventually down to 68.1% after Penn State lost to Ohio State.

Penn State was always viewed as the favorite according to ESPN’s calculations, but the trends were going against the Nittany Lions and favoring the Gophers. This was largely because Minnesota was stringing together some solid wins and the home-field advantage was playing a factor. But Minnesota lost its last game against Rutgers before heading into the bye week, and Penn State has dominated each of its last two opponents after losing to the Buckeyes.

Penn State opened as a nearly two-touchdown favorite this week against the Gophers. A win would put Penn State at 10-1 with one final game at home against Maryland to play. Penn State is currently in a great spot to host a first-round College Football Playoff game, and a win against Minnesota would potentially go a long way to securing a first-round playoff game in Beaver Stadium in December.

So there is a lot on the line for Penn State this weekend, even if a spot in the Big Tne championship game may be just out of reach.

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Who does Duke football draw in the latest USA TODAY Sports bowl projections?

Check out where the latest bowl projections from USA TODAY Sports have the Duke Blue Devils.

With seven wins in their first 10 games of the season, the Blue Devils could really work their way into the prestigious parts of the bowl calendar with another victory or two.

After Duke’s 29-19 victory over the NC State Wolfpack in Week 11, USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith pitted the Blue Devils against Minnesota in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on January 3rd in his updated projections on Tuesday.

The Duke’s Mayo Bowl has become something of a crowd favorite in recent years thanks to its zaniness, embracing a jay of mayonnaise named Tubby as a mascot and dunking winning coaches in mayo instead of Gatorade.

The Golden Gophers have also cemented their bowl eligibility with a 6-4 record to start the season, including wins over the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins.

Despite their first loss of the season to Georgia Tech on Saturday, Smith still thinks the Miami Hurricanes end up as the ACC champion in the College Football Playoff. He had Cam Ward and the Hurricanes losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals.

ESPN FPI matchup predictions for Penn State’s remaining schedule starting with this week’s game vs. Washington

How much will Penn State’s season be impacted by this weekend’s loss at home to Ohio State? According to the latest numbers, it may not have changed all that much for the Nittany Lions. This week’s updated look at the win percentages for Penn State …

How much will Penn State’s season be impacted by this weekend’s loss at home to Ohio State? According to the latest numbers, it may not have changed all that much for the Nittany Lions.

This week’s updated look at the win percentages for Penn State still shows the Nittany Lions in a favorable spot in each of its remaining games. Each win probability did drop slightly this week, but not enough to raise much concern. The exception to that is the upcoming road trip to Minnesota. That matchup continues to trend in an ominous direction by the week and has now dropped Penn State’s win probability below 70% after the results of Week 10. Minnesota is a team trending up and is looking more like a problem for Penn State coming up.

Here is a look at the updated win probabilities for Penn State for each remaining game according to ESPN’s analytics.

Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pennsylvania)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 87.2% (was 89.2%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 3-0

Projected Running Record | 8-1

Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, Indiana)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 96.5% (was 96.7%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 16-3-1

Projected Running Record | 9-1

Huntington Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 68.7% (was 72.1%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 10-6

Projected Running Record | 10-1

Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pennsylvania)

Predicted Winner | Penn State
Nittany Lions Win Probability | 89.5% (was 89.9%)
All-Time Series | PSU leads 43-1-3

Projected Running Record | 11-1

Penn State’s shot at a Big Ten title did get a lot tougher this weekend as a result of the loss to the Buckeyes. Penn State now has the fourth-best odds of winning the Big Ten mostly because it is much more challenging just to get into the conference championship game. ESPN’s FPI numbers agree, giving Penn State a 5.1% chance to win the Big Ten.

The good news is Penn State still has a favorable outlook to reach the College Football Playoff. ESPN’s FPI numbers give Penn State a 73.7% chance of being one of the 12 teams in this year’s playoff field, the eighth-best odds in the nation. Once they get there, however, Penn State is a long shot to win it all. ESPN’s FPI gives Penn State a 9.2% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff and a 4.0% chance of winning the national title.

But at least there’s a chance!