Five things we learned from the Gophers upset loss to Purdue

1. Mohamed Ibrahim makes this offense run

Ibrahim established himself as one of college football's best running backs during the 2020 season, and his absence from Saturday's game because of an ankle injury was a major blow to the Gophers. Minnesota's offense clearly missed Ibrahim's ability to break tackles – his 388 yards after contact this season led all FBS running backs entering the game.

2. The offensive line needs to be a lot better

Bryce Williams (11 carries, 35 yards) and Trey Potts (nine carries, 13 yards) filled in for Ibrahim, and had a tough afternoon behind an offensive line that struggled against Purdue's front seven. The Gophers averaged 1.8 yards per carry and their total of 47 yards was nearly 250 fewer than their average entering the game. "They dominated the line of scrimmage,'' Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said of the Boilermakers.

3. Purdue made the Gophers play lefthanded

Minnesota's formula for winning relies on a ball-control offense that mixes in the passing game and keeps the defense off the field. Problem is, when the opponent short-circuits that plan by getting a lead and controlling the ball, that forces the Gophers into obvious passing situations, which isn't their strength. Tanner Morgan acknowledged he needs to play better after completing 18 of 33 passes for 257 yards and no touchdowns with three interceptions.

4. Mistake after mistake after mistake

The Gophers made more than their share of mistakes on Saturday, and three big ones led to a 13-point swing in the game. First, Fleck went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Gophers 29-yard line in the first quarter. Cole Kramer was stuffed for no gain, and Purdue turned that into a field goal. Next, the Gophers wasted Morgan's 66-yard pass to Daniel Jackson when Matthew Trickett missed a 28-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter. Then late in the second quarter, Morgan fired a perfect pass to a wide-open Mike Brown-Stephens in the end zone, but the ball went through the receiver's hands, bounced off his chest and landed in safety Cam Allen's arms for an interception.

5. All is not lost for the Gophers

The Gophers earned the loss to Purdue with a subpar performance, but that doesn't mean the season is shot. The goal of winning the Big Ten West Division still is in front of them, and a glance at the standings shows a wide-open race. The Gophers are one of six teams tied for the West lead with a 1-1 conference record. Wisconsin, the preseason pick to win the West, sits in last at 0-2.