Takeaways: Jalen Smith’s diving catch in overtime lifts Gophers past New Mexico in Rate Bowl

PHOENIX – For Jalen Smith, one great touchdown catch deserved another. And because of Smith’s efforts, the Gophers beat New Mexico 20-17 in overtime in the Rate Bowl on Dec. 26 at Chase Field.

Smith, a redshirt freshman wide receiver from Mankato, made a diving 12-yard catch in the back of the end zone, grabbing the third-and-8 pass from quarterback Drake Lindsey, making sure it didn’t hit the ground and ending a defensive-minded game against the Lobos.

Smith also had a marvelous TD catch in the second quarter, sliding in the left corner of the end zone and staying in bounds for a 10-yard grab.

“I’m just appreciative that my coaches have put me in positions to go make those plays, and Drake trusts me to throw me the ball. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about: trust. He’s not going to throw me the ball if he doesn’t believe that I can make a play,” Smith said.

The Gophers (8-5) stretched their bowl winning streak to nine games, with the past seven coming with P.J. Fleck as coach.

New Mexico (9-4) got the ball first in overtime, but the Gophers defense gave up only 6 yards on three plays. The Lobos settled for Luke Drzewiecki’s 36-yard field goal for a 17-14 lead.

As important as Smith was in this game, another Smith had just as big of an impact on defense for the Gophers.

Smith’s biggest tackle of the night helped the Gophers turn back a New Mexico surge.

With the scored knotted 14-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Lobos faced a fourth-and-2 from midfield. They tried a fake punt, but the Gophers sniffed it out and Smith dropped New Mexico running back Deshaun Buchanan for a 10-yard loss.

“We knew the one player came out, so we saw another player, and then we knew it was a fake,” Smith said. “All of the defense really diagnosed it really well and knew that the fake was coming. … I was prepared for it because our coaches prepare so well."

Said Fleck: “Anthony would be the first one to tell you it’s about the team defense first. He can’t do it alone, right? But that was one of the best defensive performances I’ve watched a single individual have.”

Up 7-6 at halftime, the Gophers stretched their lead to 14-6 with 13:30 left in the fourth quarter when running back Darius Taylor sprinted five yards off a left tackle for a touchdown. It capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive in which Taylor carried six times for 29 yards. He finished with 116 yards on 24 carries.

Running back Damon Bankston took Brady Denaburg’s kickoff, found a big hole and raced 100 yards for a touchdown. The Lobos went for the two-point conversion and got it, with quarterback Jack Layne hitting wide receiver Keagan Johnson in the front of the end zone to tie the score 14-14.

In the final 7 minutes, 46 seconds of the fourth quarter, the Gophers had the football at the New Mexico 40-yard line and at midfield. Their six plays with that outstanding field position gained only 6 yards in a tied game.

Lindsey completed 18 of his 28 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor had 24 of the team’s 32 carries and caught four passes for 23 yards. Jalen Smith led the team with six catches for 64 yards.

“We battled all day,” Lindsey said. “This is just a show of how 2025 went.”

The Gophers finished the season 8-5 with the victory, matching their 2024 record. It’s Fleck’s fifth season of eight or more wins at Minnesota, joining the 11-2 finish in 2019 and the 9-4 marks in 2021 and 2022. Fleck sees more good days ahead for the program.

Just after the Gophers boosted their lead to 14-6 on Taylor’s five-yard TD run, the Lobos answered back in a big way with Bankston’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Layne’s two-point conversion pass to Johnson to tie the score 14-14.

Jalen Smith and Anthony Smith, Gophers

The wide receiver and defensive end made the biggest impacts on the game and were honored afterward.

2 Passes completed by New Mexico after halftime. The Lobos went 2-for-9 for 5 yards.

Gophers vs. Eastern Illinois, Sept. 3, Huntington Bank Stadium