Neal: Last-minute thrilling victory over USC could redefine Gophers’ season

Gophers fans got the mosh pit they deserved.

Gophers players got the victory they needed to redefine their season.

Some things coach P.J. Fleck says should go through one ear and out the other. Like claiming his team was the best 2-3 team in the country leading up to Saturday’s game against 11th-ranked Southern California.

His players must have believed it Saturday, as they rallied for a 24-17 victory over the Trojans that had Huntington Bank Stadium hopping. This team still has issues, but it also has improved.

“Heck of a win for our program,” Fleck said.

Indeed.

It was Stripe the Bank night Saturday, as alternating sections of maroon-then-gold-clad Gophers fans made for a fine background as the scrutiny of the football program continued.

The Gophers entered the night with two victories, including one against FCS Rhode Island, making it easy to wonder where Fleck was headed with this outfit.

But with just over six minutes left in the game, the Gophers had the ball with a chance to win. And scrutiny gave way to imagination.

Just what would this joint look like if the Gophers could pull off the upset and all these colors from the stands descended onto the field on an unseasonably warm October evening?

Then the chunk plays began. Max Brosmer to Le’Meke Brockington for 22 yards. A Brosmer run for 9. Brosmer to Daniel Jackson for 16 yards to the Trojans 26-yard line. This was real.

The march continued to the goal line. Of course, victory came the hard way, as replay was needed to confirm Brosmer’s fourth-and-goal, tush-push score with 56 seconds remaining. And a boneheaded unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during USC’s desperation drive made things messier than they needed to be.

But spectacular freshman Koi Perich turned into Ethan Hunt to pick off Miller Moss in the end zone with seconds remaining. The final was secured. Gophers 24, Trojans 17.

Fleck’s decision to go for the touchdown instead of kicking a field goal was the right read, based on how USC was moving the ball.

“I loved it,” Bromser said of the decision.

The decision to let the fans enter the field also was the right one.

“I looked at Mark, our officer, and said — when Koi picked it off — ‘We’re going to let them storm it, right?’ ” Fleck said. “Oh yeah.”

The score was tied 10-10 at halftime. While the Gophers were hanging on, there was a feeling of approaching disaster because they still haven’t figured out how to stop opponents from running the ball down their throats.

But the Gophers kept leaning into the game in the second half. Darius Taylor made sure he was the best running back on the field Saturday, rushing for 144 yards and while catching five passes for 56 yards. Brosmer did not throw a touchdown pass but was 15-for-19 for 169 yards and was steadier than his overhyped counterpart in Moss.

When your running back and quarterback are clicking, you’ve got a chance.

Then they got the timely defensive play when Jah Joyner’s rush on Moss led to an interception. That turned into Brosmer’s tying touchdown that turned the game on its head with 7:08 left. And the Gophers were in a play-calling zone for the second consecutive week, as their screen plays sliced the Trojans defense to tatters a week after torching the Wolverines.

I’m not sure if USC is really good enough to be ranked 11th in the country. Like the Gophers, the Trojans couldn’t stop the run. Coach Lincoln Riley had Moss drop back to pass 21 times in the first half when his running backs had gains of 9, 12, 13, 10 and 11 yards. But give the Gophers credit for taking advantage of USC’s self-inflicted damage.

And it just might be one of those years in college football. Alabama lost to Vanderbilt on Saturday, for goodness sakes.

The 2024 Gophers have bought themselves time to prove their season won’t be the disaster it was potentially shaping up to be. I’m not demanding that athletic director Mark Coyle prepare another contract extension for Fleck. But they have a very winnable game next week at UCLA, followed by a home game against Maryland. Start stacking wins and see where this goes.

I’m writing this about 20 minutes after the final whistle. The last few fans who were dancing on the field were walking out of the stadium. Dinkytown was a happy place Saturday night.

The Gophers provided then with an unforgettable evening. Now they must capitalize on it.