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University of Minnesota Athletics
PURDUE DEFEATS MINNESOTA 38-24 IN BIG TEN OPENER
9/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
After a 24-yard field goal by Travis Dorsch, Steve Ennis took it in from one yard out on fourth and goal to give Purdue a 24-0 lead with 2:29 to play in the half. Travis Cole (below) relieved an ineffective Asad Abdul-Khaliq and promptly led the Golden Gophers down the field. Cole hit on four of his eight pass attempts for 41 yards on the drive, almost half of Minnesota's 85 total yard in the half. The drive stalled at the Purdue 35-yard line and sophomore Dan Nystrom connected on a career-long 52-yard field goal with 45 seconds to play to make it 24-3. The Boilermakers entered halftime with 357 yards of total offense as Brees finished with 23-of-33 passing and 299 yards.
Purdue wasted no time after halftime with a nine-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a 3-yard run by Ennis. Minnesota was on Purdue's doorstep after a Boilermaker snap sailed over punter Scott Kurz's head. Jermaine Mays recovered the ball on the Purdue four-yard line. After a Purdue penalty on third and goal gave Minnesota another opportunity, Thomas Tapeh took the ball in from two yards to make the score 31-10 with 4:13 to play in the third quarter.
Minnesota threatened again after Trevis Graham blocked a punt which was picked up by Mays who returned it to the 14-yard line with 9:43 to play. Cole then connected with Ben Utecht from three yards out and the Golden Gophers climbed to within 31-17 with 8:13 to go.
Purdue took the ensuing kickoff and thwarted any hopes for a Minnesota comeback with a nine-play, 72-yard drive, all on the ground, and Brees ran it in from 11 yards out to make it 38-17 with just 3:06 to play. The Golden Gophers responded quickly as Cole found Tony Patterson from 20 yards out. The six-play, 80-yard drive took just 1:26. Mike Lehan then recovered Mike Albert's onside kick and gave the Golden Gophers the ball at the 48-yard line. Cole's first pass though was intercepted by Stuart Schweigert at the 13-yard line to end the rally.
Cole was the story for the Golden Gophers after entering the game on the last drive of the first half. He completed 17-of-27 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Abdul-Khaliq finished at 5-of-12 for 34 yards. Last week's Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Thomas Tapeh was held to just 48 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown.
Minnesota returns to action next Saturday against Illinois at the Metrodome.
