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Minnesota football news: PJ Fleck literally puts player's blood on his face after beating Washington
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- Minnesota football news: PJ Fleck literally puts player's blood on his face after beating Washington
Minnesota football news: PJ Fleck literally puts player's blood on his face after beating Washington appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck went above and beyond in celebrating after the Golden Gophers secured a 27-24 road win over Washington on Saturday night.
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Following the victory at Husky Stadium, Fleck embraced linebacker Maverick Baranowski, who was bleeding from his mouth after taking a cleat to the face on the final play. Fleck then wiped the blood from Baranowski's mouth and smeared it across his own cheeks .
The unusual celebration came after Minnesota won its Big Ten opener and improved to 3-1. It also was the Gophers' first road win since they defeated Wisconsin 24-7 back on Nov. 29, 2024.
Fleck's blood-covered celebration continued after his embrace with Baranowski, as video showed him greeting other Minnesota players while blood remained on his left cheek. He later cleaned himself up, although blood stains were still visible on his right white sleeve.
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After the game, Fleck referred to Baranowski as his "blood brother" and described him as one of his favorite players he has coached.
Baranowski was in the thick of the action in the victory. The senior linebacker, who has worn the Maroon and Gold throughout his career, finished with seven tackles, including two for loss, one sack and one interception. His interception came after Anthony Smith hit Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr., forcing an errant pass into Baranowski's hands.
The Gophers immediately turned that takeaway into points. On the following play, quarterback Drake Lindsey connected with Quayd Hendryx for a 15-yard touchdown in the back corner of the end zone, giving Minnesota a 7-0 advantage.
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Wide receiver Javon Tracy also contributed to the win with seven receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. His scoring catch came in the second quarter and helped the Gophers take a 21-7 lead.
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Washington fought back and trimmed the margin to three points during the final two minutes, but Minnesota ultimately held on for the victory.
Related: ClutchPoints' Week 5 2026 College Football Top 25 Power Rankings
