The wait is almost over, in just five days, the Minnesota Golden Gophers will begin their 2024 season by hosting the Atlantic Coastal Conference's North Carolina Tar Heels, for the second of a home-and-home series between the two programs.
It will be just the second matchup all-time between the two programs. The Tar Heels won last year's meeting in Chapel Hill, 31-13. Below, Gophers Nation takes a first look at the Minnesota Golden Gophers and their week one opponent, the ACC's North Carolina Tar Heels.
Game/broadcast details:
WHEN: August 29, 2024
WHERE: Minneapolis, Minnesota
STADIUM: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805)
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TELEVISION: FOX
ODDS: Minnesota -2.5 / over/under is 50.5
Gophers hoping to rebound from dissapointing 2023 campaign
Last fall, the Golden Gophers finished the season with a 6-7 record thanks to a Quick Lane Bowl win over Bowling Green. While the win allowed P.J. Fleck's program to enter the offseason on a high note, it was still a disappointing 2023 campaign for the Golden Gophers. After a thrilling 13-10 season opening win over Nebraska and defeating Eastern Michigan one week later 25-6, the Gophers began to falter. Drake Maye and North Carolina would torch the pass defense for 400 yards in a 31-13 loss and one week later, Northwestern would shock the Gophers 37-34.
Following the 2-2 start, it appeared the Gophers were finding momentum with wins in three of their next four including games against Iowa and Michigan State but November would not be kind to the Gophers. They would drop their last four games of the regular season to Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, and Wisconsin en route to a 5-7 record.
Tar Heels look for third straight winning season
The North Carolina Tar Heels enter 2024 looking for a third-straight winning season under head coach Mack Brown and their fifth in sixth seasons under head coach Mack Brown. The Tar Heels no longer have several key pieces including quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Tez Walker, additionally, North Carolina returns just one starting offensive lineman from last season. Defensively, the Tar Heels will hope the hiring of former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins helps right the ship of a defense that allowed over 27 points and 400 yards last season.
Minnesota vs. North Carolina Stat Comparison (2023):
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