Minnesota has a rare SEC team on the schedule, putting rising star QB Drake Lindsey in the spotlight

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Drake Lindsey long dreamed of playing for Arkansas, his native state's flagship school.

He finally gets a crack at Southeastern Conference competition this week.

Minnesota's matchup against Mississippi State on Saturday will mark the first time the Gophers face an SEC opponent in a regular-season game since 1959, a schedule rarity and a welcome nonconference test before Big Ten play. The national telecast on CBS will also serve as a showcase for Lindsey, their rising star quarterback .

“It all starts with Drake,” coach P.J. Fleck said. “Drake is taking his game to a different level.”

After an up-and-down 2025 season as a redshirt freshman revealed far more promise than problems, Lindsey experienced significant growth over the spring and summer.

Arrested in May for underage possession of alcohol and use of fake identification at a bar in his hometown, a case later settled with probation and court fees, Lindsey underwent an unexpected test of character and leadership that included an apology to the team for his misstep.

The 6-foot-5 Lindsey honed in on his strength and conditioning, cutting fat and adding muscle to arrive at camp around 230 pounds, down nearly 20 pounds from his first year at college.

He's been more immersed in the playbook, too, with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Harbaugh guiding an intensive process that has improved his ability to read the defense, make effective run calls at the line and work through receiver progressions after he drops back to pass.

“His command at the line of scrimmage and just his poise, it continues to get better and better daily,” Harbaugh said. “It’s really, really fun to see how much he can do.”

Setting the freshman quarterback program record for wins as the Gophers finished 8-5, Lindsey passed for 2,382 yards and 18 touchdowns against only six interceptions in 2025. His stature and skills combined with his solid debut season has landed him on several NFL draft prospect lists, but that can wait.

“When you put your head in those kind of areas, I don’t think you’re the person or the player you want to be. I’m genuinely focused on my teammates, my coaches and being the best leader I can for them. I think everything will ultimately handle itself," Lindsey said.

Asked this week about the magnitude of facing an SEC foe, Lindsey politely dodged the subject by stressing his focus on Minnesota's performance. The Gophers are off to a good start after opening with a 59-7 victory over Eastern Illinois last week, when Lindsey completed 19 of 24 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown.

“Last year I had to earn a lot of things, and with Coach Harbaugh I said yes a lot more than why,” Lindsey said. “When you’re a freshman, you’re always trying to stay above water and focused on yourself. Now you can add and cut. I’m really comfortable within the offense, and now it’s building everybody up to the level we need.”

Fleck was quick to mention at his news conference this week that the only other Big Ten teams with SEC foes on their 2026 schedule are Michigan (Oklahoma) and Ohio State (Texas).

Five Big Ten teams (Indiana, Nebraska, Penn State, USC and Washington) aren't playing anyone from the Atlantic Coast, Big 12 or Southeastern conferences or independent Notre Dame.

Minnesota plays at Mississippi State in 2027 as part of the two-game contract the schools signed 10 years ago under the previous coaching staff. That will give the Gophers six straight seasons with a Power Four nonconference opponent, and they have a home-and-away set with Alabama due in 2032 and 2033.

Minnesota has not faced an SEC foe in a regular-season game since Vanderbilt visited in 1959. The Gophers have played Auburn, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee in bowl games over the last 40 years.

“It’s exciting. I think it’s great for the fans,” Fleck said, hedging his opinion on scheduling strategy to note the impact on College Football Playoff selection criteria. "Are you punished for it or are you rewarded for it?”

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