After a quick trip out to the West Coast, Penn State football is back in Beaver Stadium to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Nittany Lions outlasted Washington 28-25 at Husky Stadium to win their second consecutive Big Ten game. It was another contest powered by an efficient rushing attack, with Carson Hansen taking the reins in Seattle.

Minnesota has had quite the up-and-down 2026 campaign. The Golden Gophers took down Michigan in Week 5 before getting blown out by Purdue the following game.

Minnesota managed a 20-15 win over No. 15 Iowa after its bye week, but it’s now on a two-game losing streak to Indiana and UCLA.

The Golden Gophers look like Penn State’s last truly significant test of the season. Here’s how our staff thinks the Nittany Lions will fare in the two programs’ first meeting since 2024.

Brandon Collica (5-3): Penn State 31, Minnesota 16

Penn State has a real chance to win out and finish the year 8-4, and that starts with the game against the Golden Gophers.

Minnesota has been a really weird team this year, with wins over Iowa and Michigan, close losses to UCLA and Indiana, and really ugly losses to Purdue and Mississippi State.

Penn State comes into this game with two straight wins, and I think it will extend that streak to three.

Christopher Green (3-3): Penn State 24, Minnesota 17

Night game at home. This team is fired up.

The Golden Gophers will have to fight harder than they expect.

Cooper Allmaras (2-4): Penn State 24, Minnesota 17

A cold winter night could make for a low-scoring defensive battle, but I think if Penn State gets the run game going, it can be a good game.

Minnesota always knows how to give Penn State a game every time the two teams meet, but I feel like Penn State always finds a way to take the lead on home turf.

Gabriel Alpher (1-1): Penn State 24, Minnesota 20

Penn State is a team heading in the right direction. Minnesota is heading the opposite way.

While the Golden Gophers have some solid wins and gave Indiana a scare, Matt Campbell has Penn State looking good enough to slide away with this one.

Holden Mostofsky (3-6): Penn State 17, Minnesota 24

I’m currently 0-6 in Big Ten score predictions, so don’t take my word for this anymore. However, I think Minnesota’s defense is one of the best in the conference and will give Penn State a rough time, especially in the red zone.

Ian Becker (3-3): Penn State 21, Minnesota 18

Can Penn State win three Big Ten matchups in a row? I think yes.

Minnesota is a strange team: it’s played a lot of strong teams close, but also got blown out by Purdue and Mississippi State. Regardless, I think Penn State can keep the momentum going, especially in a primetime setting at Beaver Stadium — although that hasn’t been a great omen this year.

The Nittany Lions’ run game will need to propel them to a win, so hopefully Hansen and Cam Wallace can keep dominating on the ground. It will be a gritty contest.

Jake Speicher (4-2): Penn State 21, Minnesota 17

After the losing streak, Penn State feels like it’s been playing a series of boss fights, each more difficult than the last. While successful up to this point, Minnesota feels like a perfect test for a Penn State team regaining its momentum.

Not the scariest team out there, but Minnesota can absolutely burn the Nittany Lions on their mistakes. I like Penn State’s odds to keep it rolling, however.

Praying we get a snow game, however unlikely.

Jason Perry (7-1): Penn State 34, Minnesota 27

The Nittany Lions finally have some good things going for them. Let’s hope they can keep it going against the Golden Gophers on Saturday.

It won’t be easy, but with a win streak and Chase Sowell looking like the truth, they absolutely have what it takes.

Michael Zeno (7-2): Penn State 27, Minnesota 20

Doesn’t sound like Koby Howard will be back this season, but hey, at least Penn State has Sowell!

Penn State fights for a lot more than just pride Saturday. It fights for the Governor’s Victory Bell, clearly a symbol of its long, intense rivalry with the Golden Gophers. The Nittany Lions owe it to their forefathers to win.

Sean Regenye (0-0): Penn State 31, Minnesota 13

The Nittany Lions will get their third constructive win on Saturday against a struggling Golden Gophers program.

The Golden Gophers rank near the bottom of the barrel in passing and rushing defense, and Penn State seems to be getting its offense to flow with Rocco Becht, Sowell, and the committee backfield.

On the other side of the ball, Penn State’s pass defense is top three in the country in passing yards allowed per game. I have no doubt the defense will keep Minnesota, the No. 110 overall offense in points per game, at bay.

Tadhg Gorman (2-3): Penn State 35, Minnesota 24

Let’s keep the win streak going and finish the season with a winning record.

Tyler Eyerman (1-1): Penn State 20, Minnesota 23

Minnesota is a good team with impressive wins this season. I don’t think Penn State’s defense will hold up against the Golden Gophers’ strong offensive line and run game. I hope I’m wrong, though!

Zach Paulhamus (4-2): Penn State 27, Minnesota 23

One last night game under the Beaver Stadium lights, and with possible snow in the forecast? This feels like a game where the rushing attack will dominate again.

I think Minnesota will keep it interesting, and after Penn State’s recent second-half disasters, I’m still not completely sold. However, after it’s all said and done, the Governor’s Victory Bell will stay home in State College, and fans will leave with a frozen body and bowl eligibility.

Cadyn Gill (6-3): Penn State 31, Minnesota 23

Saturday brings two teams that can’t uphold a week-to-week level of play to save their life. Minnesota comes to Beaver Stadium with a 41-13 blowout loss to 3-6 Purdue under its belt, while also beating 7-2 Iowa and narrowly losing to 8-1 Indiana.

Meanwhile, Penn State is coming off a comically polarizing game against Washington and has been a poor second-half team all season.

But I project a strong outing from the Nittany Lions’ defense against the pure pocket passer Drake Lindsey. Facing a non-mobile quarterback makes it easier for the ridiculously talented and deep Penn State secondary.

Combine that with Minnesota’s inability to run the football as the dead-last rushing attack in the Big Ten, and I think Lindsey and the Golden Gophers offense will face an uphill battle with plenty of third-and-long situations that play right into the hands of defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s defensive scheme.

Jamie Lynch (5-4): Penn State 27, Minnesota 24

Few things are scarier in this world than Penn State facing Minnesota.

The 2019 game still triggers PTSD, and each subsequent matchup since then has come with its fair share of nerves.

That being said, the 2016 Big Ten champions will be in the house on Saturday. The Nittany Lions beat the Golden Gophers that year, in overtime, to jumpstart an improbable run to the Rose Bowl.

I’ve got Penn State winning a nail-biter in what one can only hope will be a snow globe inside Beaver Stadium. And just for the plot, I’m going to guess 60 minutes won’t be enough to decide this one, either.

Oscar Orellana (7-2): Penn State 24, Minnesota 18

Minnesota is one of the most perplexing teams not only in the Big Ten, but in all of college football. Head coach PJ Fleck’s squad has been inconsistent to the bone, and that should absolutely petrify Penn State.

What version of the Golden Gophers will appear in Beaver Stadium? We won’t know until then, but on paper this is a complete mismatch that Penn State should take advantage of.

Minnesota boasts the No. 15 scoring offense in the Big Ten and the worst rushing attack. While Lindsey isn’t too shabby of a quarterback, the Golden Gophers are also No. 14 in passing.

It’ll be interesting to see how the bottom-ranked rushing offense collides with Penn State’s No. 16 rushing defense. The Nittany Lions should handle business through the air, though, as the conference’s No. 1 passing defense.

I think this will be an ugly, physical, competitive matchup. Fleck always has his guys ready for war, and Campbell knows a thing or two about his style, dating back to their days coaching in the MAC.

This is Penn State’s last chance to record a “quality” win (I hate that term), but it’s the reality. Rutgers and Maryland aren’t exactly the greatest programs in the world in 2026. It would be huge for the program to clinch bowl eligibility in front of the home crowd under the Beaver Stadium lights against a non-pushover.

Now let’s just see if the Nittany Lions can hang on in the second half.

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