Gophers football’s last-minute surprise against USC could redefine the program’s season

Then they got on defense at the right time when Jah Joyner’s rush to Moss resulted in an interception. That led to Brosmer’s game-winning touchdown with 7:08 left. And the Gophers found themselves in a game-winning zone for the second straight week as their plays tore apart the Trojans’ defense a week after torching the Wolverines.

I’m not sure USC is actually good enough to be ranked 11th nationally. 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 while his running backs gained 9, 12, 13, 10 and 11 yards. But give the Gophers credit for taking advantage of the damage USC caused itself.

And it could be one of those years in college football. Alabama lost to Vanderbilt on Saturday, thank God.

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

I’m writing this about 20 minutes after the final whistle. The last fans dancing on the field left the stadium. Dinkytown was a happy place on Saturday night.

The Gophers then made for an unforgettable evening. Now they have to capitalize on it.