The Minnesota Golden Gophers have bolted out of the blocks en route to their best start of a season since 1960.
The 17th-ranked Golden Gophers (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) look to remain on the fast track to the conference title game when they host the Maryland Terrapins (3-4, 1-3) on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Should it topple the Terrapins, Minnesota’s 8-0 start to the season would be its first since its national title-winning campaign in 1941.
The current team has also won nine in a row spanning two seasons for the first time since 1941-42, which is tied with Baylor for the fourth-longest winning streak in the nation (Clemson 22, Ohio State 13, Appalachian State 12).
Significant accomplishments to be certain, however quarterback Tanner Morgan isn’t interested in getting ahead of himself.
“Coach (P.J. Fleck) has done a great job of preparing us and not allowing us to look ahead,” said Morgan, who threw for two touchdowns in the Golden Gophers’ 42-7 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.
While Morgan may not want to look ahead, the Golden Gophers’ remaining schedule features undefeated Penn State (7-0), Iowa (5-2), Northwestern (1-5) and Wisconsin (6-1).
Fleck isn’t focused that far ahead, though. Instead, he’s more interested on the next game, and whether injured linebacker Kamal Martin will be a part of it.
Martin sustained a knee injury against the Scarlet Knights, although Fleck told reporters that the team’s leading tackler will be monitored throughout the week and be a game-time decision versus the Terrapins.
“I don’t have a specific answer yet,” Fleck said. “He’s still got a few more tests. But we got some really good news, and that’s where we’re at.”
While Martin’s availability is up in the air, Maryland is expected to see the return of graduate transfer quarterback Josh Jackson and redshirt sophomore running back Anthony McFarland. Both players have been sidelined with high-ankle sprains.
Jackson, who was injured in a 48-7 win at Rutgers on Oct. 5, has missed the last two games — both losses.
McFarland was initially injured after rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 loss at Temple on Sept. 14. He played in the next three games before sitting out Saturday’s 34-28 setback against Indiana.
McFarland had his way in the last meeting with Minnesota, rushing for 112 yards and two touchdowns in Maryland’s 42-13 romp on Sept. 22, 2018.
Javon Leake did his best in his stead, including rushing for a career-high 158 yards and two touchdowns versus the Hoosiers.
“We’re definitely a young team,” Leake said. “It’s Coach (Michael Locksley’s) first year. He’s seeing what he can do with this program. The biggest thing is these young guys just have to step up and come to play.”
The growing pains have resulted in four losses in the Terrapins’ last five games.
“We want to win now, but winning isn’t something we talk a lot about,” Locksley said Tuesday. “It’s really the process and the habits and behaviors that help you win. We set standards for how we practice, how we want to prepare and how we want to play.”
