Harbaugh’s strong words set tone for Gophers at top-ranked Ohio State

"If you're going into this game and you're anxious or nervous or anything like that, I don't think you should be on the field," Harbaugh said.

Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. | University of Minnesota

As 23.5-point underdogs, no one expects the Minnesota Gophers to leave Columbus with a victory over No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday night. But it's a challenge that Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. is excited about.

"Like I said, it's fun. It's football. You go on the road and you're playing the top defense in the country. It's a really unique challenge, and it's something that our players are looking forward to, and frankly, I'm looking forward to it, too," Harbaugh said Thursday.

The expectation is that Harbaugh will put the game in redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey's hands, much like he did in the second half last week as Lindsey and the Gophers stormed back to win their Big Ten opener 31-28.

"The team knows what he can do. They know he can throw the football," said Harbaugh about Lindsey, who wasn't unleashed in the loss at Cal in Week 3. That loss to Cal was a learning moment for Harbaugh.

"I said to myself, coming out of the Cal game, that I wasn't going to put ourselves in a position where Drake Lindsey wasn't going to affect the offense nonstop," Harbaugh admitted.

Lindsey shredded Rutgers, completing 31 of 41 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Doing that against the Scarlet Knights at home is one thing, but lighting up the No. 1 team in the nation, with a defense that has been touted as being historically good, is another world.

Prepping to face an elite Buckeyes defense

"It's a very good defense. The numbers on 'em, especially third down, it's like six-plus. They've allowed one conversion on the year," Harbaugh said. "It's a true NFL scheme. It's a true NFL defense where if you sit there and try to figure out, 'OK, formationally, this is what you're going to see,' it's not. That's the thing that's the most intriguing thing about it."

Here are some of the mind-blowing Buckeyes' defensive stats through four games:

• Allowed 22 total points (No. 1 in the nation at 5.5 per game)
• Opponents are 12 of 53 on third down (22.6%)
• Opponents in the red zone have zero touchdowns and two field goals in seven tries
• Allowing 2.9 yards per rush
• Allowing 229.2 yards per game (Gophers allowing 230.0)

Quarterbacks against Ohio State this season:

• Arch Manning, Texas: 17 of 30 for 170 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• C'zavian Teasset, Grambling: 9 of 15 for 55 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
• Parker Navarro, Ohio: 6 of 13 for 94 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
• Demond Williams, Washington: 18 of 22 for 173 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Ohio State's defense is the brainchild of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who was the defensive coordinator for Bill Belichick's New England Patriots from 2012-2017 and later the head coach of the Detroit Lions (2018-2020).

"I'm really looking forward to the challenge because it's one of those things — like when we went against Penn State last year — it's one of those unique things when you're going against a unique defense, and that's what you play for. If you're going into this game and you're anxious or nervous or anything like that, I don't think you should be on the field," Harbaugh said.