© Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim fell to the turf as he was tackled by Ohio State safety Ronnie Hickman, causing a leg injury. Thursday night’s Gophers football season opener certainly didn’t disappoint when it came to atmosphere and drama. Minnesota was host to a sold-out crowd of 50,805 at Huntington Bank Stadium, with vocal fans returning to the venue after being forced away because of COVID-19 concerns in 2020. On the Fox TV broadcast, 6,295,000 tuned in, making it the most-watched Week 1 Thursday college football game on any network. Coach P.J. Fleck’s team put up a competitive showing deep into the fourth quarter against fourth-ranked Ohio State, leading at halftime and early in the third quarter before the Buckeyes let loose their stable of speedy athletes in a 45-31 victory. Fleck surveyed the whole scene —from pregame pomp and circumstance to the game’s highs…
Continue Reading: Amid festive atmosphere, a dose of reality for Gophers football team in loss to Ohio State
