In Reply to: Can't read; need subscription * posted by TreehouseGuru on November 07, 2026 at 15:44:48
Scoggins: Gophers exposed as UCLA shows what an explosive offense looks like
The unbeaten Bruins overwhelmed Minnesota with an explosive passing attack, exposing a leaky secondary and a conservative offense that couldn’t keep pace with UCLA’s big-play firepower.
By
Chip Scoggins
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 7, 2026 at 2:31PM
The Gophers offense operates with the speed of a sloth and the creativity of a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Coach P.J. Fleck wears his conservative nature as a badge of honor.
On Saturday, the Gophers got a close-up view of how a sports car runs.
The UCLA Bruins, ranked eighth in the College Football Playoff rankings, went bombs away, turning a close game into a rout that exposed a leaky secondary and highlighted the difference between a quick-strike attack and whatever it is the Gophers rely on.
One-play drives that feature a 75-yard touchdown pass don’t happen all that often in football.
The Bruins pulled it off on consecutive UCLA possessions in the fourth quarter of a 34-20 victory, with the same player, Aidan Mizell, using his speed to get behind the defense both times. After that, it became a game of pitch-and-catch in the backyard.
The Bruins completed passes for 75 yards (twice), 54 yards and three more that gained 20-plus yards.
That kind of explosiveness exists only in the Gophers’ dreams. They trudge along without any hint of a reliable strength.
Their defense cratered, but their offense has been a mess for a long time.
An afternoon spent observing that operation brings up many questions:
What do they do well? Other than conservative play-calling, of course.
They’re not explosive.
They’re not overpowering.
They don’t run the ball well.
Drake Lindsey had a few nice moments in the second half, but he’s not seeing open receivers and continues to play below an acceptable standard for a starting Big Ten quarterback.
Greg Harbaugh Jr.’s play-calling lacks imagination and aggressiveness. Fleck undoubtedly has a loud voice in that because he has convinced himself that every game will be a low-scoring, gear-grinding, one-score affair.
Until an opponent like UCLA comes along and torches the defense, leaving the Gophers hopeless.
Fleck punctuated the meltdown with an embarrassing decision to punt from his own 28 with less than three minutes left in the game and his team trailing by 14 points. It was an inexcusable decision on a day that highlighted the difference between a team that goes for it and one that plays to keep games close.
Chip Scoggins
Columnist
Chip Scoggins is a sports columnist and enterprise writer for the Minnesota Star Tribune. He has worked at the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2000 and previously covered the Vikings, Gophers football, Wild, Wolves and high school sports.