Ad Disclosure
Minnesota and Illinois met once again on Saturday in a matchup that has produced some drama in recent seasons. This one once again came down to the final possession of the game, but the Golden Gophers would force a turnover and escape with a win, 25-17.
Previously, PJ Fleck was 0-3 against the Illini since Bret Bielema took over in Champaign, including a pair of losses at home for Minnesota. But Fleck got a bit of revenge in this one, rowing the boat to Illinois and heading back to Minneapolis with a crucial win — and bowl eligibility.
Here are the key takeaways from Saturday’s game:
Darius Taylor continues to drive Gophers
Darius Taylor is a game-changing piece for Minnesota as PJ Fleck’s team traditionally rides the star running back. Saturday’s marked Taylor’s 6th game of the season with at least 15 offensive touches, and he continues to shine as a workhorse.
Taylor rushed for 131 yards on the ground and averaged 6 yards per carry to go with an early touchdown. He also led the Gophers with 9 catches in the game and finished with 58 yards in the receiving game.
The formula is a simple one for Minnesota: Feed Taylor. But it keeps paying off.
When Taylor has over 100 yards from scrimmage, Minnesota is 5-0. When he has less, the Gophers are 1-2.
Fun start for Illinois is totally gone
The college football season comes at you fast. After winning their first 4 games in a 6-1 start, the Illini have now lost back-to-back games to fall to 6-3 overall.
Illinois losing to Oregon on the road can be overlooked with the way the Ducks are playing. But losing to PJ Fleck at home is a different conversation.
The Illini now have just 26 points scored in the past two games and were beaten in every key aspect of the game in Saturday’s loss. Now, it’s tough to project the rest of November schedule.
Next up is a game against Michigan State, and the Spartans are playing hard under new head coach Jonathan Smith. Games at Rutgers and at Northwestern are also no longer foregone conclusions with the current level of play for Bret Bielema’s squad.
Dragan Kesich kicks Minnesota to victory
Minnesota’s offense has greatly improved from some of its previous seasons. Still, for their style of play, a valuable kicker can be worth his weight in gold.
Dragan Kesich is that — and then some. In Saturday’s 8-point win, Kesich delivered 13 total points by drilling all 4 of his field goal attempts.
Clinging to a 5-point lead late in the game, Kesich provided some insurance with a 46-yard kick for his longest of the day with just under 2 minutes to play. It was Kesich’s 3rd game of the season with 12+ points and his 4th game of the season with multiple field goals.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.