P.J. Fleck praises South Dakota State, says 'Our players found a way to win'

Last night, the very first Big Ten game was played this college football season.

Minnesota took on South Dakota State — an FCS power — and the Golden Gophers survived with a 28-21 victory.

RELATED: Minnesota’s win was ugly, but don’t write off the Gophers

The win was what it was. A win. Ugly? Sure. But, Minnesota is 1-0. And honestly, what team blows out everybody it plays throughout an entire season?

Nobody.

P.J. Fleck, Minnesota’s coach, knows this. Minnesota wasn’t going to cruise through its schedule and go 12-0 in the regular season. It just wasn’t going to happen.

Fleck knows that close games that come down to the wire will occur. On Thursday night, that happened. The Gophers beat a team by one touchdown. Plenty of games will finish within a seven-point window, and Fleck talked after the game about close contests:

"We're going to play in a lot of close games. We're going to have to learn to play in a lot of close games. And our players found a way to win." Fleck, on tonight's victory.

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 30, 2019

He also praised South Dakota State after the game:

"That's a really good football team. That's why you hear every year, upset after upset from those teams." Fleck, on the Jackrabbits.

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 30, 2019

Fleck does make a good point. Teams like South Dakota State upset more known programs yearly. Last season, not that Arkansas-Pine Bluff is a powerhouse, but South Dakota State put up 90 points in a 90-6 victory. Again, the Jackrabbits are capable of doing big things.

They’re ranked No. 3 in the entire FCS for a reason.

Fleck’s team survived and advanced. At 1-0, the Gophers are still undefeated at the end of the day.