The Gophers’ 42-3 blowout loss to Ohio State in Week 6 is the type of result that can be a turning point of a season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey has had a few days to think about the largest defeat of his early college career.
The Buckeyes remain the No. 1 team in the country in the latest Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll, and Minnesota had virtually no answer for the nation’s best roster last week. The Gophers were out-gained 474 total yards to 162 and converted only one third down all night.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Will Smith Jr. (53) lines up in front of linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese (8) during the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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“I think it’s just regroup and understand that they are a really, really good football team, and probably one of the best there has been around in a while in college football. As the season goes on, we’ll see,” Lindsey told the media on Wednesday. “Overall, we did a good job taking care of the ball. We didn’t put the ball in harm’s way very much; we did a really good job with that.”
Minnesota finishing with zero turnovers and only two penalties for 12 yards could be viewed as a position or as disheartening, given the lopsided final score. Ohio State just flat-out dominated the Gophers without needing takeaways, but that doesn’t seem to bother Lindsey.
Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) throws during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Oct. 4, 2025. Ohio State won 42-3. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Sometimes you just get beat. Coach Fleck (and I) had a really good conversation about it. Sometimes you just gotta get smacked in the face, that’s just part of life,” Lindsey continued. “It’s a really good thing to see sometimes, cause obviously it stinks to lose, but you know you gotta bring your best every single Saturday in order to win, especially against a team like that on the road.”
It’s impressive for a redshirt freshman quarterback to have such a level-headed perspective after the first Big Ten road start of his career.
At the end of the day, the Gophers rarely compare to programs like Ohio State, and the success of a season will not hinge on whether they can beat the Buckeyes. It’s really easy for a young player to get frustrated after such a lopsided game, but it doesn’t sound like that’s been Lindsey’s reaction.
Minnesota’s first opportunity to regroup against a team in their weight class will come this Saturday night against Purdue in the school’s annual Homecoming football game. The Gophers have lost two straight against the Boilermakers, and they’ll look to break that streak against first-year head coach Barry Odom.