5 things that stood out in the Gophers' upset win over No. 11 USC

There was a lot to like from Minnesota's Week 6 win over the Trojans.

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck looks on before the game against the USC Trojans at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers toppled No. 11 USC 24-17 on Saturday night. It is their fifth win over a ranked opponent under P.J. Fleck and arguably their biggest since an upset of No. 14 Wisconsin in 2021. Let's dig into five things that stood out in the game...

1. Darius Taylor is the Gophers' best player

This Gophers team is at their best when they play through Taylor. Last week, Max Brosmer proved that they can move the ball through the air, but Taylor needs to be getting 20+ carries a week. He opened Saturday night's game with an absolute truck-stick run through a USC defender. A 40-yard run through a facemask penalty later in the first half was only more evidence of how special he is.

The thing that stood out the most against USC was his patience. As a true sophomore, he has the patience of an NFL player. Running backs at the college level are true game-changing players and Taylor changed Minnesota's win over the Trojans. He finished the night with 30 touches for exactly 200 yards.

2. Koi Perich is an every down player

Perich has slowly been getting more integrated into the Gophers' defense as his true freshman season progresses. Last week against Michigan, the Esko, Minnesota native showed how special he can be as a returner, but this week against USC, he showed that he deserves to be an every down player on defense.

Kerry Brown suffered an injury early in the game, opening the door for Perich to get more work on early downs. He took the opportunity and ran with it. He forced a fumble and had six total tackles, then finished the night with a game-sealing interception. He continues to get better every game.

"He's unbelievable. He's one of the best playmakers I've seen and he's only 18 years old," Fleck said of Perich.

3. Jah Joyner finally gets to the QB

Joyner, who believed he was destined to be the first Gophers defensive player with double-digit sacks since 2013, had just one sack entering the game. He still has only one sack, but he came up big when he hit the arm of USC quarterback Miller Moss to force an interception to stop a Trojans drive that had them in Minnesota territory and threatening to extend a 17-10 lead with about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

4. Minnesota's run defense is an issue

The Trojans ran 173 yards on the ground. For the fourth straight game against a major conference opponent, Minnesota's front seven was dominated in the run game. This was supposed to be the strength of the Gophers' defense. Through six games, both the Gophers' offensive and defensive lines are arguably the most disappointing units on their football team.

5. The margins have never been smaller

This Gophers team is a few bounces away from being 5-1 and realistically ranked inside of the top 20. Close games often come down to special situations which typically leads back to coaching. Minnesota was one kick away from beating North Carolina, a wrongful offsides call away having a chance to beat Michigan and they were ahead of Iowa 14-7 at the half.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the performance against USC showed once again that this team is not far off.