Gophers' '1-0 mindset' will be tested by daunting Big Ten schedule

The Gophers picked up a huge upset win at Washington to open their Big Ten schedule, but their remaining eight games look daunting. A chaotic Week 4 in the conference adds context to what could be a challenging 2026 season for Minnesota.

The Gophers weren’t the only Big Ten team that made a statement in Week 4. Wisconsin won at Penn State as 10.5-point underdogs, Northwestern lost by just six points at Indiana as 20.5-point underdogs, Iowa stunned Michigan at home, and UCLA won by 51 points at Maryland. Minnesota’s schedule now looks a lot different than it did at the start of the season.

Re-ranking their remaining opponents

• 1. @ Indiana (Oct. 31)
• 2. vs. Iowa (Oct. 24)
• 3. vs. UCLA (Nov. 7)
• 4. @ Wisconsin (Nov. 27)
• 5. vs. Michigan (Oct. 3)
• 6. @ Penn State (Nov. 14)
• 7. vs. Northwestern (Nov. 21)
• 8. @ Purdue (Oct. 10)

Despite Indiana struggling as a big favorite in its Big Ten opener, Curt Cignetti is still one of the best coaches in the sport, and playing against the defending national champs on the road will be an uphill battle for the Gophers.

Depending on how the next three weeks go for Iowa and Minnesota, their Oct. 24 meeting at Huntington Bank Stadium could be an even bigger game than it looked preseason. The Hawkeyes are currently ranked No. 14 in the country, and they have a ginormous opportunity this week against No. 5 Ohio State at home.

UCLA is easily the biggest surprise team in the conference under first-year head coach Bob Chesney. The Bruins are ranked No. 23 in the country after a 4-0 start. They have a huge test at Oregon looming, but there’s a real chance they come to Minnesota on Nov. 7 with a 7-1 record, or better.

Luke Fickell picked up arguably the biggest win of his Wisconsin tenure in Week 4 at Penn State. It remains to be seen whether or not the Badgers’ 24-20 win at Beaver Stadium says more about their 2026 potential, or Matt Campbell’s first season, but it’s clear that Wisconsin is better than it was last season. Fickell will be motivated to end the season with a rivalry win.

This week’s game against Michigan might be Minnesota’s best chance to win the Little Brown Jug since it last did in 2014. The Wolverines have gotten off to a shaky start under first-year head coach Kyle Wittingham. Narrow wins against Oklahoma and Western Michigan at home have not aged well, and they were stunned last week against Iowa. They’re clearly susceptible to being knocked off by just about any team in the conference.

This week’s matchup between Penn State and Northwestern to open the brand new Ryan Field in Evanston on Friday night is one of the most interesting on the Big Ten slate. How both teams respond after their first losses of the season will tell us a ton about how about their 2026 outlooks going forward.

Winning on the road in the Big Ten is never a guarantee, but playing at Purdue on Oct. 10 is the most favorable game left on Minnesota’s schedule. The Boilermakers might be a little better than they were last season, but they’re still 1-3 so far.

The Gophers are 3-1 to begin the 2026 season, and we saw how quickly narratives can shift in Week 4. P.J. Fleck routinely preaches “1-0 seasons” instead of looking at the bigger picture, and that mindset will be tested in Big Ten play this season.

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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Sep 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.