Mississippi State football team defeats Minnesota Gophers in 38-13 blowout loss

The Minnesota Gophers suffered a 38-13 defeat to Mississippi State on Saturday, falling behind early as the Bulldogs scored on four consecutive opening possessions. Despite entering the season with high expectations and returning key personnel, the Gophers trailed 28-3 at one point in the contest. Head coach P.J. Fleck faces mounting pressure after the loss to capitalize on a roster that features returners like Anthony Smith and Darius Taylor. While Fleck maintains that the 2026 team remains outstanding, the program must now navigate upcoming matchups against Akron and Washington to recover. Minnesota is tasked with staying in contention for Big Ten title game conversations to satisfy program benchmarks. Future performance against Michigan on October 3 will serve as a critical indicator of whether the team can meet internal and external expectations for the remainder of the season.

• 4:31 PMYahoo Sports — After 10 years, it's time to demand more from P.J. Fleck and the Gophers