Golden Gophers and Iowa Hawkeyes enjoy Floyd-Rosedale rivalry

Gophers coach PJ Fleck, an Illinois native, was familiar with Iowa's football program, having grown up in Big Ten country. His first encounter with the Hawkeyes was in 1999, when he started as a freshman receiver for Northern Illinois in a 24-0 loss. In 2013, in his fourth game as Western Michigan's coach, Fleck and his Broncos lost 59-3 at Iowa.

“As a player, you go into the pink locker room (at Kinnick Stadium),” Fleck said. “And one of my first losses as a head coach, I lost by about 60 points. You have a lot of memories at Iowa.”

Last year's result – which was marked by controversy from Iowa's perspective when Cooper DeJean's late punt return touchdown was nullified on a game replay due to an invalid fair catch signal – holds a special place in Fleck's mind.

“That's what you build,” he said. “You create moments and memories.”

The Gophers will look to add to those memories with their first home win over the Hawkeyes since 2014, when tight end Maxx Williams had three touchdown catches to lead a 51-14 victory. To do that, they'll likely need a big game from a newcomer to the rivalry, quarterback Max Brosmer.

The New Hampshire graduate joined the team last December and quickly learned not only Minnesota's offense but also its history.