Having lost their last four games, the Minnesota Golden Gophers gave just enough effort to get back in the win column. It wasn’t pretty but it was a win.
An ugly win for sure — but still a win.
Under the Friday night lights and a persistent rain shower, the Gophers (4-4) prevailed in a 38-31 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers (4-5).
Head coach P.J. Fleck showed a sense of relief and exhaled before saying, “What a game.”
Fans everywhere probably would sum it up that way too.
Everything was seemingly going the Gophers way until the fourth quarter.
Trailing 31-9 to start the fourth, Indiana inched its way back into the game. Hoosiers quarterback Peyton Ramsey found Donavan Hale streaking down the sideline for a 43-yard touchdown with 13:24 to go in the fourth quarter. The touchdown came just three plays after the Hoosiers forced the Gophers to punt for the first time.
Indiana got the ball back after a fumble by Bryce Williams and scored six plays later on a 37-yard pass to Ty Fryfogle. The Hoosiers got the two-point conversion and just like that, the Gophers’ 22-point lead dwindled to an eight-point lead in a matter of minutes.
Tanner Morgan promptly threw an interception on the next offensive play. Luckily for the Gophers, Jacob Huff intercepted Ramsey’s pass on the ensuing drive. But after a three-and-out, the Gophers were reeling.
Indiana then took its time maneuvering down the field. Ramsey looked to pass on 4th-and-9, but saw half of the field unoccupied. Ramsey ran for 29 yards, which set up Stevie Scott’s three-yard run for a touchdown. Indiana lined up for the two-point conversion and got it.
Tie game.
“We were able to hold them to field goals in the first half,” Fleck said about his defense stopping Indiana several times when the Hoosiers were in scoring position. “Then all of the sudden we turned the ball over and that’s what got (Indiana) going. We gave them short fields, and they exposed it.”
It looked for all the world the Gophers had blown a chance at the win. In total, Minnesota had five fumbles (three were recovered by Indiana) and one interception; a turnover recipe that led directly to Indiana’s furious comeback.
The Gophers couldn’t move the ball on the next drive, then forced the Hoosiers to punt.
With 1:34 to go, Morgan lobbed a deep pass in stride into the waiting hands of Rashod Bateman. Bateman was off to the races with only one defender to beat, and sprinted in for a 67-yard touchdown. The Gophers held on from there as the defense clamped down, eventually forcing a fumble on Carter Coughlin’s sack and recovering it and sealing the nail-biting win.
“We talked all week about how we wanted to start fast, accelerated in the middle and finish strong,” Fleck said. “Well, we started fast; we accelerated in the middle… We had the little in between that was like, ‘what’s going on?’ But a lot of that had to come from the five fumbles.
“This is the first time, besides about eight minutes of football, that I saw our team play a complete game. That’s a step in the right direction. We didn’t things well in a lot of areas but we found a way to win.”
Replacement Value
Zack Annexstad did not start due to an injury lingering from the previous week at Nebraska. Same went for up-and-comer, freshman Mohamed Ibrahim. In their places were Morgan and Shannon Brooks.
Morgan and Brooks each filled in well but did have their flaws.
For Morgan, he had all week to prepare for the start and it showed. He was slinging darts all over the field and not relying on one guy or looking for one route. He finished the game 17 for 24 for 302 yards and became the first quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards in a game since Mitch Leidner threw for 317 yards against Michigan in 2015.
Fleck said he liked how Morgan has handled the backup role and how he came prepared to play.
“(Morgan) has been locked in,” Fleck said. “He’s a credible leader. He handles things in a very mature way and I’m very proud of the way he handles it because if he didn’t, he doesn’t play like that.”
As for Brooks, he ran for 154 yards on 22 attempts for an average of 7.0 yards per carry. He also rushed for a touchdown. Brooks did, however, fumble the ball twice. Overall, it seemed as if he gained his strength as the game reached the later stages.
Unfortunately for him and the Gophers, he exited with an injury. Brooks, who missed all of camp and half the season due to an injury and off-the-field issues, is redshirted but able to participate in four games with this being his first.
“Seeing Shannon in the back in the backfield makes me smile,” Morgan said. “Everything he’s been through, it was just amazing to have Shannon back there with me and helping me out throughout the game. I just love that guy to death.”
As for Brooks and his injury, Fleck said he does not know if he’ll be available against Illinois but said it was not the same leg as the one that Brooks injured prior to the season. Fleck did like what Brooks did even with the turnovers.
“I think it’s tough when you come back from your first time to be hit in game reps,” Fleck said. “Shannon’s not one to turn the ball over. I thought he played like Shannon Brooks plays. You can there’s a difference, you can see what we’ve been missing and what’s returning next year.”
A Go-To Target on Third Down
It was a record day for junior receiver Tyler Johnson. He caught five passes for 102 yards, giving him his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game which ties Gophers standout Eric Decker for the school record. It was Johnson’s sixth 100-yard game of the season, which also ties a school record set by Ryan Thelwell.
Johnson is clearly the No. 1 receiver for the Gophers this season. Surrounded by freshmen, he came into the season as a trusted source of offense. So far, Johnson has done that — even with the numerous dropped passes.
This season, Johnson has team-highs in receptions (52), yards (807) and receiving touchdowns (eight). His 807 receiving yards leads all receivers in the Big Ten and is sixth in the nation.
But it’s on third down where Johnson has made most of his damage.
Coming into the game, Johnson caught 15 passes for 178 yards on third down. The rest of the team combined has 13 receptions for 130 yards on third down.
Johnson hauled in two more on third down in the game, proving he holds value in being a trusted target as well as a top receiver.
Notes/Other Observations
- For the first time in school history, the Gophers have had four running backs — Rodney Smith, Ibrahim, Bryce Williams, Brooks — rush for 100-plus yards in a game this season.
- Coughlin has a six-game sack streak. He’s recorded eight sacks during this streak. Coughlin also leads the Big Ten with nine sacks.
- The Gophers travel to take on Illinois (3-4) next week with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Become a Zone Coverage Member Today!
