Minnesota Football: First look at the Ohio State Buckeyes
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1) won their Big Ten opener this past weekend against Rutgers and now will turn their attention to the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0).
Gophers Nation takes a first look at the Golden Gophers below.
Game / Broadcast Details
Where: Columbus, Ohio
Stadium: Ohio Stadium
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT | 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: NBC
Radio: KFAN 100.3 | Mike Grimm, Darrell Thompson, Justin Gaard
Odds: Minnesota is a 23.5-point underdog to Ohio State, with the total currently set at 44 points according to BetMGM.
Ohio State 2025 Results
The Buckeyes are off to a 4-0 start this season. They opened their season facing the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, outlasting Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning 14-7. After their season-opening win, they beat both Grambling and Ohio before enjoying a week off. This past weekend, the Buckeyes took on the Washington Huskies in Seattle, winning 24-6.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Record |
| 8/30 | No. 1 Texas | 14-7 win | 1-0 |
| 9/6 | Grambling | 70-0 win | 2-0 |
| 9/13 | Ohio | 37-9 win | 3-0 |
| 9/27 | at Washington | 24-6 win | 4-0 |
Join Gophers Nation now for $1 your first week and enjoy a complimentary year of The Athletic – included with your membership.
Sign up here: https://www.on3.com/sites/gophers-nation/join/
Series History
This series is dominated by Ohio State, with the Buckeyes winning 47 of 54 total matchups, including every matchup since 2001. The Gophers’ last win over the Buckeyes came in 2000, a 29-17 win for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s last win before 2000 was in 1981, a 35-31 win in Minneapolis.
Head Coach Profile: Ryan Day
Day is now in his seventh season as the Buckeyes’ head coach and, through 84 career games, has totaled a 74-10 record. He is 45-1 against non-ranked opponents, his lone loss coming last season in a 13-10 loss to the Michigan Wolverines in Columbus. The Buckeyes have lost at least two games in each season since 2021 under Day, though, as we all know, that didn’t stop the Buckeyes from winning the national championship last season.
Player to Watch: WR Jeremiah Smith
Perhaps the best wide receiver in the nation, if not the best player overall. Smith has been nearly unstoppable since arriving in Columbus before the 2024 season. In 20 career games, the former five-star prospect has 104 receptions for 1,711 yards and 19 touchdowns.
So far this season, Smith has 28 receptions for 396 yards and four touchdowns. He has scored touchdowns in each of the last three games for Ohio State and has a pair of 100+ yard performances. Against Washington this past weekend, Smith recorded eight receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown.
How the Gophers and Buckeyes match up statistically
| Ohio State Offense | Minnesota Defense | ||
| Stat Category | # (National Rank) | Stat Category | # (National Rank) |
| Scoring Offense | 36.3 (36) | Scoring Defense | 16.3 (T-25) |
| Rushing Offense | 181.2 (50) | Rushing Defense | 62.5 (5) |
| Passing Offense | 264.5 (40) | Passing Defense | 164.5 (23) |
| Total Offense | 445.8 (33) | Total Defense | 230.0 (9) |
| Sacks Allowed | 2 (T-4) | Sacks | 14 (T-13) |
| 3rd Down % | 50.0% (T-24) | 3rd Down % | 33.3% (T-40) |
| 4th Down % | 50.0% (T-81) | 4th Down % | 50.0% (T-53) |
| Red Zone % | 85.0% (T-74) | Red Zone % | 90% (T-97) |
| Minnesota Offense | Ohio State Defense | ||
| Stat Category | # (National Rank) | Stat Category | # (National Rank) |
| Scoring Offense | 33.5 (T-50) | Scoring Defense | 5.5 (1) |
| Rushing Offense | 144 (88) | Rushing Defense | 97.25 (27) |
| Passing Offense | 261.3 (45) | Passing Defense | 132 (8) |
| Total Offense | 420.7 (56) | Total Defense | 229.3 (8) |
| Sacks Allowed | 7 (T-52) | Sacks | 13 (T-22) |
| 3rd Down % | 47.9% (34) | 3rd Down % | 22.6% (4) |
| 4th Down % | 28.5% (T-126) | 4th Down % | 41.6% (T-40) |
| Red Zone % | 80.9% (91) | Red Zone % | 28.5% (1) |
Stay Tuned
Stay tuned to Gophers Nation as we bring the latest updates on the Golden Gophers’ upcoming matchup against Ohio State.
