Takeaways: Gophers demolish Northwestern State 66-0

The game appeared to be a mismatch — a Big Ten team against a downtrodden FCS program — and it took only 6 seconds to verify that opinion.

From John Nestor’s 29-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, to Matt Kingsbury’s 25-yard fumble return for a score, and to Drake Lindsey’s 45-yard TD pass to Javon Tracy, the Gophers were utterly dominant in a 66-0 victory over Northwestern (La.) State on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.

With rain falling and lightning in the area, the game was called by mutual agreement between the teams with 6:15 left in the fourth quarter.

The Gophers scored 35 first-quarter points, their most in any quarter since at least 1973, and stretched the lead to 59-0 by halftime. They outgained the Demons in total yards 135 to minus-9 in the first quarter and 235 to minus-8 by the time they led 49-0 in the second quarter. Minnesota averaged 8.4 yards per play in the first half, while the Demons mustered 0.7.

Backup quarterback Max Shikenjanski replaced Lindsey with 8:28 to play in the second quarter.

“Aside from two or three plays, we executed the way we wanted to,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said during a halftime interview on KFAN-FM, adding that he wanted his team to keep its foot on the gas in the second half.

Northwestern State, an FCS-level team that hasn’t had a winning season since 2008, beat Alcorn State 20-10 last week. That ended a 20-game losing streak that dated to the 2022 season.

The game took on added meaning early, but not in a good way for the Gophers.

After Minnesota’s defense forced a three-and-out after Nestor’s TD, the offense took over at midfield. The Gophers quickly drove 50 yards for a 14-0 lead on A.J. Turner’s 1-yard TD run, but they also received a scare when leading rusher Darius Taylor left the game after what appeared to be a right leg injury.

On the play before Turner’s TD, Taylor swept 17 yards to the Demons’ 1 before landing out of bounds awkwardly and grabbing the back of his right leg. He was tended to by trainers, and Fleck sprinted across the field to check on him. Taylor was examined in the injury tent and returned to the sideline but did not play again, which was expected given the score of the game and his importance to the team.

Nestor’s pick-six is a candidate, but this one goes to Lindsey and Tracy. With Minnesota up 35-0, Tracy sprinted down the middle of the field, got behind his defender and hauled in a perfectly thrown pass from Lindsey. That made it 42-0, and Lindsey played only one more series, finishing 8-for-9 for 139 yards and the score and rushing for a 1-yard TD on a first-quarter option keeper.

November 2023 | That’s when the contract between the Gophers and Northwestern State was signed. The Gophers were originally scheduled to play Bowling Green, but the Falcons asked for that game to be rescheduled to 2028. Minnesota obliged and replaced Bowling Green with the Demons, who received $500,000 for the game.

Koi Perich, the Gophers’ Swiss Army knife of a safety/receiver/returner, made an impact Saturday. His 24-yard reception in the first quarter advanced Minnesota to the Demons’ 11, setting up a 1-yard TD run by Lindsey for a 28-0 lead. Perich also had three tackles (one for loss) and returned four punts for 33 yards, with a long of 21 yards.

John Nestor, Gophers

The senior cornerback set the game’s tone with his first-play pick-six, then set up another touchdown when he made a leaping interception of a Johnston pass in the second quarter. Four plays later, Cam Davis scored on a 7-yard run to make it 49-0.

Defensive tackle Jalen Logan-Redding left the game in the second quarter because of a right leg injury and did not return, though he remained on the sideline after being tended to in the injury tent.

Cornerback Za’Quan Bryan went into the injury tent because of what appeared to be a shoulder injury before later returning to the game.

Cornerback Mike Gerald missed his second consecutive game, while safeties Darius Green and Jai’Onte’ McMillan returned to action.

at California | Saturday, Sept. 14 at 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)