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Minnesota Gophers coach Jerry Kill opened uncertainty at quarterback when he pulled junior Mitch Leidner in the second half of last week's 27-0 loss at Northwestern. As Minnesota (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) prepares for an important game at Purdue on Saturday, Kill is keeping his decision on his starter private.
It could've been one of the most fun and exciting weekends in Minnesota sports in some time, but it all came crashing down. Literally every team that could've lost did. But that doesn't mean all is lost among those teams. Here are eight silver linings from a rough weekend in Minnesota sports.
Clayton Thorson scored two touchdowns, Justin Jackson ran for 120 yards and the Northwestern defense turned in another dominant performance as the No. 16 Wildcats shut out Minnesota 27-0 on Saturday. Thorson, a freshman quarterback, scored on runs of 5 and 1 yards to spark the offense for Northwestern (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten).
Unbeaten and on the rise, No. 16 Northwestern would like to stay that way now that Big Ten play is about to begin.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers finally got a little good news on the injury front. Coach Jerry Kill says star cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun will not need surgery on the knee he injured last Saturday against Ohio. Kill would not say if Boddy-Calhoun would be available this weekend in the Big Ten opener at Northwestern.
A preseason coaches poll released Monday shows that the University of Minnesota men's hockey team is predicted to finish second in the Big Ten this season. The Gophers are the two-time defending champions of the Big Ten in the regular season.
Shannon Brooks rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns — the last a 3-yard plunge with 30 seconds remaining — to lift Minnesota to a 27-24 victory over Ohio on Saturday.
Minnesota coach Jerry Kill says he had to put his psychologist's hat earlier this week after his team's previous game against Kent State.
The last Saturday in September will be the last chance for Big Ten teams to work out their kinks before conference play begins. Minnesota is desperate for more offense. Nebraska needs better play from its defense. Even defending national champion and top-ranked Ohio State has problems.
Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner says his confidence hasn't wavered even as fans clamor for a change. Leidner spoke Tuesday as the Golden Gophers prepare to host Ohio on Saturday.
The Gophers got their biggest local recruit in about a decade on Monday, as Hopkins star guard Amir Coffey announced he will accept a scholarship to Minnesota and play for the Gophers next year. Coffey is the top rated player in Minnesota's high school senior class and is a consensus top-50 player nationally.
Mitch Leidner and Minnesota survived another shaky showing by the offense, using a second quarter touchdown pass to K.J. Maye to eke out a 10-7 victory Saturday over Kent State. Freshman cornerback Demetrius Monday was the star of a feisty performance by the Kent State defense, with two interceptions in the first half and an 80-yard touchdown return in the third quarter of a fumble he forced himself.
Passing has been a work in progress for Minnesota for a while. The offense's imbalance has proven to be problematic at times, and junior quarterback Mitch Leidner has just a 52.4 percent completion rate for his career.
Minnesota left guard Jon Christenson could miss about a month after he had arthroscopic right knee surgery to fix an injury suffered last week at Colorado State.
Defensive tackle Scott Ekpe stripped running back Dalyn Dawkins on the first play of overtime and Ryan Santoso kicked an 18-yard field goal, giving Minnesota a 23-20 win over Colorado State on Saturday.
When he's not playing zone or man, Hall is carving it up at local hills. He has qualified for multiple professional snowboard competitions.
Harrison Smith's 14th year as a steadying presence and energizing force in the secondary for the Minnesota Vikings has hardly been smooth.
All eyes will be on the University of Minnesota dance team this month as they hope to add to their 23 national titles at the UDA Dance Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said Thursday she will undergo surgery, sidelining her for the upcoming season of the 3-on-3 basketball league she cofounded.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy returned to practice on Wednesday, with his injured throwing hand improving enough to give him an opportunity to play in the final game of the season.
Jalen Johnson scored 34 points and the Atlanta Hawks overcame Anthony Edwards' 30 points for Minnesota to beat the Timberwolves 126-102 and end a seven-game losing streak.
Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist hours after being selected to play for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Minnesota Wild 4–3 in a shootout.
Fourteen seasons into his career, Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith is still making an impact.
Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her league-leading sixth and seventh goals, Nicole Hensley shined with a 31-save outing, and the Minnesota Frost topped the Toronto Sceptres 5-1 on Tuesday night.
From severe weather to extreme heat and everything in between, 2025 was a year full of big swings and big storms across Minnesota.
According to the Coon Rapids Police Department, the crash happened in the area of 119th Avenue Northwest and Northdale Boulevard Northwest at approximately 3:45 p.m.
Kaholy Her will be sworn in as mayor of Minnesota's capital city on Friday, officially kicking off her three-year term.
Not many people were outside on Thursday morning, but those who were shared their hopes for 2026. Many said they were starting off the year with a sense of optimism.
According to Minnesota Lottery, one Minnesota Millionaire Raffle ticket was sold at a Holiday Stationstore in Coon Rapids on 13051 NW Round Lake Blvd. The other was sold in International Falls at Forestland Sales on 1111 3rd St.
From severe weather to extreme heat and everything in between, 2025 was a year full of big swings and big storms across Minnesota.
According to Minnesota Lottery, one Minnesota Millionaire Raffle ticket was sold at a Holiday Stationstore in Coon Rapids on 13051 NW Round Lake Blvd. The other was sold in International Falls at Forestland Sales on 1111 3rd St.
As a new year begins, there are several new laws taking effect in Minnesota.
The Steele County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in finding a missing teenager, last seen in early December.
Family and friends are mourning a young mother and long-time waitress who lost her life on Christmas Eve.
When he's not playing zone or man, Hall is carving it up at local hills. He has qualified for multiple professional snowboard competitions.
Two people were killed and another hurt in a crash in western Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon.
A Wisconsin woman who almost killed her sixth-grade classmate to please the fictional Slender Man has been ordered back to a state psychiatric hospital after she escaped from her group home last month.
Several schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin are reporting delayed starts on Monday amid a messy morning commute.
The U.S. Justice Department has sued three states, including Illinois and Wisconsin, and D.C. for not turning over requested voter information to the Trump administration.
Many people who serve in the U.S. military find it hard to ask for assistance when they've been trained to help and serve others.
Food Bank Eatery in North Minneapolis provides free meals for children, who may have little to eat after the pause of SNAP benefits for many in the community.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
On Sunday, members of Minnesota's Somali community spoke out against President Trump's social media post calling for an end to temporary protected status.
Audits completed in the past 10 years show that Minnesota has lacked the teeth to properly vet attendance records and go after possible fraudsters proactively.
Right now, Minnesota's child care system is in the national spotlight. But months ago, the federal government told state officials they needed to make serious improvements. As our Conor Wight shows us, the state was told that a lack of oversight could increase the risk of fraud, waste and abuse.
Kelly Loeffler says 6,900 borrowers were suspended for 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans worth approximately $400 million.
Republican Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson hopes the hearings raise awareness of the fraud problem on a national scale, but with a bit more focus than flair.
A congressional watchdog committee wants to grill Minnesota leaders about the state's multi-million-dollar fraud crisis. House Oversight hearings start on Capitol Hill next week. The committee's Republican chairman just accused top Minnesota Democrats of being asleep at the wheel, or worse. Jeff Wagner explains the high stakes heading into an election year.
Minnesota drivers have something to celebrate this holiday — a price drop at the pump.
With costs still high and budgets stretched, getting smarter with money matters more than ever.
There were 584 vehicles towed during this week's snow emergency in Minneapolis. That number stands at 352 and counting in St. Paul, where parking restrictions are in place until 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2.
While no illness has been reported so far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says 54 stores in the state were affected by Gold Star Distribution's recall.
This season of giving can really do a number on our recycling systems. But we can all be part of the solution.
A Minneapolis day care says that vandals damaged the facility early this week, after a YouTube video purporting to expose fraud among day cares in the Twin Cities metro area went viral.
The ringleader of what authorities called the largest pandemic fraud case in the United States has been ordered to forfeit more than $5 million.
Twin Cities police say they believe there could be more victims of a 37-year-old man charged earlier this month with child sex crimes.
Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative is a tap room, a brewery, coffee shop and an event center on Marshall Street in northeast Minneapolis. During Christmas, it was unfortunately a community for thieves.
A grocery store worker on Minnesota's North Shore is charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a customer in the neck on Saturday afternoon while in the midst of a mental health crisis.
It's a beauty technique that's exploding. Depending on your age, you might not have heard of it. It's called micro-needling.
The clock is ticking to snag a few more gifts and prepare for that holiday trip to visit family. As the pressure builds, so does the stress.
The Minnesota Athletic Trainers Association says of the middle and high schools they know of, only 49% have an athletic trainer providing some level of service.
From 2021 to 2025, Smart Therapy Center submitted claims totaling $31.8 million across all Minnesota Department of Human Services programs, according to that data. But the provider was only approved for a fraction of those payments.
The family of a Minnesota Vikings player who died at training camp from heat exhaustion in 2001 is still fighting to protect others.
Here are the significant books, films and characters joining the list of works in the public domain on Jan. 1, 2026.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is perhaps best known for his role as state Sen. R. Clayton "Clay" Davis on HBO's "The Wire."
The band announced Perry Bamonte's death on their official website on Friday.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
Feeding America's CEO said the organization is "incredibly grateful" for Taylor Swift's large donation.
When he's not playing zone or man, Hall is carving it up at local hills. He has qualified for multiple professional snowboard competitions.
Harrison Smith's 14th year as a steadying presence and energizing force in the secondary for the Minnesota Vikings has hardly been smooth.
All eyes will be on the University of Minnesota dance team this month as they hope to add to their 23 national titles at the UDA Dance Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said Thursday she will undergo surgery, sidelining her for the upcoming season of the 3-on-3 basketball league she cofounded.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy returned to practice on Wednesday, with his injured throwing hand improving enough to give him an opportunity to play in the final game of the season.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for answers about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. She is also denouncing the president's attacks on the Somali community and herself. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy shows us how, for Omar, this is a familiar position to be in.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is calling for clarity about the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
Fear and uncertainty continue in Minnesota's Somali communities as ICE continues its intensified focus on the Twin Cities.
Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state's largest Somali population.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
Have you ever wondered how the actors memorize so many lines? A neurologist says everyone could strengthen their memories by taking cues from actors.
It's a beauty technique that's exploding. Depending on your age, you might not have heard of it. It's called micro-needling.
According to the Smithsonian Magazine and Britannica, eggnog has British roots.
With the time-honored tradition of gift giving comes gift concealing.
The story of "The Wizard of Oz " is 125 years old, yet still reinventing itself in all kinds of forms.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
Highs will reach the teens in the Twin Cities as clouds linger.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
The cold will stick around in Minnesota on Friday, but a warmer turn is coming.
The cold will stick around in Minnesota on Friday, but a warmer turn is coming.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says it'll be sunny but cold tomorrow as clouds move out overnight.
Highs will reach the teens in the Twin Cities as clouds linger.
The Trump administration is taking action against thousands of Minnesota borrowers who may have taken out fraudulent loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus more of the day’s top stories.
The cold will stick around in Minnesota on Friday, but a warmer turn is coming.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says it'll be sunny but cold tomorrow as clouds move out overnight.
The Wisconsin-River Falls football team is playing in the national championship this Sunday. They boast the best offense in all of Division III. But you don't get this far without a good defense, too. Ren Clayton introduces us to safety Andre Hall, whose "action sports side hustle" has taken a back seat during this title chase.
