The show must go on and Minnesota has an opportunity to take out some frustrations on the Akron Zips.
How to Watch
TV: BTN
Time: 11:00
Stream: Peacock
My confidence was high a week ago and I was thoroughly disappointed.
KEYS TO A GOPHER WIN
Please find a running game – The schedule only gets more difficult from here. The Gophers were the worst rushing team in the Big Ten a year ago and are currently 18th again. They didn’t even bother to try to rush the ball throughout the entire second half of the Mississippi State game.
They need to find a way to run the ball on Saturday against the Zips.
Paging Anthony Smith – The running game was non-existent against Mississippi State and so was Anthony Smith. The Gophers’ best defensive player needs to wreak havoc in the Zips’ backfield.
Clean up the defense – In both games this season there have been lapses defensively. Entire series where the defense is on it’s heels and unable to recover until a later possession. Against Eastern Illinois, it was really just one series. Against Mississippi State it was the entire first half. Danny Collins blamed it on their tempo which led to miscommunication. Clean up that communication, make quicker adjustments and get this talented defense on track.
OPPOSING PLAYERS TO WATCH
- #83 TE – Elijah Alexander – I don’t know that I’ve ever put a tight end in this section of 3 Keys, but Alexander has been a scoring machine for the Zips. The sophomore has three touchdowns in their two games and leads the team with seven receptions.
- #1 DL – Cyrus Durham – The team’s best defensive player has not yet seen the field this season, but there is a real possibility that he plays this week. If he’s playing, he’s the one to be concerned about.
PREDICTION
I am very confident in this game. A step up from Eastern Illinois and a chance to get things right after the Mississippi State debacle. I think the offense tries very hard to run the ball early, likely without a ton of success before throwing the ball to get points on the board.
Eventually they lean on the ground game, but the points will come from Drake Lindsey’s arm.
Minnesota – 38
Akron – 10
