Top Insights On Offside Penalty On The Gophers Onside Kick At Michigan, P.J. Fleck Reacts

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The University of Minnesota football team left Michigan on Saturday with a 27-24 defeat after falling behind 24-3 in the third quarter.

The main topic of conversation post-game will likely be the controversial final penalty against the Gophers, which appears to have been a miscall. With approximately 1:40 left in the game, Max Brosmer threw a touchdown pass to Daniel Jackson, narrowing the score to 27-24.

Minnesota attempted an onside kick and successfully recovered it, but Matt Kingsbury was penalized for being offsides. After the 5-yard penalty, Michigan regained possession of the ball and ran out the clock.

“I haven’t seen the final play, and one play doesn’t determine the outcome of the game. Everyone will focus on that, but I’m not going to sit here and risk a fine or anything like that,” said Gophers coach P.J. Fleck after the game. “I have too much respect for my boss, the University of Minnesota, and the Big Ten. It’s just one play.”

Why it matters: The Gophers would have had the ball in Michigan’s territory with one timeout remaining. Brosmer and the Gophers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to make a comeback. Slow-motion replays clearly indicate that when Dragan Kesich initiated the onside kick, Kingsbury had not crossed the 35-yard line.

Although it was a questionable call, it’s not subject to review or challenge. The FOX broadcast team and replay analyst Mike Pereira both agreed that the penalty should not have been called based on the replay. Given Kesich’s capability of making long field goals, the Gophers would likely have attempted to score a touchdown and possibly win the game, but they never got that opportunity.

“I didn’t hear anything except that he was offsides. I was 10 yards away, down where the ball was to be received. I need to focus on where the ball is going. I didn’t see it,” Fleck explained. “The call was made, and I asked about it; he said he broke the plane.”

What’s next: With this loss, the Gophers drop to 2-3 and will host USC next Saturday night for a Stripe Out at Huntington Bank Stadium. Minnesota’s record in Big Ten play is now 0-2, and they’ve lost both games after leading in the first half against North Carolina and Iowa.