5 Minnesota Defenders Who Can Cause Issues for Michigan State

On Wednesday, we broke down Minnesota's offense and named five players on that side of the ball to know. The Gophers are 5-3 overall and 3-2 during Big Ten play, and it's largely because of the defense.

Now, it is time to go through the defense and who Michigan State offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren will be game planning for. The Golden Gophers' defensive coordinator is Danny Collins.

To give some more context as to how much better the defense is, Minnesota ranks 15th nationally in total defense, but is 121st offensively.

These five players are the ones who stick out on one of the nation's better defensive units:

DL Anthony Smith

The guy who will be the biggest threat to Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles in the pocket is Minnesota's Anthony Smith.

Through eight games, Smith is tied for the Big Ten sack lead with 7.0 (Caden Curry, Ohio State), which have pushed opposing offenses back 56 total yards. He also has 9.5 tackles for loss, which is the third-most in the conference.

LB Devon Williams

Minnesota's leading tackler this year is linebacker Devon Williams, whose 65 total tackles are the sixth-most in the Big Ten. Outside of a game against Northwestern State, where he only played 14 snaps, Williams has had at least six total tackles every week.

He has played in one career game against MSU in 2023, where he made nine total tackles during a 27-12 Gophers win.

S Koi Perich

Perhaps the most well-known name on Minnesota's defense is safety Koi Perich. He made the All-Big Ten First Team and was a Sporting News Second Team All-American last year as a true freshman.

During the 2024 season, Perich intercepted five passes to get there. He is only at one so far this year, which went for a pick-six, but certainly can make Chiles pay if he were to make a mistake.

CB John Nestor

One of Minnesota's top corners is John Nestor, who transferred in from Iowa this past offseason. His three interceptions are the most on the team, but two of them came against FCS Northwestern State; the other came against Purdue.

According to Pro Football Focus, Nestor has been targeted 42 times this year, allowing 25 catches, 242 yards, and three touchdowns.

LB Maverick Baranowski

Minnesota's other starting linebacker, alongside Williams, is Maverick Baranowski. His 57 total tackles are the second-most on the team (behind Williams).

PFF also gives Baranowski an overall defensive grade of 80.2, which is the most for all players on the Gophers' offense or defense with at least 100 snaps.

PJ Flec — Sep 6, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on before the game against the Northwestern State Demons at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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