How Minnesota Won the Rate Bowl

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Drake Lindsey, Minnesota Gophers
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Gophers capped off their 2025 season on Friday with a 20-17 Rate Bowl victory on Friday afternoon against New Mexico, allowing P.J. Fleck to improve his undefeated postseason record to 7-0, as Golden Gophers head football coach.

Like most things in this town, though, getting to today’s winner’s circle wasn’t easy.

Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey came into the 2025 Rate Bowl expected to be the best player on the field. If the talented Arkansas native develops as he should over the next couple of years, Lindsey will become the first Gopher QB drafted since 1972.

MN Gophers offense struggles in Rate Bowl

But for whatever reason, Fleck put the training wheels back on his young QB against the Lobos, leading to a lethargic Minnesota offense that struggled to maintain drives.

That was especially true in the first half, where Lindsey threw the ball 12 times (completing six) for a whopping 56 yards. To be fair, when Drake did get opportunities today, his accuracy was way too inconsistent.

There were a couple of throws from Lindsey, however, where you saw the incredible arm talent this 20-year-old kid has. Like his first touchdown of the day to true freshman WR out of Mankato, Jalen Smith.

Fleck is supposedly keeping plenty of his current roster intact for next season, and his 2026 recruiting class is the best in modern Gopher history.

Lindsey + Jalen Smith connection has special potential

But Drake Lindsey’s connection today with Jalen Smith is notable because the kid WR has more talent bursting out of his pinky finger than just about any WR who’s come on campus since Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson.

If this is the start of something special between the two exciting youngsters, then the future is bright for MN Gopher football. Lindsey finished Friday 18/28 for 147 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which ended the game in overtime.

And guess who caught it.

MN Gophers love a healthy Darius Taylor

Injuries have unfortunately become synonymous with Darius Taylor’s collegiate career. He played in just six games as a freshman, then pushed himself through multiple ailments to play 12 games in 2024, before putting pads on for 10 of Minnesota’s 14 games this season.

Next year, it will presumably be Taylor’s show again. He won’t be cheap, either, so the Gophers will need him on the field, especially after his more than formidable backup, Fame Ijeboi, entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason.

On Friday, though, Darius Taylor was Minnesota’s best player on offense, even though his carries were limited. When the dust settled in Arizona, Taylor rushed 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, including this beautiful spin move and 38-yard scamper.

Tack today’s performance onto his regular season total, and Darius finished the 2025 season with 670 rush yards and four touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 23 more yards.

Anthony Smith is an absolute Gophers menace

New Mexico used a pair of quarterbacks, neither of which found much success against Danny Collins’ defense. Edge rusher Anthony Smith was a big reason for their struggles, too.

The junior came in with a 10.5 sacks this season, the most of any Gopher since 2008. Friday, he added two more and single-handedly had the Lobos’ QBs seeing ghosts.

Smith’s emergence this year on the edge has been something to behold. And after the game, he announced his his plans to return to Dinkytown next season, for another year wearing Minnesota Gophers maroon and gold.

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