What to know about Minnesota Golden Gophers ahead of Ohio State matchup

The Golden Gophers have a top-two run defense in the Big Ten and a red-hot freshman quarterback at the helm.

Sep 6, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) warms up before the game against the Northwestern State Demons at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

A back-and-forth 31-28 victory against Rutgers at home was not only another tally to Minnesota’s win column, but a warning to other teams that the boat is still being rowed.

The Golden Gophers found a way to win a tight Big Ten matchup without relying on a dominant running game. Their defense slid early and recovered, with quarterback Drake Lindsey leading the way in the second half.

For Minnesota, its biggest task of the season will be battling on the road with the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.

The wild cards for the Golden Gophers come down to three things: How real was Lindsey’s performance against Rutgers, will Darius Taylor play, and which Minnesota defense will show up?

Lindsey’s 324 passing yards and three touchdowns on 41 attempts showed that a potent air attack could be in the cards for head coach P.J. Fleck’s group the rest of the way.

Drake Lindsey's arm helped spark a comeback win 🚣

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Fleck praised the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on his weekly show, distinguishing between quarterbacks who throw to open receivers and those who can throw receivers open.

"I think Drake has the ability to throw people open. He anticipates well, he’s an elite processor and is very accurate,” Fleck said.

Highest Graded Quarterbacks This Season🎯 pic.twitter.com/m5AGgEb38Z

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It is unclear whether running back Darius Taylor will return against the Buckeyes. If not, third-string back Fame Ijeboi will draw another start.

Ijeboi has averaged nearly five yards per attempt this season but was bottled up by the Scarlet Knights’ front seven last week, rushing 12 times for 37 yards.

The Golden Gophers’ top receiving target four games into the season has been Miami (Ohio) transfer Javon Tracy, with 204 yards and two touchdowns.

Only 162 yards have gone to the tight ends this season, which makes the assignments for Ohio State linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese more of a toss-up on whether they play closer to the line of scrimmage.

Minnesota ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in offensive yards per game at 405.3. Their passing and rushing numbers fall into similar mid-tier slots, making their game plan balanced.

After falling into a 14-0 hole in the second half, the Gophers’ defense looked more like its statistical reputation.

They rank just behind Ohio State in yards allowed per game (230) and are second in the conference in rushing defense, giving up 65.5 yards per game on the ground, only behind Wisconsin.

Fleck said sending more bodies at the line of scrimmage for blitzes helped turn things around.

“I think our guys settled down. We tackled better, rallied to the football better and we got to the quarterback a little bit more with some pressure,” Fleck said.

Sophomore safety Koi Perich has been the X-factor for Minnesota on defense. The 2024 Big Ten interceptions leader is already off to a strong start, posting 21 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

When compared with Ohio State, both defenses rank near the top in significant categories.

Fleck said he has great respect for Ohio State and knows disrupting the accuracy of quarterback Julian Sayin will be a key.

“Our guys have had a great week of preparation already, and they’re eager to get out there,” Fleck said.

The Buckeyes will face the Golden Gophers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in their first Big Ten night game at Ohio Stadium since Oct. 8, 2022, against Michigan State.