The Gophers didn’t just leave Washington with a 27-24 upset. They left with a moment that instantly blew up online.
After Minnesota opened Big Ten play with a win over No. 23 Washington on Saturday night, P.J.
Fleck and linebacker Maverick Baranowski shared an on-field celebration that turned heads for all the wrong and right reasons. Baranowski had blood on his face after the game, and Fleck swiped some with his hand and smeared it across his own face in a scene that looked straight out of an old war movie.
Minnesota is now 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, and the emotion from the final whistle spilled everywhere once the game was over. Fleck was moving through the field congratulating players when he found Baranowski, who finished with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. The two hugged, and the viral moment followed.
"That’s my blood brother," Fleck said. "When NFL scouts ask me about Mav, I say if you could take Blake Cashman, Robert Spillane and have a baby, you’d produce Maverick.
The kid loves the game, plays the game the right way. He is the heartbeat of our defense.
Back in the day I’m sure that’s what they did, frontiersmen out west, just throw a little blood on there I guess."
Baranowski embraced the moment, too.
"It’s a great moment. Winning is hard in the Big Ten.
When you get to win at a place like this, it’s just so exciting. My head coach having my back for the last five years, I love that guy.
Such an awesome opportunity to share that moment, he’s a crazy man."
The win itself was built on a defense that made life miserable for Washington quarterback Demond Williams all night. Minnesota sacked him seven times, kept pressure on him throughout the game and picked him off twice. The Huskies managed just 279 total yards and converted only 1 of 10 third downs.
Drake Lindsey gave the Gophers a fast start, throwing for 204 yards and three first-half touchdowns as Minnesota carried a 21-10 lead into halftime.
Special teams also played a huge role in the result, something that has become a theme in the Gophers’ 3-1 start. Tom Weston pinned four punts inside the 10-yard line, and his final one landed at the 1 with three seconds left to help seal the win.
Luke Drzewiecki was perfect, hitting all three extra points and both field goals. His 51-yard kick with 7:28 remaining was a career-long and pushed Minnesota in front 27-17.
Next up is Michigan, which comes to Huntington Bank Stadium at 11 a.m. Saturday for the Little Brown Jug game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be on campus, and the Wolverines are coming off a walk-off loss to Iowa.
In Other News...
Two Gophers Just Turned Breakout Games Into Major Recognition
Minnesotas win over Washington produced more than a good result on the scoreboard. It also gave the Gophers a pair of firsts, as linebacker Maverick Baranowski was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Luke Drzewiecki picked up Special Teams Player of the Week honors after standout performances that helped swing the game.
Baranowski filled the stat sheet with seven tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and the first interception of his career, while Drzewiecki stayed perfect on his field goal tries and drilled a career-long 51-yarder. For both players, the conference recognition is their first weekly Big Ten award, a sign that one strong afternoon can still carry real weight well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Just Earned A Real Big Ten Chance To Climb
Week 4 gave the Big Ten the kind of shakeup that can change a race in a hurry, and Minnesota benefited from it in a major way. Iowa knocked off Michigan, Wisconsin rallied past Penn State, and the Gophers went on the road and beat Washington, a result that helped them gain real ground in the league picture while the conferences top tier kept jostling for position.
Minnesotas win now looks even better in the context of the updated rankings, because the Gophers are no longer just hanging around the discussion. With upsets piling up around them and Ohio State still showing its usual firepower behind Jeremiah Smiths four-touchdown day, Minnesota suddenly has a clearer path to climb if it keeps taking care of business from here. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Get A Rare Chance To Change This Michigan Rivalry
The Little Brown Jug is back on the line Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium, and this one comes with a little extra weight for Minnesota. Michigan has controlled the rivalry for years, with the Gophers last win over the Wolverines coming in 2014 and their last home victory in the series all the way back in 1977, which is why hosting this game feels like more than just another Big Ten date on the schedule.
FOXs Big Noon Kickoff will be in Minneapolis for the occasion, giving the matchup a national stage as P.J. Flecks team tries to make the most of a rare chance to shift the tone of an old rivalry. Fleck had praise this week for linebacker Maverick Baranowski after Minnesotas win over Washington, and the Gophers would love for that momentum to carry into a game that has been waiting a long time for a different kind of ending in Minneapolis. [Read more 🡒]