The Minnesota Gophers Football Team was thrashed by the Mississippi State Bulldogs 38-13 in a lopsided contest on a beautiful day at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Bulldogs started out strong, scoring on their first possession, and they never lost the lead, as they upped their record to 2-0. Mississippi State racked up 479 yards of total offense and displayed a dynamic, well-rounded attack.

Gophers Start Poorly

On the Bulldogs’ first possession, Kamario Taylor threw a bullet to wideout Anthony Evans III, who carried it all the way to the Gophers’ 39-yard line. Four plays later, Taylor hit Zion Ragins, who had gotten behind Minnesota safety Kerry Brown for a 22-yard reception to put Mississippi State up by seven. On the next Gophers possession, freshman wide receiver Hayden Moore caught an inside screen and grabbed his knee as he was brought down short of the first down.

Moore was unfortunately helped off the field with an undisclosed injury. Darius Taylor would convert the first down on a five-yard misdirection to the Bulldogs 38. The drive stalled, and Luke Drzewiecki drilled his first Gophers field goal, a 44-yarder to cut the Mississippi State lead to four.

The Bulldogs took possession and moved down the field quickly with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that only took 2.36 off the clock. Then, Evans once again beat Brown, this time for a 39-yard reception to the Minnesota six. Fluff Bothwell would take it from there, running untouched through the middle of the line for the score and a 14-3 Mississippi State lead.

Woes Would Continue

A pass interference call on the Gophers Zach Harden would help set up the next Bulldogs score. The penalty would advance the ball to the Mississippi State 49-yard line, and five plays later, Taylor would hit Sanfrisco Magee in stride past a lunging Brown for a 30-yard score. And the onslaught would continue on the next Bulldogs possession as Taylor would lead them on a 12-play, 65-yard drive culminating in a 15-yard strike to Evans, who beat Brown for the score.

After an 11-play, 52-yard drive just before the half, all the Gophers could muster was a 41-yard Drzewiecki field goal. It made the score 28-6 Mississippi State as the teams ran to their locker rooms. For the half, all Minnesota could muster was 14 net rushing yards.

Second Half Hope

The Gophers would make little headway on their first possession of the second half, but after a punt, their defense would make a bold statement. Pinned deep in their own territory, Moore was stripped of the ball in his own end zone by Minnesota defensive back Joey Gerlach. The ball rolled back toward the end line where it was scooped up by the Gophers’ Aydan West for a defensive score. The Bulldogs’ lead was cut to 15.

After a Kyle Ferrier 52-yard field goal for Mississippi State pushed their lead to 31-13, Minnesota’s next drive stalled, and they were forced to punt. And they came up empty again on their next drive after marching 64 yards, only to have wide receiver Javon Tracy stopped at the Bulldogs’ four-yard line.

Door Closes

Bothwell would run it in from three yards out for the final score to put Mississippi State up 38-13 early in the fourth quarter. The Gophers defensive back Mekhai Smith would block a late fourth-quarter Bulldogs field goal attempt.

Summary

Lindsey would finish 31-48 for 279 yards and no touchdowns. Taylor led all Gophers rushers with a paltry 15 yards as the run game was almost completely abandoned in the second half. Tracy and Jennings would pace all receivers with seven receptions apiece. Kerry Brown would lead all defenders with 10 tackles, with inside linebacker Maverick Baranowski right behind with nine.

Minnesota will look to return to their winning ways next Saturday as they take on the University of Akron Zips at Huntington Bank Stadium. The game is scheduled for an 11 am CST start.

Post-Game Comments from Gopher Head Coach P.J. Fleck

“Mississippi State had a really good game plan. We didn’t start very fast, and then when you’re down 21-3, it changes a lot of things in your game plan. We didn’t win the ball. We didn’t do enough good things with the ball. We didn’t tackle well enough. We didn’t break enough tackles. Explosive plays: we didn’t have as many explosive plays as they did. They’re a really good football team, a really explosive football team. We allowed them to be really, really explosive. And they had to earn it too. Their quarterback’s really good.

“I am proud of our players’ fight, resolve. I thought that, you know, the goal-line stand at the end shows the character of a team. I always love watching what kind of character does a team have. And then they blocked a field goal. Not many teams are going to do that, right, when the game’s out of hand.

So, I love the heart, the character, the fight of this football team, but we did not play our best football. It does not mean that we’re not a good football team. Our players did not play their best. It does not mean they’re not good players. Our coaches did not coach their best. It does not mean they’re not good coaches. There’s a lot to learn from this film, and we will learn it, and we will take it all in.

#We had the most penalties we’ve ever had, I think, ever, in my 14 years as a head coach. You’re not going to win many games with that many penalties That’s not our style or the way football games. But you’ve got to give them all the credit in the world because they dictated the terms of the fight. They dictated the terms of how the game went. We did not do that. With that, congratulations, Mississippi State.“