Purdue football opponent first look: Minnesota Golden Gophers Edition

Purdue (2-7 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) returns home after being on the road the last two weeks to take on Minnesota (5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) inside the confines of Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers are looking to bounce back against the Golden Gophers after four straight defeats, with Minnesota coming off a loss itself.

Boiler Upload takes a first look at PJ Fleck and the Gophers ahead of Saturday's matchup.

When, where, how to watch:

Where: Ross-Ade Stadium (61,441 capacity), West Lafayette, Indiana.

When: November 11th at 3:30 pm. ET

TV: NBC or Peacock (Broadcast team to be announced)

Betting odds: Purdue is a +1.5 underdog (-110) and the over/under is 46.5 points

Minnesota entered the season with high expectations coming off of back-to-back nine win seasons under PJ Fleck, with 2023 potentially being the Gophers breakthrough year to get to the Big Ten Championship Game.

That has not materialized thus far. Minnesota sits at 5-4 and are in a three way tie for second place in the Big Ten West as inconsistencies have filled the season.

The Gophers started the year with a thrilling win over Nebraska in the Big Ten opener, needing a game-winning field goal to come out victorious over the Huskers. They followed up that win with another triumph over Eastern Michigan and looked to be well on their way to contending in the division.

Those hopes took a hit in the middle of September, however. Minnesota lost a road game to North Carolina, allowing 31 points, which it had done just once the year prior. The following week, in what was supposed to be a chance to get back on track, the Gophers blew a 21 point fourth quarter lead to Northwestern to fall back to .500 on the year. Minnesota was then shaky against Louisiana, but handled business against the Ragin' Cajuns to avoid a big upset in non-conference play.

As the Big Ten slate got into full swing, the Gophers have been up and down. PJ Fleck's group has split its last four games, dropping a lopsided affair to Michigan before picking up back-to-back wins against rival Iowa and Michigan State. That two-game streak was snapped on Saturday afternoon, as the Gophers fell to Illinois.

Minnesota is now a step behind Big Ten West leading Iowa in the race to Indianapolis, but have an opportunity to cement itself atop the division, although it won't be easy. Along with Purdue, the Gophers also have dates with Ohio State and Wisconsin to close out the year.

PJ Fleck's teams have fully embraced the old school style of Big Ten football during his time in Minneapolis. The Gophers have leaned on stellar defense and one of the conference's best run game during their winning seasons the last two years. While the success hasn't been the same in 2023, the formula hasn't changed much.

Minnesota averaged north of 200 rushing yards behind All-Big Ten running back Mo Ibrahim in 2022 and had similar success with a three-headed monster in 2021. That number has dipped in 2023, but the Gophers are still fifth in the Big Ten and 54th in the nation in that category.

The Gophers have had tough luck with injuries at the position this season, seeing true freshman phenom Darius Taylor deal with an undisclosed ailment after his monster start. Taylor could potentially return this weekend, but his status is currently unknown for the game.

Jordan Nubin has stepped up in his absence, having 279 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. Freshman Zach Evans and transfer Sean Tyler have also factored into the Gophers backfield.

Even with quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis taking a small step forward in recent weeks, Minnesota will still lean on the run game on Saturday afternoon, as the offense is tied for the most rushing attempts in the Big Ten this season.

While the all-time series is fairly even (Minnesota holding a 41-34-3 edge), Purdue has found itself struggling against the Gophers in recent history. Since 2012, the Boilermakers are just 2-8 against the Big Ten West foe. Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck holds a 4-2 record in six meetings against Purdue since he took over for Tracy Claeys in 2017.

The most recent matchup saw Purdue pick up its first win in Minneapolis since 2007, when Curtis Painter threw for 338 yards and three scores in a 45-31 Boilermaker victory. Last season's meeting saw Devin Mockobee have his breakout game, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown in the 20-10 win.

Purdue head coach Ryan Walters won both of his matchups against Fleck when he was the defensive coordinator at Illinois in 2021 and 2022. Walters will look to duplicate that success on Saturday afternoon as the Boilermakers aim to take momentum into the off-season.