For the second time this season at home vs. a Power-4 opponent, the Gophers were manhandled in the third quarter and a touchdown halftime lead turned into a loss.

The Gophers led North Carolina 14-7 at the half in the season opener and lost. The same score was in place vs. Iowa Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium and the Gophers lost.

Head coach P.J. Fleck met with reporters, including KSTP Sports, on Monday morning. He reviewed why the breakdown happened vs. the Hawkeyes and looked ahead to Saturday’s matchup at No. 12 Michigan. The Gophers are a 10-point underdog.

***Click the video box above to watch Fleck’s news conference from Mon. Sept. 23rd***

Fleck touched on the lack of tackling in the third quarter as being one big reason why Iowa went on to win by 17 points. Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns.

Fleck also said he liked how his team responded in practice on Sunday. Sure, there’s some mental hurdles to clear when losing like they did to a rival. But all things considered, he noted that the team is in a good spot.

Kickoff Saturday from Ann Arbor is set for 11 a.m. Central.