Takeaways: Gophers kick off 2025 season with 23-10 victory over Buffalo

One of Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck’s favorite sayings is that players must touch a hot stove before they’ll learn to not get burned.

Thursday night at Huntington Bank Stadium in the season opener against Buffalo, the Gophers emerged with some blistered palms and fingers before pulling away for a 23-10 victory over the Bulls.

Drake Lindsey completed 19 of 35 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, Darius Taylor rushed 30 times for 141 yards, and Brady Denaburg kicked field goals of 38, 29 and 25 yards as the Gophers beat Buffalo in front of 47,774. The Bulls, 17½-point underdogs, were 9-4 last year and are picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference by the league’s coaches.

The Gophers defense was dominant for much of the game — forcing six three-and-outs and two four-play possessions. Buffalo had minus-6 total yards through one quarter and only 60 at halftime. The Gophers outgained Buffalo 443-151 for the game.

After settling for a touchdown and three field goals on six previous trips inside the Buffalo 25, the Gophers put the game away with a quick strike early in the fourth quarter. Lindsey found a wide-open Jalen Smith deep down the right sideline, and the redshirt freshman and former Mankato West standout raced 60 yards for a 23-10 lead with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo had the ball for only three more plays the rest of the way.

Dominant defense by the Gophers in the first half set the tone and shifted field position in Minnesota’s favor. Led by linemen Jalen Logan-Redding, Deven Eastern, Anthony Smith and Jaxon Howard, who combined for 11 tackles, the Gophers forced three early three-and-outs by the Bulls. When the Bulls used a fortuitous interception and return to get to the Minnesota 23, the Gophers defense surrendered only a field goal. Buffalo would get within 13-10 in the second half before Minnesota took control.

While Lindsey’s 60-yard TD pass to Smith sealed the victory, Tracy made a key play when the game’s issue was still in doubt. On the first play of the second half, Lindsey found Tracy, the Miami (Ohio) transfer, deep over the middle for what looked to be a 15-yard gain. Instead, Tracy spun and shook off a couple of would-be tacklers, completing a 35-yard gain to the Bulls 35. Minnesota didn’t get a touchdown, but Denaburg’s 29-yard field goal boosted the lead to 13-3.

Down 13-3, Buffalo responded to the Gophers field goal by cutting the lead to 13-10 with 6:48 left in the third quarter on Roberson’s 40-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Victor Snow, who beat Kerry Brown on the play. The nine-play drive covered 75 yards, and Roberson completed all five of his passes on the march. The Bulls were back in the game — at least for a while.

4 | Drives by the Gophers that reached the Buffalo 25-yard line or better but resulted in only a field goal (three times) or no points (once). That enabled Buffalo to stay in the game until the fourth quarter.

Koi Perich, the Gophers’ do-it-all sophomore safety, played on defense, offense and special teams. He finished with one reception for 12 yards, had two tackles on defense and returned one punt for 18 yards.

Darius Taylor | The junior running back rushed 30 times for 141 yards and caught four passes for 36 yards. However, his biggest play might have been on Gonser’s interception, when he chased down the linebacker, dived to the turf and got enough of Gonser’s foot to prevent him from a pick-six.