▁and ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Conference . ▁They ▁were ▁led ▁by ▁third - year ▁head ▁coach ▁P . ▁J . ▁Fle ck . ▁ ▁Minnesota ▁was ▁project ed ▁to ▁finish ▁in ▁sixth ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁West ▁Division ▁by ▁the ▁pr ese ason ▁media ▁poll . ▁Instead , ▁Minnesota ▁had ▁its ▁most ▁successful ▁season ▁in ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁years . ▁The ▁G oph ers ▁won ▁their ▁first ▁nine ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁pun ctu ated ▁with ▁a ▁home ▁win ▁over ▁then - No . ▁ 4 ▁P enn ▁State , ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁e ighth ▁in ▁the ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁rank ings . ▁They ▁suffered ▁their ▁first ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁the ▁next ▁week ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁against ▁Iowa . ▁In ▁the ▁final ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁season , ▁in ▁a ▁game ▁that ▁decided ▁the ▁West ▁Division , ▁Minnesota ▁lost ▁to ▁rival ▁Wisconsin , ▁ 3 8 – 1 7 . ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁Out back ▁Bowl ▁to ▁play ▁then - No . ▁ 1 2 ▁A ub urn , ▁where ▁Minnesota ▁won ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 1 – 2 4 . ▁Minnesota ▁ended ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁ 1 1 – 2 , ▁their ▁ 1 1 ▁wins ▁being ▁the ▁school ' s ▁most ▁since ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁They ▁were ▁ranked ▁ 1 0 th ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁AP ▁Pol l ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁their ▁first ▁ranked ▁finish ▁since ▁ 2 0