P.J. Fleck’s blood-smeared face grabbed the headlines, but the player who made that scene possible was Maverick Baranowski.
The Gophers linebacker finished off Minnesota’s 27-24 win at Washington with the final tackle early Sunday morning, and the hit left him with a cut lip from a cleat to the mouth. Fleck came charging in with a hug, noticed the blood, wiped it from Baranowski’s chin and smeared it across both of his cheeks. The moment went viral almost immediately.
It also fit neatly with the message Fleck had delivered to his team during the week: “We’re frontiersmen - Daniel Boones, Davy Crocketts, Lewis and Clarks. Let’s go out there and explore. … Let’s go hunt at night.”
While the video took off, Baranowski quietly turned in one of the biggest performances of the night. The senior tied for the team lead with seven tackles, added a sack, another tackle for loss and picked off a pass deep in Huskies territory that Minnesota turned into its first touchdown. For that effort, he was named Big Ten defensive player of the week.
“It’s great moment,” Baranowski said. “Winning’s hard in the Big Ten.
It was just so exciting. The head coach has always had my back for the last five years.
I love that guy … It was an awesome opportunity to share that moment - and he’s crazy, man.”
The win looked even more striking considering what Minnesota had just endured two weeks earlier. In a 38-13 loss to Mississippi State, the Gophers allowed 679 yards to dynamic quarterback Kamario Taylor. This time, against another dual-threat quarterback in Demond Williams Jr., the defense flipped the script.
Minnesota sacked Williams seven times and intercepted him twice, making life miserable for a quarterback who had agreed to a $4 million name, image and likeness deal with Washington in January before trying to transfer to LSU. He was also met with boos quickly after the game began.
Baranowski said the pass rush was the part that stood out most.
“The most exciting part of the day for me - and I’ll speak for the defense, too - was the D line,” Baranowski said. “We’ve been on those guys, encouraging those guys a lot. They showed up and made such a big impact on the game.”
In Other News...
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson Thinks Minnesota Is Being Underrated For One Big Reason
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson sounded upbeat about Minnesotas outlook at the teams internal media day, and it is not hard to see why. The Gophers are bringing back three starters, have added new faces to the mix and are trying to build something that looks more stable than what the outside projections suggest. A preseason poll by the Columbus Dispatch had Minnesota slotted 13th in the 18-team Big Ten, a place that reflects plenty of skepticism before a game has been played.
Crocker-Johnson believes the Gophers are being overlooked for one big reason, and it is the kind of reason that could matter once the season gets rolling. Minnesotas roster is still waiting on a court decision involving Cade Tysons eligibility, so the final version of this team is not fully set yet. For a group trying to change the conversation around its 2026-27 outlook, that uncertainty leaves the story open-ended in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Flecks Postgame Message Hit A Nerve For Gophers Fans
P.J. Fleck had plenty to celebrate after Minnesotas 20-14 win over Michigan, a result that delivered the Little Brown Jug and gave him the 100th victory of his head coaching career. For Gophers fans, it was the kind of day that felt bigger than the record book, especially with the trophy going home to Minnesota for only the fifth time in 49 tries.
Fleck spent his postgame message leaning into gratitude, stressing that every win deserves to be appreciated and every chance to celebrate should be embraced. He said that habit goes back to his first coaching victory in 2013, and it clearly resonated with a fan base that has waited a long time for moments like this, even if the larger season story is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe Again
The latest Big Ten weekend did plenty to shake up the league race, and Minnesota was one of the teams that came away with real momentum. With Penn State and Michigan taking surprising losses and USC handling Washington, the conference picture shifted again, but the Golden Gophers showing stood out in the updated power rankings conversation because it added to the sense that they belong in the mix rather than just watching it unfold from the side.
Minnesotas spot in the recap was part of a broader look at several teams that helped redefine the leagues pecking order, with Northwestern, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska also drawing notice for their performances. For Gophers fans, the encouraging part is not just the result itself but the way it fits into a week that left some of the conference heavyweights looking vulnerable, and that kind of opening is exactly what can keep a season interesting if Minnesota keeps taking advantage. [Read more 🡒]