No. 4 Indiana survived another overtime scare Saturday, getting a first-play touchdown from backup quarterback Grant Wilson and then a final stop to beat Minnesota 23-16 in Bloomington, Ind.
The Hoosiers, who improved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten, needed extra time for the second straight week to avoid a second loss while trying to defend the national championship. Indiana won 13-6 at Michigan last week.
Minnesota had the game in its grasp late, only to watch it slip away. The Golden Gophers moved in front 16-13 with 19 seconds left when Luke Drzewiecki drilled a career-long 60-yard field goal. Indiana answered almost immediately, as Charlie Becker hauled in a 33-yard catch to set up Paddy McAteer for a career-long 60-yarder that tied the game as time expired.
Once overtime began, Wilson ended it fast. On the opening play, he connected with Becker on a 25-yard touchdown pass, and Indiana’s defense then held Minnesota on its possession to seal the win.
Indiana made a change at quarterback at halftime, pulling struggling starter Josh Hoover after he absorbed a big hit on his second interception of the season. Hoover finished 8 of 19 for 119 yards with one touchdown and the interception. Wilson came on and went 9 of 17 for 156 yards and the overtime score.
Becker was the difference-maker throughout the night, finishing with eight catches for 149 yards and the decisive touchdown.
For Minnesota, Drake Lindsey completed 20 of 37 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown. Javon Tracy led the Gophers in receptions with seven catches for 40 yards.
The game also featured two late replay reversals that changed the finish. One wiped out a potential go-ahead touchdown pass for Indiana, and another took away an interception that would have given the Hoosiers the ball deep in Minnesota territory in the final minutes.
Minnesota fell to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten after coming up just short of a statement road win.
Indiana will host Southern California on Nov. 14 after a bye week.
In Other News...
Charlie Becker Saved Indiana In A Sloppy Win That Mattered
Indiana left with an 23-16 overtime win over Minnesota and an 8-1 record, but it was anything but clean. In a game that never really found a rhythm, Charlie Becker kept giving the Hoosiers answers when they needed them most, hauling in key catches and helping steady an offense that had to grind through a messy afternoon.
Becker, a junior who is already being talked about as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, made the kind of plays that can swing a season. His late catch helped Indiana stay alive, and his work in the extra session finished off a win that mattered even if it did not look pretty, especially with the Hoosiers navigating the game without their starter under center. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Were On The Brink Before An Unbelievable Twist Took Over
For a few tense minutes in Bloomington, Minnesota looked like it had found the kind of late-game spark that can flip a road conference game. Luke Drzewiecki drilled a 60-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter, a kick that belonged in a different era and briefly put the Gophers in position to steal one in regulation.
Then came the twist that turned the finish into something almost surreal. Indiana answered with a 60-yard field goal of its own to force overtime, a rare Big Ten sequence not seen since 1899, and the Hoosiers finished the job in the extra period with a touchdown and a stop on Minnesotas fourth-and-goal try. For the Gophers, it was the kind of loss that stings twice, because the unusual drama was real even if the result never bent their way. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Let A Huge Upset Slip Away In Painful Fashion
Minnesota had the kind of afternoon that can linger with a team for a long time, the sort where a breakthrough win feels close enough to touch before it slips out of reach. The Gophers pushed Indiana to overtime and even grabbed the late edge in regulation, thanks to Luke Drzewiecki drilling a 60-yard field goal to put Minnesota in front. For a team trying to turn an upset bid into something bigger, it was the kind of kick that should have changed the mood entirely.
Instead, the finish turned cruel. Indiana answered in overtime when Grant Wilson found Charlie Becker for a touchdown, and Minnesota still had a final chance to salvage the moment. The Gophers could not cash it in, leaving them with a painful loss and plenty to replay from a game that had been there for the taking. [Read more 🡒]