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How Minnesota Won the Rate Bowl
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- How Minnesota Won the Rate Bowl
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Gophers capped off their 2025 season on Friday with a contest against the New Mexico Lobos. Playing in the Rate Bowl , head coach P.J. Fleck was defending his unbeaten (6-0) record in postseason games with Minnesota.
It certainly wasn't easy, but Drake Lindsey found Jalen Smith twice on two perfect throws to put the good guys on top. Fleck now has seven-straight bowl wins for the MN Gophers, and the program is looking to ride that momentum into the future.
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Drake Lindsey needs MN Gophers to let him eat
Last season P.J. Fleck found out what it's like to have a legitimate quarterback under center. Max Brosmer transferred in after five seasons with FCS New Hampshire. He showed out as the best quarterback the program has seen in decades , and Drake Lindsey gives Fleck his first chance to develop a star.
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Unfortunately he has yet to stop limiting the youngster and let him work. Minnesota's offense was lethargic and uninspiring during the first half of the Rate Bowl. Lindsey threw the ball 12 times (with six completions) but had just 56 yards. Plenty of play calls fell into the conservative category, and forced Lindsey into congested coverages.
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When allowing his quarterback to air it out, Fleck watched the Fayetteville, Arkansas native drop a dime in the bucket as he found Jalen Smith for a touchdown. The arm talent is more than evident, and the decision making will evolve with time and patience.
Drake Lindsey is special. pic.twitter.com/vgxx3br9Xp
— Ted (@tlschwerz) December 26, 2025
Fleck is keeping plenty of his current roster intact for next season, and he's added the best recruiting class in school history . Lindsey should have a significant amount of talent around him. He just needs the head coach to lean in and unleash it all.
Thankfully the quarterback saw his coach lean into his abilities a bit more in the second half. Lindsey finished going 18-of-28 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. While the offense looked to get Koi Perich ( two rushes, seven yards, four receptions 34 yards ) involved to end the game, it was Smith in the end zone during overtime to end the game.
MINNESOTA WALKS OFF THE RATE BOWL ON A GAME-WINNING TD 🤯
THE GOLDEN GOPHERS WIN THEIR 9TH-STRAIGHT BOWL GAME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/da2gMvOcwM— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2025
MN Gophers love a healthy Darius Taylor
Last season Darius Taylor played in 12 games for the Minnesota Gophers. This season he got into just 10. Unfortunately injuries have become synonymous with his career, and that has robbed fans of seeing his true talent.
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Next season it will presumably be the Taylor show again, and a clean bill of health could generate something special. Fame Ijeboi has entered the transfer portal , so depth behind Taylor has dwindled. He showed explosiveness in the Rate Bowl that Gophers fans would love to see all year.
Reminder – A healthy Darius Taylor is a monster‼️
He breaks off a huge run for the struggling Golden Gophers. Taylor puts a move on and accelerates down field with ease. He's in his BAG here in the #RateBowl 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IPfWRtDZ5C— The Draft Lives Here (@draftlives_here) December 26, 2025
Taylor wrapped up the regular season with just 554 yards and three touchdowns . His inability to stay healthy has always been a problem, but the talent on a per-play basis is undeniable. His 38-yard first half scamper was impressive, and he turned just eight carries into 60 yards .
Adding a five-yard touchdown scamper in the 4th quarter, Taylor tried to put the game on ice. New Mexico struggled to move the ball on offense, but it was a big kick-six that resulted in an immediate answer. The Lobos pulled trickery on the two-point conversion to knot the game at 14.
Darius Taylor with the TD run to extend the Gopher lead and go over the 100-yard mark for the day.
Minnesota – 14
New Mexico – 6
13:30 remaining in Q4 pic.twitter.com/XaaHeFBabK— BJ Media (@BJMedia1) December 27, 2025
Taylor wound up with 116 yards on 24 carries. He looks every bit the part of an explosive bellcow back when healthy and available. A dual-threat talent, Taylor also hauled in four receptions for 23 yards.
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Anthony Smith is an absolute Gophers menace
New Mexico used a pair of quarterbacks, neither of which found much success against Danny Collins' defense. Edge rusher Anthony Smith contributed a significant amount to that reality.
The junior came in with a career-best 10.5 sacks this season . He added two more sacks and four more tackles for loss to push his season total to 12.5 and 17.5 respectively.
Minnesota's Anthony Smith is making his presence felt in the Rate Bowl with multiple pressures already. Huge third down sack here.
Smith, a potential top 100 pick, came into today top 10 in the country in sacks pic.twitter.com/hWzSAOznVG— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) December 26, 2025
Minnesota has had some notable offensive lineman of late, and they have always been a significant safety program, but Smith's emergence this year was something to behold. If he returns to Dinkytown next season, the rest of the Big Ten will certainly be on notice. If he declares for the Draft, he could be the next Gophers success story.
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