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Gophers-Akron player ratings: Javon Tracy flashes, offense slow to get going
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- Gophers-Akron player ratings: Javon Tracy flashes, offense slow to get going
The Gophers took care of business in Week 3 with a 41-7 win over Akron , but the scoreboard doesn't explain the whole story. Darius Taylor being ruled out pregame was an obstacle; a sluggish offensive start prevented Minnesota from hitting its stride until the fourth quarter.
Greg Harbaugh Jr.: 5.9
It appears that Harbaugh didn't have much of an interest in even trying to run the ball in the first half without Taylor. The Gophers' running backs had seven rushing attempts compared to 23 pass attempts from Lindsey. An explosion in the fourth quarter did a lot of heavy lifting for three quarters of underwhelming offensive football. Play-calling in the red zone continues to look concerning for the offense.
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Danny Collins: 7.4
The Gophers' defense began to showcase many of the playmakers we thought they had before the season. They had two sacks and one turnover in the first-half, but Akron still had some success moving the football. Ultimately, it was an improvement from Week 2, but there's still a long way to go before Big Ten play.
Drake Lindsey : 7.3
Lindsey's streak of 213 completions without an interception came to an end on Saturday, but he got better as the game went on. He finished 17 of 31 for 2041 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His touchdown throw to Jalen Smith might've been his best of the game.
Run game: 6.2
The Gophers had almost zero success running the football for three quarters. They finished the first-half with 1.3 yards per carry as a team. TJ Thomas and A.J. Turner found their groove as the game went on, making the decision to completely abandon the run in the first-half even more confusing. There's plenty to build off with 193 yards on the ground against Akron, but still a lot of questions ahead of Big Ten play.
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Javon Tracy : 8.9
Tracy should've had another punt return for a touchdown, but he did finish with 171 all-purpose yards. He's clearly this team's most consistent offensive weapon in years, and he helped hide some concerning long-term issues for the offense.
Sep 19, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Javon Tracy (11) runs with the ball after the catch against the Akron Zips during the first half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
Noah Jennings: 8.7
Jennings continues to look like Minnesota's No. 2 receiver, and he finished with five catches for 72 yards and one touchdown. He has seemingly usurped Jalen Smith in the order of Lindsey's favorite targets, which gives the Gophers another legit pass-catcher.
Joey Gerlach: 9.1
Maverick Baranowski, Emmanuel Karmo and Matt Kingsbury were projected to be Minnesota's rotation at inside linebacker before the season, but Gerlach has made his presence felt through three weeks. He had a strip sack last week that led to a touchdown. He forced a fumble and recovered another against Akron. He has come back from a season-ending injury last year stronger than ever, and he's one of the most important players on Minnesota's defense.
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Offensive line: 6.8
Despite Greg Johnson continuing to get hype as a future first-round pick, Minnesota's offensive line, and specifically run blocking, has been underwhelming. Center Ashton Beers missed a little bit of Saturday's game, and they began to find their groove late in the fourth quarter.
P.J. Fleck: 7.5
It's hard to poke too many holes in a 41-0 win, but the Gophers' performance doesn't feel like it instills that much confidence heading into a hostile environment next week at Washington. The Gophers had a lot of problems exposed last week against Mississippi State, and their performance makes it feel like they haven't solved many of them.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Sep 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
