Scoggins: Drake Lindsey backs up Gophers’ belief in him with strong play in opener

He didn’t look jittery or awed by the moment. Surely he felt different emotions swirling inside, but in outward appearance, he looked like a cool customer. More than anything, that stood out about Drake Lindsey’s first career college start.

Game 1 didn’t unfold without a few hiccups and learning moments — as expected — but the excitement expressed by everyone associated with Gophers football since last winter over Lindsey’s ascension to No. 1 quarterback came into public view Thursday night.

Lindsey showed attributes that have drawn rave reviews internally in guiding a 23-10 victory over Buffalo in the season opener at Huntington Bank Stadium.

The redshirt freshman passed for 290 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard strike to Jalen Smith in the fourth quarter that allowed Gophers faithful to breathe easy.

Openers tend to be sloppy as teams adjust to game speed after weeks of training camp practices. The Gophers offense rolled up 443 yards but only had 23 points to show for it thanks to self-inflicted mistakes that left too many empty possessions.

This opener served as a big reveal because the offense unveiled a new quarterback, rebuilt offensive line and reconfigured receiving corps. Expecting a clean performance wasn’t realistic.

Lindsey’s performance gave reason for optimism. The youngster has impressive traits.

Lindsey completed 19 passes to eight players. For the most part, he showed poise in the pocket and made quick decisions in finding his targets. His stat line would have looked considerably more impressive if not for a handful of drops by his receivers. That’s an area to clean up.

Lindsey and Smith connected on explosive plays throughout camp, and they finally converted one to ice the game. Pressure forced Lindsey to flee the pocket and as he was running, he spotted Smith wide open down field. Lindsey fired off one foot for an easy completion that Smith took to the end zone for the final points.

The burning question all offseason was whether P.J. Fleck would stick with his new fondness for passing that became a revelation last season, or revert to his pre-Max Brosmer way of doing business.

The Gophers averaged 32 pass attempts per game in 2024, which put them in the top half of the FBS level, a dramatic change in approach.

Lindsey’s debut featured 35 pass attempts, and he likely would have been asked to throw more if the game had been closer in the fourth quarter.

One drive stalled when Smith, the talented freshman receiver from Mankato, bobbled a third-down catch along the sideline that should have been a first down.

Smith later dropped a pass that should have resulted in a 22-yard catch on third down, ending another drive. Fleck pleaded for a targeting call on the play, to no avail.

Tight end Jameson Geers’ knees touched the ground a yard short on a third-down catch, and a subsequent tush push involving Geers on fourth down came up short.

Lindsey’s first career interception was one for the blooper reel. Geers got knocked down in the flat. Lindsey pivoted to pass and threw the ball low. The ball ricocheted off Geers’ foot while he was on the ground and bounced into the arms of linebacker Mitchell Gonser, who returned it 54 yards to set up a Buffalo field goal.

Lindsey’s accuracy was sharp as he repeatedly fit passes into tight windows. He had perfect placement on a jump-ball touchdown pass to Geers in the first half.

He underthrew Smith in the end zone with two defenders nearby. Then he took a sack on the next play, drawing some stern coaching from Fleck on the sideline after the Gophers settled for a field goal.