Self-inflicted mistakes cost Gophers in opening 19-17 loss to North Carolina

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team has only themselves to blame after a 19-17 loss to North Carolina to open the 2024 season on a Gold Out at Huntington Bank Stadium.

The game started an hour late due to thunderstorms that rolled through the Twin Cities. The Gophers were sluggish early with penalties, mistakes and playing not to lose that later cost them the game. Star running back Darius Taylor did not play due to an injury suffered during fall camp. 

The loss came down to a key turnover, Noah Burnette making his kicks for the Tar Heels and Dragan Kesich not making his for the Gophers, a rare sight. Even the crew behind the fireworks at Huntington Bank Stadium set them off mistakenly after Kesich's 47-yard kick as time expired went wide right. They either assumed it was good, or hit the wrong button.

What it means

The Gophers fall to 21-3 in non-conference play under P.J. Fleck. They’re 0-1 and host Rhode Island next Saturday.

"I told our team at the very end this is a team loss. This isn’t lost by one person, this isn’t lost by one play. This is where you grow the most," Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said post game. "You do a few things right and we have a different in this press conference. Those are the hard pills to swallow."

Early opportunity squandered

The Gophers' third drive of the night got into the red zone, but Fleck opted for a straight handoff to Marcus Major on 3rd-and-goal from the 9-yard line. It went for a short gain, Kesich trotted on and his chip shot from 27 yards out clanked off the right upright. Fleck played not to lose in the first quarter, instead of being aggressive.

Kesich's big miss

Kesich, the reigning Big Ten Kicker of Year, is normally reliable in the most pressure situations. He walked off Nebraska to open last season, and got a chance from 47 yards out Thursday to walk off the Tar Heels. After a timeout, his potential game-winner hooked wide right.

North Carolina kicker Noah Burnette was a perfect 4-for-4.

What did Cody Lindenberg say to his teammate after?

"I love you, it’s that simple. None of that game is on him. It’s a team effort, there’s no one play that loses you a game. I told him right when we got off the field I love you, keep your head up," Lindenberg said.

The key play

Trying to scramble in the fourth quarter, Max Brosmer fumbled in Minnesota territory and North Carolina recovered. The Tar Heels got a field goal out of it to take a 16-14 lead with 9:05 to play. North Carolina added a 45-yarder with 1:44 to play that was the eventual game-winner.

Justin Walley makes Gophers’ first big play

The Gophers needed a big play after a rough start, and they got it from Justin Walley in the second quarter. Walley intercepted a Max Johnson pass and returned it 70 yards to the North Carolina 6-yard line. Two plays later Marcus Major scored from six yards out as Minnesota tied it 7-7. Major had 100 total yards, but had zero rushing yards in the second half.

Shaky first quarter

The first quarter looked like a Gophers’ team shaking off early nerves. The Gophers had consecutive 3-and-outs and were flagged twice for an illegal formation on a punt, and P.J. Fleck had to burn a timeout to avoid a penalty for 12 defensive players on the field. Za’Quan Bryan dropped an interception that likely would’ve been a touchdown.

Jai’Onte McMillan forced a fumble on the ensuing possession deep in North Carolina territory, but it was negated by an Aidan Gousby holding penalty.

Offense has rough night

The Gophers brought in Brosmer to make the offense more dynamic and explosive. That’s going to take some time. He finished 13-of-21 for 166 yards, no passing touchdowns and lost a fumble. He also missed Jameson Geers and Christian Driver on what should've been easy first down throws.

His first score in a Minnesota jersey came from 1-yard out with 55 seconds left in the first half, and it gave the Gophers a 14-7 lead at the break. But the Gophers managed just 244 total yards, just four plays in the third quarter, were only 4-of-12 on third down and Brosmer was sacked five times. He led the offense down the field on the final drive, which ended in a missed field goal.

"It’s the first game. This don’t define who we are, we’re going to come back from this and it’s going to be better," Major said.