# 2018 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 2018 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Gophers played their home games at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota and competed in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by second-year head coach P. J. Fleck.
Minnesota began the year by sweeping its non-conference slate against New Mexico State, Fresno State, and Miami (OH); but opened Big Ten Conference play with four straight losses. The team secured wins against Indiana and Purdue, and then secured bowl eligibility by defeating rival Wisconsin for the first time since 2003, and the first time on the road since 1994. The team finished the regular season tied for fifth in the Big Ten West Division with a conference record of 3–6. They were invited to the Quick Lane Bowl where they defeated Georgia Tech to end the year with an overall record of 7–6.
The team's starting quarterback was true freshman Zack Annexstad before he suffered an internal midsection injury in the game against Nebraska on October 20. He did not return for the rest of the season, and redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan took his place under center. Both Annexstad and Morgan finished with nine touchdowns on the year. The team's leading rusher was Mohamed Ibrahim, with 1,160 rushing yards; and the team's leading receiver was Tyler Johnson with 1,169 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, which tied for the conference lead. Johnson was named first-team All-Big Ten by the media voters. Defensive lineman Carter Coughlin and linebacker Blake Cashman each finished with 15 tackles for loss and were both named second-team All-Big Ten.

## Preseason
### Award watch lists

| Award | Player | Position | Year |
| Rimington Trophy | Jared Weyler | C | SR |
| Chuck Bednarik Award | Thomas Barber | LB | JR |
| Maxwell Award | Rodney Smith | RB | SR |
| Doak Walker Award | Rodney Smith | RB | SR |
| Butkus Award | Thomas Barber | LB | JR |
| Lou Groza Award | Emmit Carpenter | K | SR |
| Paul Hornung Award | Rodney Smith | RB/KR | JR |
| Wuerffel Trophy | Emmit Carpenter | K | SR |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 30 | 6:00 p.m. | New Mexico State* | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | BTN | W 48–10 | 41,291 |
| September 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Fresno State* | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | FS1 | W 21–14 | 38,280 |
| September 15 | 2:30 p.m. | Miami (OH)* | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | BTN | W 26–3 | 41,162 |
| September 22 | 11:00 a.m. | at Maryland | Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD | BTN | L 13–42 | 36,211 |
| October 6 | 2:30 p.m. | Iowa | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN (Floyd of Rosedale) | BTN | L 31–48 | 48,199 |
| October 13 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 3 Ohio State | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | FS1 | L 14–30 | 100,042 |
| October 20 | 2:30 p.m. | at Nebraska | Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy) | BTN | L 28–53 | 89,272 |
| October 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Indiana | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | FS1 | W 38–31 | 33,273 |
| November 3 | 2:30 p.m. | at Illinois | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | BTN | L 31–55 | 35,774 |
| November 10 | 2:30 p.m. | Purdue | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | ESPN2 | W 41–10 | 31,068 |
| November 17 | 11:00 a.m. | Northwestern | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | BTN | L 14–24 | 32,134 |
| November 24 | 2:30 p.m. | at Wisconsin | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI (Paul Bunyan's Axe) | ESPN2 | W 37–15 | 74,038 |
| December 26 | 4:15 p.m. | vs. Georgia Tech* | Ford FieldDetroit, MI (Quick Lane Bowl) | ESPN | W 34–10 | 27,228 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
Source:

## Game summaries
### New Mexico State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Aggies | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 28 | 3 | 10 | 48 |

### Fresno State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 21 |

### Miami (OH)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| RedHawks | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 26 |

### At Maryland

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Gophers | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Terrapins | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |

### Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawkeyes | 14 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 48 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |

### At Ohio State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 3 Buckeyes | 10 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 30 |

### At Nebraska

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Gophers | 0 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 28 |
| Cornhuskers | 14 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 53 |

### Indiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hoosiers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 31 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
at TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: October 26, 2018
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Rainy, 46 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 33,273
* Referee: Mark Kluczynski
* TV announcers (FS1): Aaron Goldsmith (play-by-play), Evan Moore (analyst)
* Sources:
| Statistics | IU | MINN |
| First downs | 20 | 22 |
| Total yards | 385 | 482 |
| Rushes/yards | 30–153 | 40–180 |
| Passing yards | 232 | 302 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 29–44–2 | 17–24–1 |
| Time of possession | 29:37 | 30:23 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Indiana | Passing | Peyton Ramsey | 29/44, 232 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Indiana | Rushing | Stevie Scott III | 18 carries, 96 yards, TD |
| Indiana | Receiving | Donavan Hale | 4 receptions, 51 yards, TD |
| Minnesota | Passing | Tanner Morgan | 17/24, 302 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Minnesota | Rushing | Shannon Brooks | 22 carries, 154 yards, TD |
| Minnesota | Receiving | Rashod Bateman | 4 receptions, 108 yards, TD |

### At Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
| Fighting Illini | 14 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 55 |

### Purdue

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Boilermakers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Golden Gophers | 3 | 10 | 21 | 7 | 41 |

### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 7 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 24 |
| Golden Gophers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

### At Wisconsin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Minnesota | 3 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 37 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 15 |
at Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wisconsin
* Date: November 24
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Cloudy • 42 °F (6 °C) • Wind W 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn)
* Game attendance: 74,038
* Referee: R. Snodgrass
* Box Score
Game information :
Minnesota
Tanner Morgan 9/16, 124 Yds
Mohamed Ibrahim 26 Rush, 121 Yds, TD
Tyler Johnson 4 Rec, 76 Yds
Wisconsin
Alex Hornibrook 22/33, 189 Yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Jonathan Taylor 19 Rush, 120 Yds
Danny Davis 10 Rec, 93 Yds :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MINN | WIS |
| 1 | 2:37 | 10 | 65 | 5:04 | Minnesota | 34-yard field goal by Emmit Carpenter | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | 2:21 | 9 | 59 | 5:46 | Minnesota | Mohamed Ibrahim 10-yard touchdown run, Emmit Carpenter kick good | 10 | 0 |
| 2 | 1:05 | | | | Minnesota | Punt returned 69 yards for touchdown by Demetrius Douglas, Emmit Carpenter kick good | 17 | 0 |
| 2 | 0:01 | 8 | 76 | 0:59 | Wisconsin | Jake Ferguson 7-yard touchdown reception from Alex Hornibrook, Rafael Gaglianone kick good | 17 | 7 |
| 3 | 7:47 | 8 | 51 | 4:01 | Minnesota | 23-yard field goal by Emmit Carpenter | 20 | 7 |
| 3 | 1:02 | 9 | 31 | 4:52 | Minnesota | 42-yard field goal by Emmit Carpenter | 23 | 7 |
| 4 | 4:56 | 1 | 23 | 0:07 | Minnesota | Bryce Williams 23-yard touchdown run, Emmit Carpenter kick good | 30 | 7 |
| 4 | 2:31 | 6 | 29 | 2:12 | Minnesota | Bryce Williams 16-yard touchdown run, Emmit Carpenter kick good | 37 | 7 |
| 4 | 1:12 | 7 | 75 | 1:19 | Wisconsin | Danny Davis 13-yard touchdown reception from Alex Hornibrook, kick good | 37 | 15 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 37 | 15 |

### Vs. Georgia Tech (Quick Lane Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Golden Gophers | 10 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 34 |

## Awards and honors

All-Big Ten :
| Player | Position | Coaches | Media |
| Tyler Johnson | WR | 2 | 1 |
| Carter Coughlin | DL | 2 | 2 |
| Blake Cashman | LB | 3 | 2 |
| Jacob Huff | DB | HM | HM |
| Donnell Greene | OT | HM | HM |
| Jacob Herbers | P | HM | HM |
| Emmit Carpenter | K | HM | HM |
| Demetrius Douglas | PR/KR | – | HM |
| Blaise Andries | OG | – | HM |
| Daniel Faalele | OT | – | HM |
| Mohamed Ibrahim | RB | – | HM |
| Conner Olson | OG | – | HM |
| Jared Weyler | C | – | HM |
| HM = Honorable mention. Reference: ||||

## Players drafted into the NFL

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
| 5 | 157 | Blake Cashman | LB | New York Jets |