Minnesota opens the season at home against Buffalo as a 17½-point favorite

Buffalo at Minnesota, Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT.

BetMGM College Football Odds: Minnesota by 17 1/2.

How to watch: FS1.

Key stats

Buffalo (2024)

Overall offense: 355.4 yards per game (95th in FBS)

Passing: 186.3 yards per game (110th)

Rushing: 169.1 yards per game (52nd)

Scoring: 28.8 points per game (59th)

Overall defense: 391.8 yards allowed per game (91st in FBS)

Passing: 245.2 yards allowed per game (108th)

Rushing: 146.6 yards allowed per game (62nd)

Scoring: 26.2 points allowed per game (79th)

Minnesota (2024)

Overall offense: 337.8 yards per game (107th in FBS)

Passing: 222.2 yards per game (76th)

Rushing: 115.6 yards per game (109th)

Scoring: 26.2 points per game (80th)

Overall defense: 285.7 yards allowed per game (5th in FBS)

Passing: 176.1 yards allowed per game (10th)

Rushing: 109.6 yards allowed per game (12th)

Scoring: 16.9 points allowed per game (9th)

Team leaders

Buffalo (2024)

Passing: C.J. Ogbonna, 2,381 yards, 19 TDs, 5 INTs, 56.5 completion percentage

Rushing: Al-Jay Henderson, 1,078 yards, 9 TDs (returning)

Receiving: Victor Snow, 651 yards, 55 catches, 6 TDs

Minnesota (2024)

Passing: Max Brosmer, 2,828 yards, 18 TDs, 6 INTs, 66.5 completion percentage

Rushing: Darius Taylor, 986 yards, 10 TDs (returning)

Receiving: Danny Jackson, 863 yards, 75 catches, 4 TDs

Last game

Buffalo beat Liberty 26-7 in the Bahamas Bowl to finish 9-4 under Pete Lembo for the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history.

Minnesota beat Virginia Tech 24-10 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl to finish 8-5 and improve to 6-0 in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck.

Next game

Buffalo plays at home on Sept. 6 against Saint Francis, a Pennsylvania university in its final season in the FCS before moving down to the NCAA Division III level in 2026. Minnesota hosts FCS foe Northwestern State, which is on a 20-game losing streak, on Sept. 6.

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