Gophers without Justin Walley, Aidan Gousby against Iowa
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis #8 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates with teammates as they take the Floyd of Rosedale trophy after their match-up against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Iowa City, Iowa. ((Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team hosts Iowa Saturday night at Huntington Bank Stadium in the annual battle for Floyd of Rosedale.
It’s the Big Ten opener for both teams, and the Gophers will be without two starters on defense due to injuries. Defensive back Justin Walley, and safety Aidan Gousby were listed as out on the injury report released two hours before kickoff.
Why it matters
Walley is Minnesota’s top defensive back, and sealed last year’s win over the Hawkeyes with a fourth quarter interception. He has eight tackles, one interception and one pass break-up in three starts this season. He suffered a non-contact knee injury last week against Nevada, and did not return after putting a brace on and trying to get it loose on the sideline.
Gousby has six tackles and one interception in three games. Without Walley, Za’Quan Bryan likely gets the start at defensive back opposite Ethan Robinsin. Darius Green fills Gousby’s spot.
While it’s a hit to Minnesota’s secondary, the Hawkeyes are heavy in the run game with Kaleb Johnson, one of the best running backs in the country.
Keep Floyd Home
The Gophers are looking to keep Floyd of Rosedale In Minneapolis for the second straight year after a 12-10 win in Iowa City last year. The Hawkeyes had a fourth quarter go-ahead touchdown on a punt return wiped away on an invalid fair catch signal.
The Gophers are 2-1 with wins over Rhode Island, Nevada and an opening loss to North Carolina. The Hawkeyes pulled away from Troy last week, after losing to Iowa State two weeks ago.