Analysis: This time, it was the Gophers’ opponent making the mistakes

One game after a collection of second-half mistakes doomed them in loss at California, the Gophers made Rutgers blink in the second half on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium. The result was a 31-28 victory in their Big Ten opener.

The victory was important for the Gophers (3-1) for many reasons, not the least of which was avoiding a two-game skid against Power Four conference opponents. With eight Big Ten games remaining — starting 6:30 p.m. Saturday at No. 1 Ohio State — coach P.J. Fleck’s team is halfway to the six victories needed for bowl eligibility, and the aim is to not just reach a bowl but climb up the pecking order as high as possible. The Gophers have shown they can beat a peer program and need to keep doing so.

By beating Rutgers, Fleck and his coaching staff also earned a split against Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, the former Gophers signal-caller. Kaliakmanis struggled as Minnesota’s starter in 2023 and entered the transfer portal after Fleck informed him that he would be bringing in competition for the starting job. Kaliakmanis led Rutgers to a 26-19 victory over the Gophers in New Jersey last year, and he had a chance for the sweep on Saturday. Instead, with Rutgers driving for at least a tying field goal, an ill-timed shotgun snap went through Kaliakmanis’ feet and cost the Scarlet Knights 15 yards. That forced Rutgers to attempt a 56-yard field goal that missed with 17 seconds to play.

Here are four other things we learned from the Gophers’ victory:

The Gophers rushing game clearly missed Darius Taylor on Saturday, and that absence — plus Rutgers taking a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter — forced Fleck and offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. to adjust their approach. The game would rest on quarterback Drake Lindsey’s shoulders.

“That was our decision at halftime: Put the ball in 5’s hands and let 5 go win the game,” Fleck said, referring to Lindsey’s jersey number.

It started before halftime. When Rutgers took that two-touchdown lead with 10:43 left in the second quarter, the Gophers immediately responded with Lindsey’s bomb to fellow redshirt freshman Jalen Smith, who raced 78 yards to the Rutgers 3-yard line. The Gophers scored a TD three plays later and finished the first half down 21-14, using nine pass plays vs. five runs from the point they trailed 14-0.

“They told me they’re gonna put it my hands and we’re gonna win this game,” Lindsey said. “That puts a lot of confidence in the offense and me.”

Fleck praised Lindsey’s understanding of the run game, his third-down performance and his leadership on the winning drive.

“Quarterbacks in the NFL, that’s how they get paid,” Fleck said. “If you want to be a 200, 300, 400 million-dollar quarterback, understand the run game and get us in the right place, go win in two minute [situations] and be really good on third down and move chains. Drake did a tremendous job of that today.”

A game after Le’Meke Brockington caught a career-high eight passes for 84 yards, another wideout emerged for the Gophers vs. Rutgers: Smith.

The former Mankato West standout caught four passes for 103 yards, including a 9-yard TD grab in the third quarter that tied the score 21-21.

Lindsey wouldn’t let Smith go without praise.

“Jalen, on his post, had 3 or 4 yards of separation,” Lindsey said. “When you see that as a quarterback, that’s the best feeling in the world.”

The Gophers run game netted only 35 yards on 18 carries Saturday. Late in the second quarter, issues in the run game hurt them.

They reached the Rutgers 37-yard line and faced third-and-1. Cam Davis took a handoff from Lindsey out of a shotgun formation and was stopped inches short. On fourth-and-inches, Lindsey received a low shotgun snap and handed off to Davis, who again was stopped short with 1:06 left in the half.

“We don’t get the fourth — that was tough," Fleck said. “And then they go down and score.”

Brady Denaburg kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Gophers a 24-21 lead late in the third quarter, but he also missed a 50-yard attempt with 2 seconds left in the first. For the season, Denaburg, a transfer from Syracuse, is 5-for-7 on field goals with all five successful kicks from 39 yards or shorter. He’s 0-for-2 from 50 or more yards this year and 0-for-5 in his career.