How the Minnesota game might play out

The Gophers aren't a bad team, but they don't have the talent to upset Ohio State

Whenever I think of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, I think back to one play in 2014. It was a ridiculously cold mid-November day in Minneapolis, even by Minnesota standards, when the Buckeyes came to town needing to win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. There was some snow, some wind. The only person who seemed to revel in it was OSU cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, who wore a short-sleeved shirt.

The signature play of that game was an early 86-yard touchdown run by quarterback J.T. Barrett in a Buckeye win. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a slower 86-yard run. Then again, it’s hard to sprint when your body is nearly frozen. Barrett told me – I think it was for my book on that season, “The Chase” – that he wanted to gesture to the crowd after he reached the end zone but was too tired to do anything but jog back to the sideline and rest.

The Buckeyes won that game 28-14, just like they’ve won all 13 games against the Gophers since Minnesota upset OSU in Columbus in 2000.

I would be shocked if the streak ends today. The Gophers (3-1) are a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team. They’re certainly not bad. But they are not in No. 1 Ohio State’s class on either side of the ball. Last week, I believed Washington had a legitimate chance to pull off an upset. It was OSU’s first road game. The Huskies, I believe, were underrated. They had a quarterback, Demond Williams Jr., who was an elusive runner and accurate passer. Ohio State won going away, 24-6.