The Minnesota football team lost to North Carolina football 19-17 in its season opener at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Thursday night in front of 50,805 fans.

The game's ending included a 47-yard field goal attempt from Minnesota football kicker Dragan Kesich that came close but ended up wide right as North Carolina football celebrated a last-second win. Kesich's field goal didn't come without an interruption as the Gophers set off fireworks prior to the game's ending. Video footage including a comment from a member of the press box was shown on X after the game.

“I can't believe they set off fireworks,” one person can be heard saying.

“Nah that's bad,” one fan said in response upon watching the video.

The Gophers squandered a great chance to start their 2024-2025 college football campaign off on the right foot, and now it's back to the drawing board for PJ Fleck's crew after the Tar Heels' big-time road win.

Gophers squander first-half lead

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach PJ Fleck on the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field.
© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota football jumped out to a 14-7 halftime lead over their visitors from North Carolina, only to watch the lead evaporate late on a 45-yard Noah Burnette field goal with 1:44 on the clock.

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Dragan Kesich's attempt was incredibly close but the Minnesota kicker pushed it slightly to the right. It sailed just outside the uprights as Gophers fans watched in frustration.

The Tar Heels' win came as quarterback Max Johnson appeared to suffer a potentially serious injury. The Gophers were outgained by a final total of 252 to 244 yards on the night.

Will Minnesota bounce back from the tough early season loss? A lot depends on how they rebound mentally.

Schedule lightens up for Gophers

PJ Fleck's Minnesota football team will welcome the Rhode Island Rams and Nevada Wolfpack to town before Iowa football comes calling on September 21. Minnesota football will then travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan the following week to play the defending national champion Wolverines, providing the second chance in two weeks for the Golden Gophers to pull an upset vs. what should be a ranked team.

The Gophers showed plenty of good things vs. the Tar Heels in a first game that included plenty of hiccups. Their defense was physical and their offense showed plenty of pop vs. at times vs. a football team that has produced plenty of talented players in the past five to ten years and beyond.

The hope now for Minnesota fans is that this game becomes a mere blip on the radar rather than something to dwell on and re-live over and over again. The Big Ten will be tougher this season, and Gophers fans know that every win will be incredibly hard-fought in the coming weeks.