Minnesota: 2026 Week 12 recap

Minnesota's collapse continued this week: a 34–20 home loss to UCLA dropped them to 5–4 and cratered their rating from 3.9 to 1.3, a swing that reflects just how badly things have unraveled. The Gophers rank 67th in GIE's latest assessment, and the model gives them zero probability of either conference title or playoff inclusion. The offensive inefficiency is damning—a 13% red-zone touchdown rate shows an inability to capitalize in the moments that matter most, and third-down conversions at 44% haven't been enough to sustain drives. They face Penn State on the road this week: a Big Ten opponent that will test whether Minnesota can salvage something from what's become a lost season.