Minnesota was finally able to lift the curse of Bret Bielema that has haunted the school since he became a BIG10 Head Coach. The Gophers took care of the #24 Illinois Fighting Illini, by a score of 25-17. Minnesota held a steady lead throughout the contest, but not being able to convert red zone trips into touchdowns will keep a game closer than it may of seemed to be. The game being kept close allowed Illinois to put a drive together and eventually find the endzone, giving them a lead in the 4th quarter. This allowed for Max Brosmer and the offense to do what they have done on numerous occasions this year, put together a game-winning drive. They picked apart the Illini D until eventually finding the endzone and taking the lead. Something that they would not give back for the remainder of the game.
This win does many things for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The first is that it gains them bowl eligibility with three games remaining. The second is extending their win streak to an impressive 4 games, their longest since 2022. They will look to extend this winning streak with a familiar matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. This game will give the opportunity for revenge for numerous players and coaches, so fans have an exciting matchup in store.
Helmet Sticker Performances
For those of you who do not know what a Helmet Sticker is; it is the tradition of giving small decals to put on their helmet the week after a game for good individual plays or performances. Ohio State is most known for this practice, as their blank gray helmets are filled out continuously over the course of a season. Although Minnesota does not actually give out decals for good performances, I will just use it as a way to point out positive performances that happened during the course of a game.
Defense
The ranked Illini squad has found success through the air and on the ground so far this season, but were stifled by the Gopher D in this matchup. The Altmyer to Bryant/Franklin connection continued to find minimal success, as Minnesota did a solid job of keeping the elite athletes in front of them. Kerry Brown once was a difference maker on the defensive side, leading the team in tackles, including the TFL that halted the Illini’s 4th Quarter drive in the closing minutes. With Brown in the secondary, Justin Walley played a solid game. He was primarily matched up with Pat Bryant, a future NFL-draft pick, and there was a good back and forth between the two. With Walley primarily holding his own, he was able to display his ability to scouts as he continues to add to his resume. Once again, the secondary’s success came mainly from the pressure put on by the D-Line. Danny Striggow and Anthony Smith each tallied a sack and multiple pressures, helping keep Altmyer off balance all day. Despite not playing many snaps due to injury, Jah Joyner made his impact known with his huge strip sack to put the game on ice. Joyner was injured late in the Maryland game and was limited here, but he was still able to beat the tackle around the edge and get a hand on the ball to finish off the Illini.
Offense
Darius Taylor II. Saturday’s matchup against Illinois was a lot of give and take between the two teams, but Darius Taylor and his 31 touches were able to will Minnesota to a victory. Max Brosmer and his receivers were able to help sustain drives on 3rd down and keep the defense honest through the air. Though Darius, whether through the air or the ground, was able to be the difference maker. He finished with 189 total yards and a TD, in what was likely his most impressive performance of the year. This performance could not have been had without some stellar blocking from the Gophers Offensive Line. It was their best run blocking performance of the year, and it came in a game where there were numerous adjustments due to injury. Quinn Carroll was able to shift into RG, where he seems to be most comfortable and likely to play at the next level. Ashton Beers moved over to LG for the injured Tyler Cooper, while Phillip Daniels was put into RT, making his first career start. It is unknown if this will be the group that is used from here on out, but the efficiency was evident and they may have made it too difficult for the coaching staff to go back.
Special Teams
The 2023 BIG10 Kicker of the Year seems to be locked in on field goals following the bye week. Since the bye, he has been a perfect 6/6, including going 4/4 in this game. Dragan Kesich was a main reason for the Gophers being able to pull this win off and seems to be back in peak form for the remainder of the season. As for the punting, Mark Crawford had himself an average day. He was about a yard or two short from receiving a ‘Helmet Sticker’, as he came up just short on a fake punt that he called his own name on.
Season Leaderboard
- Jah Joyner (6)
- Ethan Robinson, Koi Perich, Max Brosmer. Justin Walley, Anthony Smith (5)
- Daniel Jackson, Darius Taylor II, Aireontae Ersery (4)
- Mark Crawford, Danny Striggow, Greg Williams, Ashton Beers, Quinn Carroll, Dragan Kesich, Kerry Brown (3)
- Jack Henderson, Aiden Gousby, Deven Eastern, Cody Lindenberg, Elijah Spencer, Jalen Logan-Redding, Tyler Cooper, (2)
- Za’Quan Bryan, Marcus Major, Jameson Geers, Devon Williams, Phillip Daniels (1)
