Minnesota Football: Can Gophers build on 2018 bowl berth?

Minnesota football opens its third season under P.J. Fleck hoping to row the boat back into the postseason. Can the Gophers build on last year’s bowl trip?

Last season, Minnesota fielded one of the youngest teams in the entire FBS. The Golden Gophers relied heavily on freshman as head coach P.J. Fleck continued to rebuild the program in Minneapolis.

That youth movement inevitably led to some growing pains, as one week the Gophers showed flashes of brilliance on the gridiron and the next week they crumpled right past mediocrity to an abysmal performance.

Hopes for Minnesota fans in 2019 hinge on that youth movement yielding more experience and consistency. When they were on their game last year, the Golden Gophers showed the kind of skill and teamwork that put them among the most productive and successful teams in the country. When they were off their game, few teams were as bad as Minnesota.

Which version of the Golden Gophers will show up from week to week for Fleck and his staff? And if Minnesota does show up on fire week over week, what is the ceiling for this year’s Gophers squad?

Keep reading as we break down the Minnesota offense and defense before surveying their schedule and projecting how they might finish the regular season.