Gophers favored to crush Rhode Island by more than 3 touchdowns

Will the Gophers ground and pound the Rams into submission or try and develop rhythm in the passing game?

Aug 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer (16) hands the ball off to wide receiver Daniel Jackson (9) during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Whether or not the Minnesota offense shows up on Saturday, the oddsmakers believe the Gophers will blow out the Rhode Island Rams by more than three touchdowns.

Minnesota is favored by 23.5 points over Rhode Island. The FCS team stands little chance against the Big Ten Gophers, but what's interesting is the over/under being set at 45.5. That's indicative of the oddsmakers expected the Gophers to win by a final margin of something close to 35-10.

Defensively, the Gophers looked awesome against North Carolina in last week's season opener. It was a rickety offense that prevented Minnesota from beating the Tar Heels, instead falling 19-17 while the new and supposedly improved passing game generated just 166 yards.

NEWS: #Gophers open as (-23.5) point favorites for their Week 2 matchup against Rhode Island. The Rams were voted to finish 8th (out of 16) in the preseason CAA Poll.

*The game will be streaming exclusively on Peacock. https://t.co/Fx0I7EWKUP pic.twitter.com/g9L5bUMDj5

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) September 6, 2024

It'll be interesting to see how the Gophers approach the Rams. Will they simply attempt to overpower them in the trenches and run the ball 50 times, or will they try to develop rhythm in the passing game with quarterback Max Brosmer?

We'll find out when the game kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.