Will well-rested Gophers top Maryland to stretch winning streak to three?

The Gophers return from the first of two bye weeks, looking to extend a two-game winning streak. The homecoming opponent for Minnesota (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) is Maryland (4-3, 1-3), which rallied past USC 29-28 last week by scoring 15 fourth-quarter points and blocking a field goal.

Will the Gophers keep rolling?

The Gophers nearly won at Michigan, upset then-No. 11 USC 27-24 to turn around their season and rallied late again to win 21-17 at UCLA. This game is pivotal for bowl purposes, and a victory would give the Gophers a solid chance for a seven- or eight-win regular season. A loss makes the path to six victories more challenging.

How healthy will the Gophers be?

The bye week offered a chance for injured players to heal, and the Gophers defense could see a boost if a couple of players are 100% or close to that mark. Linebacker Maverick Baranowski (36 tackles) has missed the past two games, while defensive tackle Jalen Logan-Redding (1½ tackles for loss) has seen limited action.

How will Koi Perich impact this game?

The true freshman safety from Esko, Minn., sparked the rally at Michigan with a 60-yard punt return, forced a fumble and had the game-sealing interception against USC and had two picks, one to end the game, at UCLA. He already has four interceptions this season, tied for second in the nation. “He’s making a huge impact,” coach P.J. Fleck said.

Maryland WRs vs. Gophers CBs

Tai Felton leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally with 64 receptions, while fellow Terrapins wideout Kaden Prather has 43 catches. They’ve combined for nine TD receptions and will be a challenge for Gophers cornerbacks Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson, who lead the nation’s fourth-ranked pass defense.

Gophers RB Darius Taylor vs. Maryland LBs

Darius Taylor leads the Gophers in rushing with 432 yards and six TDs, and his work as a pass-catcher is blossoming. He’s third on the team with 29 catches for 223 yards, and his late TD grab was the winner against UCLA. Weakside linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II paces the Terps with 33 tackles.

90 Passing plays of 10 yards or longer by Maryland, which leads the Big Ten. The Gophers have given up 38 pass plays of 10 yards or longer, third fewest in the conference.

How the Gophers will win: They’ll need to play a consistent 60 minutes, avoiding the turnovers and penalties that plagued them in their three losses. QB Max Brosmer spreading the ball around to Taylor and his wideouts will help keep Maryland’s defense off balance. Minnesota’s secondary must be up to the challenge that Terps QB Billy Edwards Jr. presents.

How the Terrapins will win: Maryland loves to pass the ball, but RB Roman Hemby needs to present a threat in the run game, too. That should create more space for Felton and Prather to operate. On defense, the Terps can help themselves by taking Taylor away in the passing game.

Since Fleck took over as Minnesota’s coach in 2017, the average winning score in the Gophers-Maryland matchup has been 40.8-21.4. That seems like a large margin this time for a pair of teams who seem to be evenly matched. The Gophers have been slow starters this season, being outscored 21-12 in the first quarter, but have rebounded in the second (66-34) and fourth (62-23). They’ve rallied behind Brosmer, but they don’t want to get into too much of a track meet with the Terps.

My expectation: The Gophers secondary faces its biggest challenge of the season in Edwards and his wideouts. Minnesota has just enough on offense and defense to win a tight game. Gophers 31, Maryland 27