The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team should crack the pre-season top 25 mainly on the strength of their ground game and their upcoming schedule. The Gophers have two running backs, Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney, that eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark last season. Barber is the thundering power back and Maroney is the quick and agile speed rusher. Add in the fact that neither is a senior this year (Barber is a junior and Maroney is a sophomore) and that either could win All-Big Ten honors and you have the makings of a scary team. Sophomore QB Bryan Cupito won’t have to do much given the guys behind him but he’ll need to make plays throughout the season. Wide receivers Paris Hamilton and Jared Ellerson will be the top two targets for Cupito in 2004 and each should post respectable, but not outstanding, numbers.

The Gophers offensive units is one of the strongest in the nation, but if the team aspires to be in the national championship and Big Ten championship conversations, the defense will need to step up its game this year. LB Kyle McKenzie ended last season with 61 tackles and hits hard while possessing above average speed. DE Darrel Reid could be the star of the defense on blitzes and shutdown coverage. Head coach Glen Mason also looks to Reid to provide to spark for the team and to be the emotional leader on and off the field.

Many publications have the Golden Gophers on the cusp of the top 25, but if the team plays together, it’s hard to imagine they lose more than two or three games all year. Both lines are solid, they have a solid offense that means they’re never out of a game, and the defense should be better than last season. October 9th is the circled date on the calendars as the team will travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines of Michigan. The team had an epic meltdown in the fourth quarter of last season’s game, but if the Gophers can grab a win on the road, they could challenge for the Big Ten title. They’ll miss Ohio State and Purdue this season, so the Michigan game could be the big challenge this year. The Gophers have built a reputation in the past on playing “cupcakes” in their non-conference schedule but this year, they’ll open with Tulane and Illinois State, two quality teams from smaller conferences, before traveling to Colorado State, another solid team from a non-BCS division. They’re other big game will be November 6 when they travel to Camp Randall and take on the rival University of Wisconsin Badgers for “Paul Bunyan’s Axe”. Last year, with the game on the line, Gophers place kicker Rhys Lloyd kicked a game winning field goal as time expired. Before the ball had even traveled thru the uprights, Lloyd was running towards the sideline to find the Axe and show it off in a celebration with his teammates. The Gophers play their home games at the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) and the Minnesota Twins (MLB). The school is looking into the possibility of building their own stadium on campus.

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