The Minnesota Gophers have scheduled one of the most demanding non‑conference slates in recent memory, lining up five Power Five opponents to sharpen their résumé ahead of March.
A Grueling Road Ahead
The ambitious schedule, which includes matchups against North Dakota, St. Thomas, Cincinnati, Southern, Western Illinois and a host of other mid‑major programs, is designed to push the team’s strength of schedule from a lowly 355th ranking last year to a competitive level that could sway the selection committee.
Opening the season in Grand Forks, the Gophers will test a roster missing key contributors such as Zach Kraft, Josh Jones and transfer Tyler Wagner, while North Dakota enters the game after losing standouts Greyson Uelmen and Eli King.
A week later, St. Thomas arrives with a depleted scoring corps — Nolan Minessale and Nick Janowski have departed — making a Quad 2 victory contingent on the Tommies climbing the NET rankings.
Cincinnati, under new coach Jerrod Calhoun, brings a rebuilt backcourt that includes four former Utah State players, adding another layer of complexity to the Gophers’ early tests.
Southern, sitting at 277 in KenPom after a second‑place SWAC finish, will be without several senior starters, while Western Illinois, ranked 364th by the same metric, historically struggles and lost most of its roster from the previous campaign.
The Charleston Classic in late November will feature potential Power Five teams like Dayton, Virginia Tech, Utah and Oklahoma State, offering the Gophers a chance to measure themselves against higher‑profile competition.
Later in the month, the Gophers travel to Sioux Falls to face the Cal Bears, a team that has also lost key personnel and is expected to provide a tougher-than‑anticipated test.
December brings additional challenges against SMU, Texas Southern and Alcorn State, each of which have seen significant player turnover, as well as a showdown with UTSan Antonio, a program that finished poorly last season.
Looking Forward
If the Gophers can navigate these obstacles and convert most of the expected wins while staying competitive in the close games, the early grind could pay dividends when the selection committee evaluates their résumé.