Minnesota Takes Down Washington: Drake Lindsey Conducts, Demond Williams Feels the Squeeze
Updated: Oct 31
SEATTLE — They came looking for answers and left with a statement win. Behind three touchdown passes from Drake Lindsey and a defense that sacked Demond Williams Jr. seven times while picking him off twice, the Golden Gophers beat Washington 27-24 on Saturday night in their first Big Ten game of the season. Minnesota (3-1) handed the Huskies (3-1) their first loss of the year in a game that didn't wrap up until 1:27 a.m. Central time on Sunday.
Few gave the visitors much of a chance. Two weeks earlier, the Gophers had been routed 38-13 by Mississippi State on national television. Washington, meanwhile, had climbed back to No. 23 in the AP poll on the strength of an outstanding defense and was coming off a 48-16 rout of Eastern Washington in which Williams went 27-for-33 for 373 yards and four touchdowns. But in the first meeting between the two programs in 49 years, the script quickly turned against the home team.
A fast start
On Washington's opening series, linebacker Z. Rainey-Sale (#23) made two stops to set the tone. The real jolt came on the next possession. Hit as he released the ball by Anthony Smith, the reigning Big Ten sack leader, Williams watched his throw float into the arms of Maverick Baranowski. The interception, on the very first snap of the Huskies' second series, handed Minnesota the ball at the Washington 15.
Lindsey needed just one play to cash in. With a perfectly weighted fade, he hit Quayd Hendryx for a 15-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. It was the freshman receiver's first college touchdown, scored in front of an announced crowd of 63,323.
Minnesota struck again on its next drive. Sparked by a 45-yard run from TJ Thomas, the six-play, 75-yard march ended in the middle of the field, where Lindsey threaded the ball between defenders to Jalen Smith from 9 yards out. At 14-0, Husky Stadium had gone quiet.
Grinding them down
Washington finally answered in the second quarter. With 13:09 left before halftime, Williams connected with second-year receiver Dezmen Roebuck from 16 yards out to make it 14-7. The relief didn't last.
Minnesota then changed gears. No more big strikes, just a patient, methodical drive, chipping away yard by yard and draining the clock. The series stretched across 11 plays and 74 yards before Lindsey capped it with a 6-yard pass to Javon Tracy. A 33-yard field goal from Tyler Robles with 1:56 left in the half pulled the Huskies to 21-10, where it stood at the break.
Lindsey on the podium
At halftime, the Minnesota quarterback's line was close to flawless. Lindsey completed his first eight passes and went 15-for-16 for 125 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, a first in his career. Just as important, he ran the offense like a conductor cueing each section: seven different receivers caught passes over the course of the night, led by Javon Tracy with seven receptions for 41 yards.
Afterward, Lindsey made a point of sharing the credit with his offensive line. Sacked just once all night, he said, according to comments reported by the Star Tribune, that he had never had protection like it in his life.
Williams under siege
On the other side, the contrast was stark. The Gophers' pressure never let up, and Washington's quarterback spent much of the night on the turf. Karter Menz had two sacks; Mason Carrier, Baranowski, Riley Sunram and T.J. Bush had one apiece; and Smith and Naquan Crowder split the last. Washington converted just one of 10 third downs.
The Washington defense did stiffen after halftime, allowing only a field goal: a 31-yard kick from Luke Drzewiecki with 54 seconds left in the third quarter that made it 24-10. But the offense couldn't follow suit. The Huskies' final series of the third quarter ended with Williams' second interception, this one by John Nestor. Like the first, it was born of pressure on the quarterback.
A late push
The fourth quarter finally brought some drama. Williams came to life after the Washington defense intercepted Lindsey. Two 26-yard completions later, he slipped a blitz on fourth down and found Baron Naone under pressure for a 15-yard touchdown, cutting it to 24-17 with 11:03 remaining.
Minnesota didn't flinch. Unable to reach the end zone, the Gophers still came away with three valuable points on a 51-yard field goal from Luke Drzewiecki, restoring a 10-point cushion with 7:28 to play. It was the longest field goal of the kicker's career, and it proved decisive.
Williams wasn't finished. With 1:53 left, he raced 13 yards into the end zone to make it 27-24. It was too late. On Washington's final attempt, Baranowski brought down Roebuck as time expired. As the Star Tribune reported, the linebacker celebrated with a bloodied lip after taking a cleat to the face on that last tackle.
By the numbers
Lindsey finished 21-for-29 for 204 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Williams went 18-for-28 for 239 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions, both thrown in his own territory, and was sacked seven times. Roebuck was the Huskies' top target with seven catches for 87 yards, while TJ Thomas carried 11 times for 78 yards for Minnesota. Baranowski stood out as one of the game's top defensive performers: seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and an interception.
For Washington, linebacker Jacob Manu gave the opponent its due while pointing to his own team's shortcomings in his postgame interview. In his view, Minnesota ran the ball at the right moments against the Huskies' different coverages, and Washington has to tackle better.
What's next
For Minnesota, the message to the rest of the Big Ten is clear: the team embarrassed by Mississippi State is a thing of the past. Tough on defense and composed on offense, P.J. Fleck's squad moves forward with confidence. The Gophers host Michigan next Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium with the Little Brown Jug on the line.
For Washington, headed to USC next Saturday, the priority is now obvious: give Demond Williams time to throw.
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