TDG staff football predictions – 2024 season

The return of Minnesota Golden Gopher football is almost here! But I have to admit… I don't quite get it yet. Still, I'm sure it won't be long before I'm cursing PJ Fleck's conservative decision-making in Thursday's season opener. That's when I'll know football season is officially back. For now, all we have to offer here at The Daily Gopher is our predictions for this season. As usual, I don't expect perfection here. You shouldn't use this to make betting, legal, or medical decisions. However, feel free to point fingers and laugh.

Week 1: North Carolina Tar Heels

TDG confidence level: 66% (6 out of 9 predict a win)

Week 2: Rhode Island Rams

TDG confidence level: 100%

Week 3: Nevada Wolf Pack

TDG confidence level: 100%

Week 4: No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes

TDG confidence level: 77%

Week 5: @ No. 9 Michigan Wolverines

TDG confidence level: 22%

Week 6: No. 23 USC Trojans

TDG confidence level: 33%

Week 7: @ UCLA Bruins

TDG confidence level: 88%

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Week 8: BYE

Week 9: Maryland Terrapins

TDG confidence level: 100%

Week 10: @ Illinois Fighting Illini

TDG confidence level: 33%

Week 11: @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights

TDG confidence level: 77%

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

Week 12: BYE

Week 13: No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions

TDG confidence level: 22%

Week 14: @ Wisconsin Badgers

TDG confidence level: 55%

Full TDG Employee Predictions

Comments:

gopherguy05: A 4-0 start that gets everyone excited brings them back down to earth quickly. They'll probably win a game they shouldn't win (Iowa) and lose one they shouldn't lose (I'm looking at you, Illini… again).

Gopher Nation: They're actually going to lose a game in this Maryland/Illinois/Rutgers stretch, but I couldn't decide which one. But if they do, they'll beat Wisconsin, so it's still 8-4.

mowe0018: My predictions will die so this season can live. I've thrown out a lot of my general principles to maintain a certain level of plausibility, but also to catapult this season into the stratosphere.

Ustreet:

WhiteSpeedReceiver: One day I will stop being an optimist, but today is not the day.

wildcat00: I don't like the new expanded B1G and I don't think the Gophers will either. Sigh. At least we get to keep the chair forever?

Subscribe: A rocky start is followed by three straight wins to get back on track. Things remain pretty normal until back-to-back road losses to Illinois and Rutgers make people want to jump out the window. Minnesota salvages what will look like a pretty good season on paper with wins over Penn State and Bucky.

What do you think?

Vote in the poll below or leave your predictions in the comments!