⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Pick/market: The one semi-well lit part of the game today

- Pick/market: There are also 4.5 more hours for people to decide to go to the game.

- Pick/market: Trying to play the odds: Somewhat Known Quantity vs.

- Pick/market: Gophers fall behind 14-0 immediately after two 3 and out possessions in the first quarter.

- Pick/market: Because it’s football ultimately the team that wins the line of scrimmage will win.

- Pick/market: Ref in Miz-Kan seems to have pulled a hammy on that block FG return!

- Pick/market: Shakopee leads Lakeville South 17-7 at halftime on the road.

- Pick/market: In fairness to the more casual fans - we are playing the worst sec team from the last few years.

- Pick/market: Well, I feel for their fan base.

- Pick/market: when it's non running out the clock scenarios, absolutely

- Pick/market: This is awesome.

- Pick/market: Tbf I was not aware.

- Pick/market: 34-20 State.......

- The Sept. 11 report describes Minnesota-Mississippi State as a near-pick'em spread: State was favored for most of the week, but Thursday movement put Minnesota ahead at some books while others still favored State by roughly a point. This is the article's dated market snapshot, not a live line or a pick. - The preview identifies Mississippi State's strong opening-drive scoring last season and control of tempo as keys to its 2026 road game at Minnesota. State routed Louisiana-Monroe and Minnesota routed Eastern Illinois in their openers; the article treats those wins as tune-ups rather than tests against comparable opposition.

- Minnesota QB Drake Lindsey opened 19-of-24 for 264 yards and one touchdown in three quarters against Eastern Illinois and has gone 177 attempts without an interception. The preview still flags slow starts: Minnesota failed to score in the first quarter in 10 of 13 games last season and punted on its first 2026 possession. - The writer expects heavier Darius Taylor usage after 17 opener touches and emphasizes Minnesota's Greg Johnson/Ashton Beers inside blocking against Mississippi State. New DC Zach Arnett is described as varying three-, four- and five-man fronts around a 3-3-5 base after the Bulldogs allowed over 36 points per game to Power Four opponents in 2025. The usage call is a projection, not a confirmed workload. - Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor averaged about 98 rushing yards and held the ball 3.48 seconds per pass across three career starts, per this preview. Four offensive-line starters are new, with the right guard and tackle making first starts in the opener. The writer proposes disguised zone and pocket discipline for Minnesota; that is analysis, not a disclosed defensive game plan. - The Minnesota preview says kicker Luke Drzwiecki's status remains unknown, leaving Daniel Jackson as the conditional alternative; it does not confirm a clearance or absence. Javon Tracy scored twice on punt returns in the opener and added five catches for 98 yards. Mississippi State kicker Kyle Ferrie went 8-of-11 from 40-plus yards in 2025, a historical contrast rather than a guaranteed kicking edge.

- In the 2026 Mississippi State preview, Minnesota reporter Dylan Callaghan-Croley identifies Drake Lindsey and the passing game as the offense's strength despite its run-first reputation. He projects Jalen Smith as the eventual No. 1 receiver, not an announced depth-chart change; transfer Noah Jennings followed a strong spring and camp with three catches for 57 yards in Week 1. - Callaghan-Croley views Minnesota's front seven as its defensive strength entering Mississippi State: edges Anthony Smith and T.J. Bush lead the group, Karter Menz offers upside, and Maverick Baranowski anchors a linebacker room the team believes has six or seven playable options. This is the reporter's personnel assessment, not a new injury or announced rotation. - Callaghan-Croley questions whether Minnesota's corners and linebackers can match Mississippi State's speed. He expects the safeties to cover cornerback mistakes and contain the passing attack, making safety play his decisive matchup variable. He is skeptical Minnesota would win a shootout exceeding 70 combined points; that is a conditional concern, not a projected total. - Callaghan-Croley's tentative score forecast is Minnesota 31-28 over Mississippi State, with home field influencing his choice. He explicitly says he may change his mind before kickoff. The article gives no sportsbook spread, so this is a straight-up score prediction, not an against-the-spread recommendation.

- Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey enters the matchup after a 2025 season of 2,382 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, with the preview describing his mobility as mostly situational rather than a designed-quarterback-run staple. - Minnesota running back Darius Taylor is expected by the preview's author to be central to the Mississippi State game plan after injuries limited his 2025 rushing total to 670 yards, which is historical workload context rather than a report of a current restriction. - Minnesota receiver Javon Tracy supplied 98 receiving yards and two punt-return touchdowns against Eastern Illinois, and the preview identifies him as an occasional downfield-shot option even though vertical passing is not a staple of the offense. - Minnesota pass rusher Anthony Smith brings 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss from 2025, making his pressure threat the preview's principal protection concern for Mississippi State. - Minnesota defensive back John Nestor returns after leading the Big Ten in interceptions and adding six pass breakups in 2025, with the preview emphasizing his anticipation and ball skills rather than exceptional straight-line speed.

- Pick/market: Fox draft guys have him rated as the 12th QB if he came out for the draft.

- QB: The Dink and dunk offense from the jump with an NFL QB and the “let Taylor get comfortable” approach on D killed us.

- Pick/market: If our defense is good this year they’ve gotta be able to throw a first year starting QB and inexperienced offensive line off their game.

- QB: Underwood is trying to be a pass-first QB, but that TD run shows just how lethal he can be running the ball.

- QB: I never played QB beyond backyard football and I could’ve got to my third read in that game.

- Pick/market: averaging over ten yards per carry.

- QB/WR: Not sure I'm fully onboard with the MSU vibe of the assumption that they are automatically more talented and that we are this little engine that could and will just play ball control to...

- QB/OL: You have the best QB we likely have ever seen on roster, I understand what youre saying but this game on saturday is one you play to your strenghts and use lindseys arm as...

- QB: Many of our fans keep parroting your SEC record over the last few years as proof that we should definitely win this game.

- Pick/market: Minnesota and Mississippi State will meet for the first time Saturday as the Golden Gophers host the Bulldogs in a Big Ten vs.

- QB/LB: Shouldn't have an issue there, our corners will be blitzing on several plays haha.

- QB: Got the player press conferences uploaded to the YouTube channel for anyone that is interested in them

- QB: Well, if he torches us for 200 yards and 3TDs on the ground Saturday it really doesn't matter how he runs.

- QB/LB: Drake Lindsey will be the quarterback everyone talks about after this game - Hayden Moore's breakout performance - Drake has never lost at home.

- QB/DB: Stopping the veer and shoot with a mobile Qb really comes down to safety discipline and talent.

- QB/DB: Stopping the veer and shoot with a mobile Qb really comes down to safety discipline and talent.

- QB: I don’t think he said that, unless I missed it.

- QB: if you're going to swing as a pass-rusher, you cannot miss, as that's how Taylor makes his hay on scrambles EDGEs can't get any deeper than that of the QB, and the guys between...

- Pick/market: Week 1 is in the books, and we've learned...well, not a ton.

- QB: We need to make a defensive coordinator change tonight.

- In his Week 2 pregame interview, P.J. Fleck said Minnesota used several unnamed scout players and good-on-good work to simulate Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor's mobility. Minnesota had also rehearsed mobile-quarterback looks in spring and camp. This records preparation before that game, not evidence that Minnesota successfully contained Taylor. - Before the Mississippi State game, Fleck said Minnesota deliberately practiced against extremely fast, sometimes unrealistic tempo to stress alignment and execution. Pace had been an offseason and camp emphasis. He cautioned that practice cannot exactly reproduce game speed, so these comments establish a preparation priority rather than a solved defensive weakness.

- Intel: The coaching staff difference is clears day we have two coordinators who comparatively are significantly underpaid, but based upon their qualifications are way overpaid.

- QB/RB: Harbaugh saying zero mental errors all WEEK by Drake seems very promising.

- Minnesota is preparing to use its defensive tempo calls throughout the Mississippi State game rather than only in occasional hurry-up situations, with Danny Collins stressing that the next call must arrive immediately after every result and the staff must think one call ahead. - Minnesota's Greg Harbaugh did not describe a special plan to slow the game solely because Mississippi State plays fast, instead emphasizing normal offensive execution, physicality and dictating terms against Arnett's defense.

- Minnesota's pass rush presents both frontline production and rotation depth in Jeff Lebby's scouting assessment, with Cal transfer TJ Bush at Jack and Anthony Smith leading a group that can continue pressuring the quarterback with replacements in the game. - Minnesota's Javon Tracy drew specific return-game concern from Lebby after two touchdowns in the opener, and Mississippi State's coach said limiting his returns is a major special-teams priority. - Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey was described by Lebby as tough, capable of making the full range of throws and increasingly in command of the scheme entering his second season as starter.

- Minnesota defensive coordinator Danny Collins said the scout team has tried several players to simulate Kamario Taylor because his athleticism is difficult to reproduce, with Mississippi State's tempo and designed quarterback runs adding to the preparation challenge. - Minnesota forced 11 three-and-outs on 12 opening-game possessions according to Collins, but he still identified missed tackles and the need to create takeaways as specific defensive corrections rather than treating the result as a finished product. - Minnesota's defensive plan emphasizes keeping Taylor contained in the pocket while maintaining coverage depth against downfield shots, reflecting the need to defend his scrambling without abandoning the passing threat.

- QB: Easy solution, the university needs to actually show their commitment to winning and we need some coordinators that can actually create a solid game plan and scheme to over come our short comings.

- OL/LB: When Kamario takes off and runs we don’t have a LB that can catch him.

- DL/LB: Lots of depth at safety - that’s probably our top unit overall.

- OL/DL: If you think our team speed can match theirs you are kidding yourself.

- RB/DL: Flexing a RB out and running a route on MK could absolutely cause some damage.

- DB/KICKER: The separation may end up being what was best for both parties.

- OL/LB: As a State alum and fan, I am not sure how this game will go.

- LB: Johnson's great game and high PFF sure seems to have caught a lot of attention as far as his draft status.

- Offense: That's the premise.

- Offense: FWIW, since raw numbers are basically meaningless especially with our vast differences in offensive pace...Kamario's QBR in the bowl game was 56.5, and Drake had 9 games last year with a higher QBR than...

- QB: Defense is a huge concern.

- Defense: Excellent video recap of Shakopee’s big win against Lakeville South from @AliciaTipcke .

- DL: We learned about as much about both teams last week as we do from NFL preseason.

- LB: Bottom line is, more butts in seats means also people spending more money while at the game as well.

- Intel: Weird, that link took me to a replay of the TD ULM scored on us at first, but now it’s taking me to something different

- Intel: Guarantee it's to increase posts and in doing so, clicks.

- Intel: Kill way better coach, Fleck way better CEO and media guy.

- Intel: I love how he just blames Nil but the Gophers have one 8 or more games 4 out of 5 years.

- Intel: tough to schedule multiple B1G opponents in a year if you're ISU

- LB: If Lanier does not do much this year I would guess he will transfer again and go to a program in a lower level.

- Intel: Trust me as someone whos put in the hours over the years playing NCAA football on the Xbox, it matters

- Intel: Quentin Redding is their punt returner if that tells you anything...

- LB: We haven't even seen three weeks of college football and the weiners down south already are so insecure they are already saying they are a better football conference this year.

- Intel: My story entering the season on Shakopee football loaded with top prospects, transfers and new coaches.

- Intel: Excited for another @StribVarsity and Strictly Football tour game with @SaberFootball16 at @LSHSCougarsFB tonight.

- Intel: Stan, Here we go, week 2 with the official thread of Gopher Football.

- LB: @Visible by Verizon has partnered with Minnesota Football this season and will feature a logo on the back of all helmets starting this weekend!

- Intel: Ironically the thread was finally starting to be about football

- Intel: Breaking away from Thursday football to watch @BSMVolleyball , the No.

- Intel: Hasn't been much change in the last 24 hours at a quick glance...

- Intel: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, even with all the idiots, including myself sometimes.

- Intel: Here’s my football related contribution to the thread for the night if anyone wants to hear what our players are saying ahead of the game.

- LB: I know there will be plenty of room in your head where they will live rent free for the next 11 weeks of college football.

- LB: In the last 40 games Minnesota has scored on it's opening drive 3 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Intel: Stevens looked good on his one punt return opportunity later in the second half for 26 yards.

- Fans can watch today's Gopher Football Weekly with Coach Fleck today at Noon. - The show, which is hosted by Mike Grimm and Justin Gaard, airs locally on KFAN and across the Gopher Radio Network.

- Intel: Minnesota Top 25: Strib Varsity’s statewide football ranking, Week 2