The difference between Minnesota’s first-half and second-half performances was like night and day on Saturday.

After being rendered scoreless in the first half, the Gophers found themselves down 10 points against Nebraska. The Gophers had previously lost 32 straight games with an equal or greater deficit.

In the second half, they flipped the script and broke the trend, beating Nebraska 20-13.

“They just came in there and knew what we had to do on the first drive in the second half,” said head coach P.J. Fleck post-game. “We had to get points on the first drive, and that was critical. We went down there and got three, which was huge.”

Minnesota started the day off rough. On the game’s first play, Nebraska running back Anthony Grant exploited defenders Mariano Sori-Marin and Jordan Howden’s tackle attempts and took the ball 36 yards downfield.

The drive ended with quarterback Chubba Purdy keeping it on an option play for a touchdown.

“‘The one thing that’s really hard is when you have to prepare for three quarterbacks,’” Fleck said, quoting defensive coordinator Joe Rossi. “We may as well just throw our game plan out the window.”

Minnesota tried to replicate the same magic through their running back Mohamed Ibrahim, but the drive was cut short after a sack on third down.

Purdy’s athleticism helped Nebraska’s offense trot down the field again with ease. This time, however, safety Howden slowed their passing attack by breaking up two passes, one of them nearly an interception. His efforts held Nebraska to a field goal.

The second quarter was uneventful for both teams’ offenses, as defenses began to conceptualize their opponent’s rhythm. Minnesota and Nebraska each got two sacks and forced three punts. Together, they totaled four three-and-outs.

Fleck continued to go through Ibrahim in an attempt to win back momentum, but the offensive line’s struggles were too overbearing. At halftime, the Gophers were averaging a loss of 0.4 yards per carry, a number foreign to fans familiar with their style of play.

“When they were in a four-down look, we were okay,” Fleck said. “It was when they got to some odd stuff, and overload stuff…they were getting pushback on us.”

Quarterback Tanner Morgan landed poorly while getting sacked on the final play of the second quarter. He was ruled out for the rest of the day with an upper-body injury.

That gave redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis another opportunity to play as the team’s starting QB and orchestrate a comeback.

Out of the gate, Kaliakmanis hit receiver Daniel Jackson and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford for a total of 25 yards. Ibrahim provided a slight push into field goal range where kicker Matthew Trickett nailed a 47-yarder.

The Kaliakmanis-to-Jackson connection continued to dominate in the third quarter. On their third offensive drive, the duo was responsible for 58 of the 86 yards. That drive was then capped by an Ibrahim touchdown, ending the deficit.

When Kaliakmanis was asked about his composure as a young starting quarterback, he said, “When I feel like I have a guy like Tanner Morgan able to teach me every day…and have an All-American running back and center like John Michael [Schmitz], guys like that, what is there to freeze over?”

Nebraska responded with a typical run-run-pass play-call concept that put them in another three-and-out situation and punted the ball back to Minnesota.

Ibrahim then carried the offense back into Nebraska territory for what looked to be another touchdown drive, but a Michael Brown-Stephens drop killed its potential. The Gophers settled for a field goal as a consolation to give themselves the lead.

Now on defense, Minnesota started applying heavy pressure on the opposing quarterback. Their consistent efforts forced Nebraska’s only turnover in the game. That turnover came in the form of a Terell Smith interception off a lofty pass.

Fleck decided to rely on Ibrahim again on the following drive, calling his name seven times in a row before he punched it in for his second, and last, touchdown of the day.

From there, Minnesota coasted on offense until the end of the game. The defense’s job was still unfinished.

A 32-yard catch by receiver Marcus Washington set Nebraska up for a field goal, which made the game a one-score difference. And after a Minnesota punt, Nebraska started their last offensive possession at their 12-yard line.

Washington grabbed another deep pass, this time for 31 yards. Logan Smothers then completed one of his next three passes and found himself in a dire 4th down situation. Smothers threw the ball deep, but Gophers safety Tyler Nubin delivered the hit on the receiver, forced a drop and sealed the game.

Minnesota is now 6-3 on the season, making them eligible to participate in a bowl game following the regular season. And if they win out, the Big Ten West title could be within reach.

Their next opponent is the 1-8 Northwestern Wildcats. They will make a return to Huntington Bank stadium to face them on Nov. 12.

Wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell announced on Thursday that he will be returning for his seventh season with the Gophers, according to a tweet by 247Sports reporter Ryan Burns. The news came out during the second annual Chair-ity Fundraiser, which was held ahead of Minnesota’s game this week against Nebraska.

Autman-Bell was first given the option to rejoin the Gophers roster after a season-ending leg injury in week 3. Burns also reported that Autman-Bell’s leg injury has been confirmed as a torn ACL.

An additional year to Autman-Bells’ collegiate career allows him one last chance to add onto an already established résumé. In Gophers Football program history, he is ranked 9th in receiving yards (1,970), 12th in receptions (125) and 13th in touchdowns (13).

While he should retain his role as Minnesota’s top receiver, other notable players on offense will be absent. This includes 6th year starters quarterback Tanner Morgan, running back Mohamed Ibrahim and center John Michael Schmitz.

At his current age of 23, Autman-Bell will be the oldest player on the expected 2023 roster. His age brings along a much needed boost to a wide receiver core that has struggled this season without him.

Minnesota’s starting quarterback in 2023 is set to be 4-star recruit Athan Kaliakmanis. Kaliakmanis will be a redshirt sophomore next year but has experience as the team’s starter whenever Morgan was unavailable. Having an acclaimed receiver gives the young QB a reliable target as he continues to develop.

Although Goldy’s costumes were wonderful (as always), the Gophers did not need one to scare Rutgers away from the endzone. Their 31-0 win on Saturday was the first shut out of a Big Ten opponent since 2004.

The defense restored their feared presence from earlier in the season and were a solution to snapping the team’s three-game losing streak. Safety Tyler Nubin was the defense’s biggest contributor of the day with two interceptions and three tackles.

“All the wins we’re going to get this season are hard,” Nubin said. “So whether it’s after three straight losses or three straight wins, we’re all going to celebrate the same way.”

Rutgers started the game with the ball on offense. They possessed enough momentum early to enter Minnesota territory. Once they arrived, Minnesota prevented them from advancing any further. Rutgers then punted from Minnesota’s 36-yard line and downed the ball at the one.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan returned to play after sustaining a head injury in week 7 versus Illinois. He, along with running back Mohammed Ibrahim, put on a methodical, masterclass performance on their first drive that dragged into the second quarter. On the drive’s 19th play, Ibrahim carried the ball into the endzone for the Gophers’ first touchdown of the day.

That touchdown was his 44th as a Gopher, good for the most in program history.

“I know how much it takes to get that type of record,” Ibrahim said. “And with my O-line, coach ‘Roc (offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca), and coach [Kenni] Burns believing in me…I feel honored to have the record.”

While Rutgers defense searched for tricks to stop the run, Minnesota’s go-to back treated himself to his go-to snack. He would end up putting in a considerable amount of work on offense, racking up 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 36 attempts.

When asked about the heavy workload, considering his injuries previously were a limiting-factor to his volume, Ibrahim said he no longer has a pitch count.

“I’m ready to go,” Ibrahim said. “I can get as many carries as I want.”

Minnesota’s defense came back and forced Rutgers into their first three-and-out of the game. The following punt went 77 yards and was downed at Minnesota’s 14 yard line.

Yet again, the long-distance proved to not be an issue for Morgan and Ibrahim. They marched their way down field for yet another Ibrahim touchdown, this time from one yard out.

Rutgers were now down 14 and could not overcome Minnesota’s stingy defense. Their offense started presenting an urgency to make a comeback, only for it to produce more confusion.

A Rutgers guard miss-timed a pull and collided with his teammate Gavin Wimsatt. Wimsatt fumbled the ball while Gophers defensive lineman Jah Joyner swooped in to scoop it up.

With the lead, Minnesota’s offense took a more conservative approach. The tactic halted offensive production and put them in four straight punting situations. These four drives spanned from the end of the second quarter until early in the fourth.

During this time, the defense prohibited Rutgers from crossing the middle of the field for four straight possessions. Two of those drives resulted in a Rutgers’ three-and-out.

The blowout had not ensued until Nubin caught his first interception with about 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. His turnover placed the Gophers 33 yards away from the promised land.

Shortly after, Ibrahim bounced a run to the outside, followed the block made by receiver Daniel Jackson and scored from 28 yards out. It would be his final carry of the game.

Minnesota compensated for their lack of production throughout the final minutes of the game. The offense went on to score a field goal and touchdown in their last two drives while the defense forced two more turnovers.

The final score of 31-0 is not unexpected in a matchup between two defensive powerhouses. But the most staggering number to come from Saturday’s game was Minnesota’s total time of possession.

Their long stints on offense early on helped them dominate the clock; they possessed the ball for more than two thirds of the game. That time allowed them to dictate most of the game and earn their fifth win of the season.

The Gophers have four more games remaining and need to win them all to remain statistically-possible contenders for first place in the Big Ten West. Their next match will be their second-to-last away game against Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 5.

In a season that started with a promising string of wins, the Gophers currently find themselves in an uphill battle for Big Ten West supremacy. Losses to Purdue, Illinois and Penn State have tempered their expected ultimatum, and rebounding from that deficit won’t be easy.

“As I told our team yesterday, we got five total games left, guaranteed,” head coach P.J. Fleck said Monday. “We can still play our best football ahead.”

The Gophers played Rutgers on Saturday and won. The remaining schedule includes Nebraska, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin. Combined, their opponents’ overall record is 15-21. But don’t be deceived: three of those five bouts are historically close “trophy games,” which are often unpredictable.

For Minnesota to overcome the forecasted unpredictability, improve their record and increase their chances in the West, they must elevate their play to levels comparable to past games and seasons.

Fleck touched on the importance of getting back to their old ways of playing by showing the players many clips of them “playing elite football” at an “incredibly high level.” He also went on to quote Matt Campbell, Iowa State’s head football coach, saying “winners do lose, but losers hide.”

But with a 2-3 conference record, they will have to do a lot of winning to come out from hiding at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

The losses to Purdue and Illinois make it tough to win the West as the two teams now own the tiebreaker over Minnesota. If Minnesota wins the next five games, they have to depend on Purdue to lose two games and Illinois to lose three to claim the division.

One of the two teams is guaranteed to help Minnesota at least once since Purdue and Illinois are scheduled to face each other in week 11. It is a much-anticipated matchup for Gopher fans who hope to finish first.

Illinois currently holds a better conference record (3-1) than Purdue (3-2) but has a stronger schedule ahead. However, there is a lot of football left to be played before then, so deciding on whom optimistic fans root for should be judged week-by-week.

Another competitor on Minnesota’s radar is their long-despised rival: the Wisconsin Badgers.

Wisconsin’s season has been an opposite experience compared to Minnesota’s. They started slowly with two wins and three losses; as a result, they fired their head coach. Since then, they have won their last three games.

There is a slim possibility that if Wisconsin can win out along with Minnesota, while other exterior factors are also met, the winner of the division could be whoever walks out of Camp Randall victorious on Nov. 26.

Statistically, the Big Ten championship window has not entirely closed on Minnesota, but they won’t be able to make it under their discretion. They will have to play winning football from here on out and have a bit of luck on their side to redeem the previously set expectations of winning the Big Ten West title.

Minnesota’s offensive woes started before Saturday’s game when long-time starter Tanner Morgan was ruled out, making freshman Athan Kaliakmanis the starting QB. The young quarterback couldn’t pull off the win in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, and the Gophers ended up losing to Penn State 17-45.

Penn State’s annual whiteout-themed game is known for its vicious atmosphere toward opposing offenses. The Gophers were no exception.

On their first offensive drive, the Gophers committed two false start penalties, making the crowd louder. The penalties moved the first down line too far back for the offense to convert on third down, so they decided to punt.

Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin put Penn State away on their next drive with a key tackle on third down. Penn State would give the ball back to the Gophers after back-to-back three-and-outs.

The offensive stalemate continued after another unsuccessful offensive drive by Minnesota. They punted the ball to Penn State, but in just two plays, Gophers cornerback Justin Walley got the ball back off of an interception thrown by Penn State’s quarterback, Sean Clifford. Walley then returned the pick to the Penn State 14-yard line, setting up an eventual Minnesota field goal (FG).

Clifford was able to redeem himself next possession by connecting with tight end Theo Johnson for 43 yards. The plays set Penn State up for a 41-yard FG response to tie the game at 3.

The Gophers had a chance to get into a rhythm with points on the board. Instead, they failed to convert on 3rd down for the third time in the game.

The failures were uncharacteristic of Minnesota. They entered the game with the best 3rd down conversion percentage in the FBS (66%). Penn State’s defense held them to a rate of 15%.

“When we don’t have rhythm, we’re not very good,” head coach P.J. Fleck said in a press conference after the game. “It falls on me, one hundred percent, to find ways to be able to get rhythm on the offensive side.”

The game quickly turned sour for the Gophers. Penn State capitalized on Minnesota’s missed tackles and captured the lead on a 38-yard TD pass to a wide-open Tyler Warren. They would hold onto the lead for the rest of the game.

“When we’re behind the sticks on offense, we’re not very good,” Fleck said. “And then defensively if we’re not limiting explosive plays, we’re not very good.”

Both Penn State and Minnesota scored a touchdown before the end of the second quarter, keeping the game at a one-score difference.

Minnesota showed a lack of discipline under the unique atmospheric conditions. They accumulated seven pre-snap penalties by halftime, five more than Penn State. Six of the seven came on offense.

The second half started great with a sneaky block-and-release catch from Minnesota’s big-bodied tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford for 18 yards, but the Gophers found themselves in yet another third and long situation that proved too difficult to convert. Penn State blocked the punt and recovered it at their 36.

Penn State then began raining explosive plays late in the third quarter. Clifford threw a 35-yarder to receiver Parker Washington, who caught it over Gophers cornerback Terell Smith, eventually making it a two-score game.

“We’re built to play great defense; we’re not made to get into shootouts,” Fleck said. “Where we stand right now seven games in, we need to play great defense, and we just didn’t do that.”

Minnesota’s defense gave up two more touchdowns in the third quarter: one on the ground from Penn State running back Nick Singleton and the other in the air to a non-covered Mitchell Tinsley.

During the fourth quarter, Kaliakmanis and running back Mohamed Ibrahim took advantage of the time available and checked off some career milestones.

In a drive where Ibrahim converted a 4th and 2, he reached 100 yards rushing in the game, marking the 15th consecutive game doing so.

On the same drive, Kaliakmanis threw his first career touchdown pass. Soon after, he completed a deep pass to receiver Michael Brown-Stephens for 49 yards.

He finished with 220 total yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception and went 9/22 on throwing attempts.

“That kid is going to be a really good player,” Fleck said. “That’s what I [will] take away from this.”

The mistakes Minnesota made on both offense and defense provided for the ugliest performance this season. Penn State outplayed them in the run game (175 yards to 165) and in the pass game (304 yards to 175).

Minnesota will need to address their persistent issues next week when they return home and host 4-3 Rutgers on Oct. 29.

The news of Chris Autman-Bell’s season-ending injury stunned the Gophers. It occurred during the team’s third matchup of the season; ever since they’ve been scrambling to find a solution.

Last year, the wide receiver managed his injuries before starting in 11 straight games. The injury this year is more severe. He could return for next season, but for now, the offense will continue to operate in his absence.

The top receivers benefitting from the Autman-Bell-less offense have been Daniel Jackson, Michael Brown-Stephens and Dylan Wright.

They all saw an increase in playing time in the last three games, but Jackson has experienced the most significant jump. He went from playing 8.1% of the team’s total snaps to 84.1%.

“He’s making plays for us,” Kirk Ciarrocca, Gopher’s offensive coordinator, said. “He’s learning from his mistakes and continuing to move forward.”

Jackson’s snap share is lower than last season in games without Autman-Bell (86.7%), partly because of the resurgence of Brown-Stephens and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, who both picked up their playing time and position groups in snaps played.

However, these increases were expected. It was recapturing Autman-Bell’s presence and production that presented challenges, ones that have yet to be met.

“It’s really simple, they have to stay aggressive,” said Ciarrocca. “You gotta attack. If you hesitate, you decrease your chances of having a positive outcome exponentially.”

In games where Autman-Bell was active (vs. New Mexico State, Western Illinois, Colorado), the wide receiver group averaged 12.2 yards per target (y/tgt) and was responsible for 72.3% of the team’s total targets.

Their production plummeted in the games since, averaging a mere 8.34 y/tgt and holding 57.1% of the team’s target shares.

Inconsistencies in usage and efficiency needed to be fixed for the offense to return to familiarity. Head coach P.J. Fleck addressed the issues by breaking them down into two factors: creating separation and making the plays present themselves.

“When we’re able to catch a ball in traffic and make plays, we’re really good,” said Fleck. He also noticed the inconsistencies affected Ciarrocca’s play-calling abilities.

“I watched the Michigan State game and we’re able to do that. The same guys making plays in traffic, playing big,” Fleck said. “When we don’t do that, it doesn’t allow our offense to be balanced. We become one dimensional really quick.”

As much as the receivers have struggled recently, they are not the only offensive position group to blame.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan faced more talented defenses after Michigan State, including an Illinois team that nullified Minnesota’s passing game into an afterthought.

“When you get behind the sticks on them, it discourages you from being able to keep going with the pass game,” Fleck said when asked about the strength of Illinois’ defense.

Morgan has a PFF passer rating of 22.2 when under pressure, among the worst in college football. And in the games against Purdue and Illinois, he was pressured on 34.5% of his dropbacks.

These conditions limit the opportunities receivers have to make a net-positive impact on the game, but that does not change the fact that they came up short when opportunities increased.

Despite their shortcomings, there is ample time for them to recoup lost production and resume their aggressive mentality. Minnesota has six more games left on their schedule, and after the Penn State game, the opposing defenses get easier.

Minnesota looked defunct in their 26-14 loss to Illinois. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is now 9-0 versus Minnesota and remains at the top of the Big Ten West.

Illinois was in control for most of the game. Their offense possessed the ball for a staggering 40 minutes and ran more than twice the amount of plays (86) as Minnesota (42). Illinois running back Chase Brown was involved in 44 of those plays.

Both teams entered Saturday’s game with defenses statistically ranked in the top five, but only Illinois acted the part. Minnesota totaled 38 passing yards and 142 rushing yards while giving up 252 and 220, respectively.

Illinois used Brown’s star power to get the ball rolling. He was involved in five of Illinois’ nine plays on the first drive, the last being a 40-yard touchdown catch off a wheel route. His early usage and effectiveness foreshadowed a long day for the Gophers’ defense.

The Gophers’ offense trotted out on the field, looking to respond to the early deficit. The drive started slow but picked up after a 19-yard gain by trusty running back Mohamed Ibrahim. In the next play, Illinois safety Kendall Smith intercepted quarterback Tanner Morgan on an arid pass to Michael Brown-Stephens.

Near the end of the first quarter, quarterback Tommy DeVito marched his offense into Gopher territory after completing three of four passes for 34 yards.

It was fourth down and six, and the Gophers had called their second timeout in hopes of forcing Illinois to kick their potential field goal into the wind. But instead of kicking it, Bielema decided to keep his offense on the field. 

DeVito maintained his hot hand and completed a seven-yard pass to receiver Isaiah Williams, thwarting P.J. Fleck’s strategy. Illinois would come away with a field goal a few plays later.

The Gophers answered by conducting their best offensive drive of the day. It started with Ibrahim finding the cutback lane and sprinting upfield for 44 yards. Morgan capped it off with a touchdown run from 9 yards away.

On the post-halftime kick-off, Minnesota return man Quentin Redding brought the Gophers’ offense to the Illinois four-yard line after a 92-yard return and a horsecollar penalty. Ibrahim did what he did best and scored with ease, putting Minnesota ahead of Illinois by one.

However, the Gophers would not enjoy this lead for long. Brown and DeVito demolished the Gophers’ defense by repeatedly making big plays on the ground and through the air. The two took the offense back to the red zone, where DeVito carried it in for six points and reclaimed the lead.

Minnesota did not keep the scoring rally going on the ensuing drive. All game, their offensive line had been rendered powerless against Illinois’ defensive front, but it wasn’t until the third quarter that the front’s production began physically changing the game.

Illinois freshman defensive end Gabe Jacas singlehandedly disrupted the Gophers’ game plan twice in the quarter: once through a sack on a third down conversion attempt, which forced a punt, and another when his punch aimed for the ball missed and connected with Morgan’s head.

Morgan had to be carted off the field with a towel over his head. Sophomore Athan Kalikmanis came in to replace him for the remainder of the game.

According to Fleck, Morgan was transported to a local medical center for assessment of what was deemed an upper-body injury. Morgan’s status for practice or next week’s game is currently unknown.

Minnesota looked ready to give up in the fourth quarter without their starting quarterback. On defense, Brown continued to gash the defense with his persistent running style. On offense, Kalikmanis threw back-to-back interceptions on the final two drives, finalizing the team’s excruciating performance.

Next week, Gophers football will face 5-1 Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. It will be Minnesota’s second week in a row on the road playing a ranked team during their homecoming week.

Minnesota did not play like the nation’s 21st-best team in their loss to Purdue; the offense failed to execute on 3rd downs, while the defense missed routine tackles. Their abundant mistakes resulted in a low-scoring affair that clouded the positive takeaways, one being the defensive back play.

“They were really aggressive,” head coach P.J. Fleck said in a press conference after the game. “I thought they anticipated [passes] really well and caught the ball really well when it was thrown to us.”

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Purdue’s pass-heavy offense, led by quarterback Aidan O’Connell, went toe-to-toe with Minnesota’s stingy pass defense. The Boilermakers averaged 36 points per game, and roughly 46% of those points came from the air.

Minnesota’s cornerback and safety groups threw a wrench in those numbers.

O’Connell did not throw for any of Purdue’s 20 points. Additionally, he posted a season-low in passing yards (199) and a season-high in interceptions (2). Safeties Jordan Howden and Tyler Nubin were responsible for one interception each.

“They kept us in the game on the back end,” Fleck said. “We were able to get to Aidan a few times too which made him uncomfortable in the pocket.”

The two safeties capitalized on his vulnerability by eliminating the effectiveness of his deep ball almost entirely. On throws 10+ yards down the field, he completed six of his 16 attempts and had an NFL passer rating of 17.45.

On top of their suffocating coverage downfield, they each tallied four tackles and were not accountable for any of the defense’s ten missed tackles.

After the game, Howden commented on the team’s tackling, saying it “was definitely an issue in the beginning, but it did pick up after [the opening drive].”

The cornerback group had a different experience with Purdue. Starting CBs Justin Walley and Terell Smith were tested extensively by the fires of Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm’s shallow passing scheme.

A majority of Brohm’s route designs revolved around, or under, the first down line. The strategy is to wear down the defense by methodically driving down the field with quick throws. Walley and Smith’s main coverage assignment was the biggest benefactor of his scheme: wide receiver Charlie Jones.

Jones led the FBS in touchdowns and receptions and was third in receiving yards. He also averaged 3.58 yards per route run (y/rr), a statistic used to quantify a receiver’s efficiency based on given opportunities. Against Minnesota, he saw ten targets on his 37 routes.

The two corners nearly split even in snaps guarding Jones, but Smith’s performance stood out. He limited Jones to three receptions for 18 yards, helping diminish the impact of an often-utilized wideout.

By the end of the game, Jones finished with season lows in touchdowns (0), receptions (6), yards (55) and y/rr (1.49). These numbers testify to how overwhelming Minnesota’s cornerbacks can be even when facing the most pass-happy teams.

The starting defensive backs are an underrated facet of Minnesota’s defense. Their ability to curtail the production of quarterbacks and receivers is among the best in the nation.

Saturday’s game showcased flaws from many different position groups. But if the loss provided any positive takeaways, one would be learning that the defensive backs can consistently alter the result of an offensive game plan.

Gophers football has been the University of Minnesota’s final act in their week-long Homecoming celebration for more than a century. Saturday will be their 103rd Homecoming contest as they face the 2-2 Purdue Boilermakers.

The tradition started in 1914 when the Gophers beat the Wisconsin Badgers 14-3. Since then, they have won 59 of their 101 Homecoming games, losing 39 and tying 3.

In the past ten years of Homecoming games, the Gophers are 5-4 after hosting Northwestern (2012), Iowa (2013, 2018), Purdue (2014), Ohio (2015), Rutgers (2016), Illinois (2017, 2019) and Bowling Green (2021). Head coach P.J. Fleck has been in command for four of those games and holds a 2-2 record. One of his losses came in 2021 against Bowling Green.

The game was gut-wrenching and almost unbelievable to watch. Minnesota had come off of two wins, the last a convincing shutout, and were the heavy favorites heading into the matchup. But in the end, 46,236 fans in attendance witnessed the Gophers on the losing end of a historic upset.

“This is my responsibility and my fault,” Fleck said after the game. “I apologize to our fans and apologize for everyone’s Homecoming. This is something we will learn and grow from, but again, it is all on me.”

The game’s circumstances added extra sourness to the loss as it was the team’s first homecoming game since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A year prior, Minnesota intended to face BYU for their Homecoming game. However, because of the Big Ten’s ruling to reduce teams’ schedules, they were forced to cancel.

Despite an unfavorable couple of years, Minnesota’s last win on Homecoming is not too far in the past. In 2019, Minnesota beat Illinois 40-17 and improved to 5-0 on the season. Players performed at a high level comparable to this year’s team and earned a spot on AP’s college football poll.

“It was the most complete game of the season we’ve played, but it still wasn’t very complete,” Fleck said after the victory over Illinois in 2019. “Our performance defensively today was outstanding. We played really well as a team, but there were certain periods during the game we stumbled, but we recovered every time.”

The offensive side of the ball had a dominant performance. Minnesota attacked Illinois on the ground and through the air with running back Rodney Smith’s 211 yards rushing and quarterback Tanner Morgan’s three TD passes.

This year, the Gophers will look to repeat that magic on Saturday as they face Purdue. It will be the 11th time in program history they host Purdue on Homecoming. In those games, Minnesota has a record of 7-3, the most recent game being a win in 2014.

Kick-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game will be available on ESPN2.

Minnesota made themselves feel at home in their long-awaited return to East Lansing. In their first conference game of the season, Minnesota played a near-perfect game, beating Michigan State 34-7.

P.J. Fleck entered Saturday’s game with a 1-4 record in conference openers as Minnesota’s head coach. The Spartans were set to be a tough matchup for Fleck as they were previously ranked before losing to Washington. However, the game proved to be anything but a challenge for Fleck and the Gophers.

The Gophers showed off their versatility during their first offensive drive with six players involved in ten plays. The drive ended in Mohamed Ibrahim’s 41st rushing touchdown, breaking former Gopher running back Darrell Thompson’s record for most touchdowns in program history.

Linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin and defensive end Thomas Rush were immediate contributors on defense for the Gophers. The duo helped force a three-and-out and put the ball back into the hands of quarterback Tanner Morgan.

Morgan capitalized on the opportunity for an early lead by high-pointing a 23-yard pass to Daniel Jackson, who made an impressive catch for the Gophers’ second touchdown in the first quarter.

By the end of the first quarter, the Spartans gained a measly one yard on offense and zero first downs.

The second quarter kicked off with an 11-play drive orchestrated by Morgan and topped with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Matthew Trickett.

The Spartans responded with their first 1st down of the day. Moments later, the Spartans were faced with a fourth down. In an attempt to convert, quarterback Payton Thorne threw his first interception of the day to cornerback Justin Walley.

Morgan started off the following drive on his own 33-yard line. He was able to march down the field quickly thanks to a 26-yard catch by wide receiver Dylan Wright. But while in opposing territory, Ibrahim would return the favor by fumbling the ball away to Michigan.

Later, near the second quarter, receiver Michael Brown-Stephens ran out of bounds as the clock hit zero. Referees reviewed the play and discovered a clock management error. Teams were required to re-enter the game and witnessed Morgan take a knee to close out the first half.

Michigan State received the ball in the second half and displayed a newly-found confidence on offense. Thorne completed seven of his eight attempts and had 62 yards passing before reaching Minnesota’s six-yard line.

Spartans would run a keeper with Thorne to the left side, but he met Rush head on. Rush forced the ball out of his hands and Walley recovered it, putting Minnesota’s offense at their own 10.

On one of the first plays of the drive, Ibrahim went up the right side and twisted his ankle on the tackle. At that moment, Gophers fans held their breaths as memories of last year’s home opener replayed through their heads.

Luckily, Ibrahim stood up under his own power, went into the medical tent and returned to the game. His first carry back was a reassuring 11-yard gain supported by a couple of offensive linemen pushing him past the first down marker.

The return inspired the offense enough to maintain their momentum down field. The drive ended with a six-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Nick Kallerup, the first of his career.

In the third quarter, the Gophers were up 24-0 and had 400 total yards on offense. But the terrorizing didn’t stop there.

Michigan State’s next drive ended in another interception thrown by Thorne, this time to defensive end Danny Striggow. Gophers gave Ibrahim the rock again to put him over 100 yards rushing, his 13th consecutive game hitting that mark.

At the top of the fourth quarter, Morgan found Jackson in the end zone for the second time. This time, it was in the red zone from four yards away.

The seemingly ever-increasing point deficit made Michigan State look hopeless. Their starting offense attempted to make strides, only for players to commit mental errors. They would not score until the final minutes of the game with their second stringers on the field.

To pick one player to be named MVP would be a daunting task. All sides and positional units played in unison. As a result, it produced one of Fleck’s most sound wins at Minnesota.

Next week, the Gophers will host the Purdue Boilermakers for their homecoming game on Saturday at 11 a.m. Fans are asked to wear colors according to their assigned section in an attempt to “Stripe the Bank.”