2018 Minnesota Gophers Football Schedule

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Head coach P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Gophers are looking to rebound after an underwhelming 2017 season. The Gophers went 5-7 overall and 2-7 in the Big Ten in last year, a disappointing finish after winning 9 regular season games and the Holiday Bowl in 2016.

"I think we start every season optimistic," Gopher fan Willy Wong told Patch. "You start with Big Ten title, and then after our first couple losses, you take it down a little bit," he laughed. "Try to get a bowl game."

Patch also spoke with longtime fan "Lou" who said he's been cheering for the Gophers since 1961, when he first enrolled at the University of Minnesota. That was one year after Gophers won its last national championship. The program hasn't come close to reaching the same heights since.

"I have a chronic lung disease and I think I know what caused it; 14 straight losses to the [Wisconsin] Badgers," Lou joked.

Check out the 2018 Gophers football schedule:

Aug. 30: New Mexico State Aggies, 6 p.m. (Gophers currently favored by 18 points, according to Vegas Insider)

Sept. 8: Fresno State Bulldogs, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 15: Miami-Ohio Redhawks, 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 at Maryland Terrapins, 11 p.m.

Oct. 6: Iowa Hawkeyes, 1 p.m.

Oct. 13 at Ohio State Buckeyes, 12 p.m.

Oct. 20 at Nebraska Cornhuskers, 1 p.m.

Oct. 26: Indiana Hoosiers, 8 p.m.

Nov. 3 at Illinois Fighting Illini, 1 p.m.

Nov. 10: Purdue Boilermakers, 1 p.m.

Nov. 17: Northwestern Wildcats, 1 p.m.

Nov. 24 at Wisconsin Badgers, 1 p.m.

Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images