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No. 7 Oregon hosts rested Minnesota on Friday night

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No. 7 Oregon hosts rested Minnesota on Friday night


In an unusual scheduling quirk, Minnesota has a four-game winning streak when playing on Friday nights.

So certainly the Golden Gophers (6-3,-4-2 Big Ten) are hoping to continue the tradition this weekend in Eugene, and at the same time topple No. 7 Oregon (8-1, 5-1, No. 8 College Football Playoff).

Minnesota is coming off a bye week following a 23-20 overtime win at home over Michigan State that made the Gophers bowl eligible for the fifth straight season.

The victory was also Minnesota’s sixth straight at home. The problem for the Gophers is the road, where they’re 0-3 this season.

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“We’ve played some really good football at home and on the road. We’ve also played some really good teams on the road. So we just got to find a way to be a little bit better each week, have a little more attention to detail in the things that we do — especially in our preparation — to go out there and play our best game of the year,” coach P.J. Fleck said.

Oregon staged a comeback 18-16 win on the road against Iowa last Saturday that might be one of the Ducks’ most notable victories when the season is all over.

Oregon went into the game against the Hawkeyes without a pair of key receivers, freshman Dakorien Moore and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and lost Gary Bryant Jr. to an apparent foot injury in the first quarter. And it was played in horrendous weather.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore celebrates with fans after an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa. Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall

But in the end, quarterback Dante Moore led a 10-play, 54-yard drive to set up Atticus Sappington’s game-winning 39-yard field goal with three seconds left.

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“I thought our guys had great composure. And each guy had to do their part. It was one of those games where every phase mattered. They all contributed,” coach Dan Lanning said.

Dakorian Moore, a freshman, has caught 28 passes for 443 yards and three touchdowns this season, while Sadiq has 22 catches for 311 yards and five scores. Bryant has pulled down 25 passes for 299 yards and four TDs.

As is his custom, Lanning wasn’t revealing much about the status of his injured played for Minnesota.

Minnesota players huddle on the field ahead of an NCAA...

Minnesota players huddle on the field ahead of an NCAA college football game against Michigan State, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. Credit: AP/Alex Kormann

“If they’re ready, they’ll play,” he said.

Moore’s Moment

Lanning was surprised to learn that Moore had never led a game-winning final drive like the one against the Hawkeyes.

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“I didn’t realize this, but this was Dante’s first opportunity to actually come back from being down in a two minute drive. He said that to me, in his career, not just in this game, but in his career, which I think is pretty, pretty awesome for him to have that moment, but he’s cool, calm and collected, executed at a high level,” Lanning said.

Moore threw for 112 yards and an interception in the challenging weather in Iowa. Overall, he’s thrown for 1,884 yards and 19 TDs with only five interceptions.

Lindsey to the rescue

Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey had his own late-game heroics in the Gophers’ last outing, rushing for the game-tying touchdown in regulation against Michigan State and then adding a 3-yard TD run in overtime to win it.

Fleck said starting an inexperienced quarterback comes with the acknowledgment that there will be highs and lows. It’s part of the maturation process.

“He’s played really well, then maybe inconsistent at times, and then bang — when we needed him most, he was there,” Fleck said about the latest performance.

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Lindsey has thrown for 1,743 yards with 10 scores and six interceptions. He’s also run for six touchdowns.

Rankings watch

Oregon moved up a spot in the College Football Playoff rankings this week to No. 8 following the victory over No. 20 Iowa. It was the Ducks’ first win over a ranked team this season.

Of the three remaining games on Oregon’s schedule, only one is against a CFP-ranked team, No. 17 USC on Nov. 22.

Should the Ducks win out, they should earn one of the at-large spots in the 12-team playoff. Undefeated Ohio State and Indiana, sitting atop the CFP rankings, are likely to meet in the Big Ten championship game.



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Listen: Messy winter weather on its way to northern Minnesota

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Listen: Messy winter weather on its way to northern Minnesota


Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

Hi, I’m the Brainerd Dispatch. I started working a few days before Christmas in 1881 and became a daily paper two years later. I’ve gone through a lot of changes over the years, but what has never changed is my commitment to community and to local journalism. I’ve got an entire team of dedicated people who work night and day to make sure I go out every morning, whether in print, as an e-edition, via an app or with additional information at www.brainerddispatch.com. News, weather, sports — videos, photos, podcasts and social media — all covering stories from central Minnesota about your neighbors, your lakes, your communities, your challenges and your opportunities. It’s all part of the effort to keep people connected and informed. And we couldn’t do it without support.





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Community rallies after fire damages historic Minnesota mill

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Community rallies after fire damages historic Minnesota mill


The Holdingford Mill in central Minnesota was heavily damaged after huge flames tore through it on Sunday night. The loss is already being felt across the farming community where the mill played a critical role in supplying custom feed. Photojournalist Nick Lunemann and Marielle Mohs show how the town is responding to the loss.



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Winter Weather Advisory In Minnesota: Rain Turns To Snow, Brace For 10 Inches In Some Areas

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Winter Weather Advisory In Minnesota: Rain Turns To Snow, Brace For 10 Inches In Some Areas


UNDATED (WJON News) — Enjoy one more mild February day.

The National Weather Service says we’ll start seeing changes on Tuesday, with showers and even thunderstorm chances developing in the afternoon and evening.

A transition from rain to snow is expected on Wednesday across western and central Minnesota, though the heavy snow with this initial system will fall across northern Minnesota.

There is a Winter Storm Watch issued for several counties in northern Minnesota. That will be in effect from Tuesday evening through Thursday morning.

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Total snow accumulations between 5 and 10 inches except between 7 and 13 inches for the higher terrain of the North Shore, and ice accumulations of around one-tenth of an inch are possible. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

The next potential system arrives Thursday night with mainly snow, with accumulating snow currently favoring southeast Minnesota into western Wisconsin Thursday night into Friday.

St. Cloud has had 2.7 inches of snow so far in February, which is 1.8 inches below normal.  We’ve had 30.5 inches of snow so far for this season, which is average.

2026 Winter Olympians with ties to Minnesota

Gallery Credit: Kelly Cordes/TSM/St CLoud





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