Gophers Freshman QB Shows Superstar Potential in Multi-Comeback Win vs Rutgers

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Drake Lindsey - NCAA Football - Minnesota Gophers vs Rutgers
Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Gophers needed a win on Saturday against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights like Dinkytown needs more parking. Desperately.

After falling to the Cal Golden Bears last Saturday out West, PJ Fleck and the crew were back at Huntington Bank Stadium facing half of their former coaching staff and starting QB, Athan Kaliakmanis. But there was a lot more than pride on the line for Minnesota.

Because looming on their schedule next weekend is a road game against the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Ohio State. That’s right. With a loss on Saturday, the Gophers would have fallen to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the Big Ten, with a trip to the Horseshoe up next.

Minnesota Gophers vs Rutgers got off to a rough start

And for those who tuned in at kickoff, the start of this one was not promising. Offensively, Minnesota struggled to move the ball, piling up a grand total of 26 yards and 0 points in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Kaliakmanis started the game 9-of-9 for 99 yards and one of Rutgers’ two first quarter touchdowns.

But early in the 2nd quarter, the Minnesota Gophers punched back with two quick haymaker touchdown drives that came so fast the Scarlet Knights had no way of knowing what hit them. With a brand new game in hand, the Gophers took advantage of their new lease on life.

Really, they put the weight of victory on the arm of their redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey, something Fleck talked about after the game (see below). After Lindsey led Minnesota back in the 2nd quarter, the head coach had seen enough. At halftime, he told Drake that it was his game to win or lose.

Drake Lindsey leads Gophers to victory

PJ wasn’t kidding either. When the dust settled on Saturday’s game, not only did the Gophers walk away 31-28 victors, but Drake Lindsey left the field 31-41 (76%) for 324 yards, 3 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions, easily one of the most impressive quarterback performances in school history.

Minnesota walked away with a tight three-point win, and had the defense not played better for most of the game, starting in the second quarter, it could have gotten out of hand. In the end, it still took the Rutgers center snapping a ball passed Kaliakmanis for a huge loss late in the fourth quarter to secure victory.

The botched snap pushed the Knights’ kicker beyond his comfortable range, and his long-range backup missed the game-tying kick. In other words, had Drake Lindsey not put on his superhero cape for three quarters, the Minnesota Gophers do not win.

Drake Lindsey shows his stones

With their trip to Ohio State looming, a loss would have meant a very difficult week for Fleck and his 2025 team this week. Instead, they go into their game vs the Buckeyes feeling like they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country. And after his fourth quarter heroics on Saturday afternoon, it’s hard to argue with them.

Not only did he complete over three quarters of his passes on the day, but he led them Minnesota to three scores on their final four drives, including a touchdown that gave the Gophers the 31-28 lead they shakily held for the final three minutes.

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