Minnesota Walks It Off in Overtime Thriller to Beat New Mexico in Rate Bowl
So here’s how this dramatic bowl game played out. Minnesota and New Mexico went toe-to-toe in what turned into a gritty, defense-heavy battle, and in the end, it was the Golden Gophers who walked away with a thrilling 20–17 overtime win in the Rate Bowl at Chase Field in Phoenix. It wasn’t flashy for most of the night, but it was tense, emotional, and decided by one perfectly timed play.
The game was largely controlled by defenses early on. New Mexico struck first with field goals, while Minnesota struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the opening half. Still, the Gophers’ defense kept them alive, forcing sacks, tackles for loss, and even an interception to prevent the Lobos from pulling away. Eventually, Minnesota found some momentum just before halftime when quarterback Drake Lindsey connected with Jalen Smith for a touchdown, giving the Gophers a narrow 7–6 lead.
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The third quarter passed without any scoring, and everything boiled over in the fourth. Minnesota leaned on its run game, and Darius Taylor powered his way into the end zone to extend the lead. At that point, it looked like the Gophers might finally have control. But New Mexico wasn’t done. A stunning 100-yard kickoff return touchdown by Damon Bankston completely flipped the momentum, and a successful two-point conversion tied the game at 14–14. From there, both defenses tightened up again, forcing punts and mistakes as the clock wound down.
Overtime felt inevitable, and that’s exactly where the game went. Minnesota won the coin toss and chose to play defense first, a decision that paid off. New Mexico was held to a field goal, setting the stage for a win-or-lose moment. With everything on the line, Drake Lindsey calmly led the offense down the field. The drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Smith, who made a diving catch in the end zone to seal the victory and send the Gophers into celebration.
That final play capped Minnesota’s ninth straight bowl win, extending the longest active bowl streak in college football. It also kept head coach P.J. Fleck perfect in bowl games. For New Mexico, the loss was painful, but the season still marked real progress, as the Lobos finished with their most wins since 2016 under first-year coach Jason Eck.
In the end, it was a game defined by patience, defense, and one clutch moment when it mattered most—and Minnesota made sure that moment belonged to them.
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