In a slightly alternate reality, the Gophers football team could be 7-2 right now — if they would have held onto late leads against Northwestern and Illinois.

In another not-so-different parallel universe, Minnesota also could be 3-6 — if they weren’t able to finish off nail-biters against Iowa and Nebraska.

In the real world, the U sits at an average 5-4, with three regular-season games left to become bowl eligible with one more victory and still find a way to challenge for the Big Ten West title with multiple wins and help from others.

“Two heartbreaking losses, but we’ve also had two celebratory wins that were incredibly close,” head coach P.J. Fleck said Tuesday. “One of them we haven’t done against a ranked Iowa team since 1981. There are things that this team is doing that are really special, and there are things that we are doing that we have to nip in the bud as fast as we can or it will keep happening.”

Coming off Saturday’s 27-26 loss to Illinois, Gophers players were reminded of a half-dozen other programs nationwide that have slipped up at times this season and haven’t played well enough going into mid-November. That list included Clemson, ranked ninth nationally in the preseason, sitting at 5-4 and last year’s national runner-up Texas Christian at 4-5.

Last play

Fleck gave a detailed answer on what should have happened for the Gophers on the Illini’s game-winning, 46-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute remaining Saturday.

Illinois star receiver Isaiah Williams went in motion to the wide side of the field and ran a vertical route past linebacker Cody Lindenberg and between safeties Aidan Gousby and Tyler Nubin.

“Goes in motion, check it,” Fleck said. “Should have been able to get a lot more depth at the free safety position (Nubin), should have maybe had a little bit of help from the other safety (Gousby) in that situation with multiple verticals. And maybe a little bit deeper at the linebacker (Lindenberg) to start and to even carry that inside. … We had it underneath and, unfortunately, didn’t have the top on it.”

Fleck said they will work to make sure that the call is fully communicated and executed next time.

Briefly

Fleck did not share anything with the Pioneer Press on what he might have said during the Big Ten coaches’ call with commissioner Tony Petitti last week to discuss the Michigan sign-stealing situation. … Nebraska coach Matt Rhule circled back to the season opener Monday, saying “replay was wrong” to award a touchdown on Daniel Jackson’s toe-drag catch late in the U’s 13-10 win on Aug. 31. . … Minnesota’s third-down defense has slipped this season. It ranks 115h in the country, allowing conversions at a 45 percent clip. Illinois converted 53 percent on Saturday (9 of 17). … The Gophers’ game at No. 1 Ohio State next Saturday will kick off at either 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. CDT in Columbus. It will air on Big Ten Network.

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