Gophers Football 2016: 5 Facts to Know Before Kickoff

The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team will kick off the 2016 season Thursday at home against Oregon State. Here are five things you should know before the season begins:

1. The Gophers went 5-7 last year, but still managed to qualify for and win the Quick Lane Bowl. The Gophers were only one of three teams that made a bowl game with a 5-7 record. All three 5-7 teams won their respective bowl games.

2. This will be the first full season with Tracy Claeys as the head coach. Claeys took over as head coach after Jerry Kill announced his sudden retirement due to his struggles with epilepsy last season. Claeys was previously the Gophers defensive coordinator.

3. Mitch Leidner will begin his third year as the starting Gophers quarterback. The 6-4, 230 pound senior threw 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year. ESPN analyst Todd McShay predicted that Leidner will be a first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

5. On Nov. 26, the Gophers will try to take back Paul Bunyan's axe from rival Wisconsin Badgers, who haven't lost to the Gophers since 2004. It's the longest winning streak in the history of the series, which began in 1890. Minnesota still leads the series 59-58-8.

The 2016 Minnesota Gophers football schedule is as follows:

Sept. 1 vs Oregon State 8:00 p.m.

Sept. 10 vs Indiana State 11:00 a.m.

Sept. 24 vs Colorado State TBD

Oct. 1 @ Penn State TBD

Oct. 8 vs Iowa TBD

Oct. 15 @ Maryland TBD

Oct. 22 vs Rutgers 11:00 a.m.

Oct. 29 @ Illinois 11:00 a.m.

Nov. 5 vs Purdue TBD

Nov. 12 @ Nebraska 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 19 vs Northwestern TBD

Nov. 26 @ Wisconsin TBD

Image: Michael Hicks via Flickr /Creative Commons