Minnesota Beats Michigan State 23-20 in Overtime
Saturday, November 1, 2025
The Minnesota Gophers remained undefeated at home by pulling out a giveback/comeback overtime win over the Michigan State Spartans 23-20. Against a team still looking for a win in conference play, the Gophers benefited from opposing mistakes and penalties, just as it had a month ago against an equally moribund Purdue squad, also winless in B1G play.
The Gophers controlled the first half, the Gophers stalled on their first two drives before Fame Ijeboi sparked a drive late in the first quarter. Playing in place of injured Darius Taylor, Ijeboi made a cutback run of 49 yards to the MSU 14 on the first play of a drive, setting up an eventual one-yard run by Ijeboi.
Minnesota made it 10-0 on a 30-yard field goal by Brady Denaburg, who later was wide right on a 33-yard try with 13 seconds left in the half.
The Spartans also missed points on their opening drive as quarterback Allessio Milivojevic, making his first start as Aidan Childs was benched, led a march marred by penalties that ended with Martin Connington missing a 46-yard field-goal attempt. Milivojevic was sacked on this drive, one of six sacks by the Gophers in the first half (and seven for the game).
On yards from scrimmage, the Gophers outgained the Spartans 191 to 130, but Michigan State adjusted and turned the game around in the second half. Under pressure and on the run, Milivojevic connected with Rodney Bullard for a 71-yard touchdown. Left alone on a defensive breakdown, Bullard made a leaping catch at the MSU 45 and found himself alone as he raced the remaining 55 yards to the end zone.
The Spartans completed the comeback on a Connington field goal from 34 yards on the second play of the fourth quarter and had a chance to go ahead later in the period. Milivojevic found a wide-open Nick Marsh at the Minnesota 13. Marsh twisted away and got to the 4. However, Minnesota held and got out of the jam when Connington was wide-right again, this time with a 23-yard attempt.
Michigan State made the most of its next possession. On the first play, from the Spartan 12, Elijah Tau-Tolliver burst through the line and found open space on a race for the goal line. Tau-Tolliver was finally pulled out of bounds by Koi Perich at the 3, a run of 85 yards. Two plays later, Brandon Tullis ran it in from the 1 for a 17-10 lead with 1:52 left in regulation play.
Needing a stop, the Spartans hurt themselves with more penalties, starting with Connington kicking off out of bounds, On the first play, a short pass from Drake Lindsey to Javon Tracy, Minnesota got another 15 yards when Jordan Hall was flagged for grabbing Tracy’s facemask. Passes to Cam Davis and Le’Meke Brockington got the ball to the Michigan State 20. A run by Ijeboi and pass to tight-end Jameson Geers pushed the Gophers to inside the 10 with 43 seconds left. Lindsey went to Geers again, in the end zone. The pass was broken up, but Malik Spencer was called for interference, giving Minnesota the ball at the 2. Lindsey then snuck it in, tying the game with 29 seconds left.
For the extra period, the first ever overtime game at Huntington Bank Stadium, Michigan State called heads on the coin toss. It came up tails, and the Gophers opted to start on defense at the west end of the field.
On a third-and-three at the 18, Milivojevic was incomplete in the end zone, but Kerry Brown was called for pass interference. However, after a conference by the officials, the penalty was called off, and the Spartans had to settle for a field goal by Connington.
On its possession, Minnesota benefited by another pass-interference penalty in the end zone, putting the ball at the 4. On third down from the 3, Lindsey ran a bootleg to the left and got the touchdown call as his foot hit the pylon. The officials reviewed the play to see if Lindsey’s foot had come down out of bounds before the end zone, but upheld the decision, leaving the Gophers with the win.
Michigan State had 10 penalties for 96 yards to 2 penalties for 8 yards by the Gophers. Michigan State finished the game with an edge of 467 yards to 301 for the Gophers in total offense.
Milivojevic completed 20 of 28 passes for 311 yards while Lindseay as 26 of 39 for 197 yards. Neither team had a turnover. Omari Kelly had 8 catches for 94 yards for Michigan State. Javon Tracy was Minnesota’s leading receiver with 7 catches for 61 yards.
On the ground, Tau-Tolliver was the leading rusher with 127 net yards on 11 carries. For the Gophers Ijeboi ran the ball 17 times for 108 yards.
The Gophers upped their record to 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Big Ten. Minnesota, winless on the road, has a week off before going to Oregon and Northwestern and then coming home to play Wisconsin in the regular-season finale.