The Gophers had No. 4 Indiana on the ropes in Bloomington, then watched the game slip away in overtime.
Minnesota was 19 seconds from a stunning upset Saturday after Luke Drzewiecki drilled a 60-yard field goal to put the Gophers ahead 16-13. The kick came from the Hoosiers’ logo and briefly left Minnesota in position to knock off the defending national champions as a 20-point underdog.
Indiana answered just in time. Backup quarterback Grant Wilson found Charlie Becker for 33 yards to set up a 60-yard field goal, and Paddy made it to send the game to overtime.
The Hoosiers finished the job on the first snap of the extra period. Wilson went back to Becker, this time in the corner of the end zone for a 23-16 lead. Minnesota still had a chance, driving to a fourth-and-goal at the Indiana 4-yard line, but Drake Lindsey was sacked and the fourth-ranked Hoosiers escaped with the win.
Minnesota dropped to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play. The Gophers entered the day tied for the national lead with three wins over ranked opponents, but they’re now 0-12 against defending national champions.
Indiana improved to 8-1 and 4-1, but the Hoosiers had to survive a messy afternoon on special teams. They missed three field goals, including a 31-yarder in the second quarter after Minnesota blocked a 52-yard try. Later, in the fourth quarter, Indiana’s snapper and holder botched an operation and the Hoosiers never got a shot at a 26-yarder.
The Hoosiers also had to change quarterbacks. Wilson entered after Josh Hoover struggled with erratic throws and appeared to be hurt on a hit late in the first half.
Minnesota had already taken a 10-7 halftime lead, its first against a defending national champion since 1969. The go-ahead score came on a trick play after Indiana’s second shanked punt of the half gave the Gophers the ball at the 37. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh called a reverse flea flicker, and Lindsey hit Roman Voss alone for a long touchdown.
The Gophers had struck first, too. Indiana’s opening-quarter shanked punt handed Minnesota the ball at the Hoosiers’ 27, and after a three-and-out, Drzewiecki put the Gophers up 3-0 with a 37-yard field goal.
Indiana responded soon after. Byron Baldwin came free on a blitz, strip-sacked Lindsey, and Tobi Osunsanmi recovered. Two plays later, Hoover found a wide-open Nick Marsh on a run-pass option slant for a 9-yard touchdown and a 7-3 lead.
Minnesota kept the Hoosiers from adding to that advantage when Riley Sunram blocked a 52-yard field goal attempt. The Gophers later matched Drzewiecki’s career long with a 51-yarder to go back in front 13-10 with 11:49 left in regulation, setting up the frantic finish that followed.
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 Let A Huge Big Ten Chance Slip Away At Indiana
Minnesota had a Big Ten road win in its grasp late Saturday, only to watch the game swing back toward No. 4 Indiana in the final moments and overtime. The Gophers had taken a late lead and were trying to close out a statement victory when Indiana found a way to extend the night, turning what looked like a major conference upset into a tense finish.
Grant Wilson ended it quickly once overtime began, connecting with Charlie Becker on a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first play to lift Indiana to a 23-16 win. Wilson took over after halftime and gave the Hoosiers a steadier answer at quarterback, while Minnesota was left to wonder how a game that had tilted its way slipped back out of reach. [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 🡒]