As soon as the Gophers sealed a thorough, 24-6 upset of 25th-ranked Nebraska on Friday night, the U student section ignored instructions to “remain in your seats” and stormed the field at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Elsewhere, embers were rekindled on a never-ending debate at keyboards across the internet and in group text message threads.
Minnesota Gophers football fans sign “M” as they watch the Gophers take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in an NCAA football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
In one corner, observers who want to let college football fans let loose a little bit. After all, Minnesota was a touchdown underdog to the Cornhuskers and it was the U’s first win over a ranked team this season.
On the other side, the fun police who feel like the Gophers should stay cool and act like they’ve been there before. There also are those worried about player and staff safety as rowdy revelers stomp onto the field.
What say you, P.J. Fleck?
“The crowd storming is awesome,” the Gophers head coach said Friday during his postgame news conference. “It’s so fun to watch the student population. I’m glad we don’t have a rule. Maybe we do. No?”
As he asked that, Fleck looked to the back of his audience, where athletics director Mark Coyle and staff signaled confirmation the Big Ten Conference does not, in fact, have a rule with putative fines for field storming. For instance, the SEC does and schools are regularly docked.
“I’m glad we don’t because I’m just an advocate. I love it,” Fleck said. “I love watching our student body, who cheers the entire game, who makes a difference in the game, go down and create a moment and memory that will last in their brain and hearts forever. I love that. Like, there is nothing better than that.”
Before the final whistle, students clad in white “Row” hats, a giveaway from the U, crowded the barriers to the field. After they descended onto the turf, fans were able to get autographs and take selfies with players.
“Just being in the crowd is awesome,” said defensive end Anthony Smith, who had 2½ sacks. “Shout-out to the U of M student body.”
“I like the hats,” added linebacker Maverick Baranowski, who contributed six tackles.
Last year, Gophers fans stormed the field in early October after a dramatic 24-17 home win over No. 11 Southern Cal in early October. Safety Koi Perich made a game-changing interception and fans hoisted the true freshman above the sea of happy fans.
But as Friday’s scene unfolded after 10 p.m., Perich was standing off to the side with Fleck and his wife Heather. He might be flipping to the curmudgeon camp on field storming, sharing this sentiment: “Aren’t we supposed to do this?”
Fleck is cool with that, too.
“That’s my guy,” he said. “That’s why he came here. It was a heck of a statement from him because that is what it’s about. I love that. I don’t want him to stop doing that.”
Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey was a true freshman spectator during the USC win last year. This year, the redshirt freshman completed 16 of 20 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown in the Nebraska win.
“That is obviously a moment you dream of when you are a little kid,” Lindsey said. “… Then you get to experience it. Last year, we got to with USC, and it’s always cool. We’ve got really, really good fans, and our students were electric.”
Field storming moments against ranked teams don’t come around every year at Minnesota; it’s more like every other year.
On Friday, Fleck notched a new program record with his seventh win against teams in the Associated Press Top 25; three of those are on the road or in a bowl game. He also has 17 losses in that category since coming to Minnesota in 2017.
Friday’s field storming was the fourth such occasion in Fleck’s nearly nine full seasons at the U. An argument can be made that Friday’s was the least justified with Nebraska in the poll’s last spot.
The first one was the most famous, when No. 13 Minnesota beat No. 5 Penn State, 31-26, in 2019. The Gophers improved to 9-0 in what would be an 11-2 season.
The second came in 2021, when the Gophers knocked off rival and 18th-ranked Wisconsin, 23-13, in Minneapolis. The field was more packed than on Friday and was flowing in unison to the Badgers’ anthem — House of Pain’s “Jump Around” — blaring from the stadium’s speakers.
Then came USC a year ago, and Friday when Gophers fans danced to a few songs, including one from Icona Pop, featuring Charli XCX. The chorus was fitting for their likely collective view on whether fans should or shouldn’t field storm after wins:
“I don’t care! I love it!”
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