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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Football Falls To Ohio State 34-3
11/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minnesota started the game on a positive note. Holding Ohio State to a three-and-out on its first series, Jer maine Mays blocked the ensuing punt, giving Minnesota the ball on the Buckeye 30-yard line. Dan Nystrom gave the Gophers a 3-0 lead with a 24-yard field goal at the 10:05 mark of the first quarter.
After holding the Buckeyes on the next two series, Br adley Vance recovered a Lydell Ross fumble on the Minnesota 45 to give the Gophers momentum but the Buckeye defense stood tall, keeping the Gophers off the board. The Buckeyes got on the board in the second quarter when Ross went six yards for a touchdown to give OSU a 7-3 lead.
The Buckeyes blocked a Pre ston Gruening punt at the end of the second quarter that led to a Mike Nugent 37-yard field goal to give Ohio State a 10-3 lead at halftime.
Minnesota posted five sacks in the first half, the most the Buckeyes have allowed in a game this season.
Ohio State took over in the second half, starting with another Gopher special teams miscue. A bad punt snap forced Gruening to fall on the ball on his own 10-yard line. The miscue led to a Ross nine-yard touchdown run to give OSU a 17-3 edge. The Buckeyes added three more scores, including a touchdown pass from Craig Krenzel to Chris Vance and a Maurice Hall touchdown run.
Ohio State limited the Gophers to just 81 yards of total offense. Te rry Jackson II led Minnesota with 50 yards rushing on 16 carries while Asa d Abdul-Khaliq completed 9-of-19 passes for just 57 yards.
The Golden Gopher defense played solidly throughout the game, led by El i Ward with 11 tackles and Be n West with 10 stops. Pau l Nixon recorded a career-high three sacks in the game as well.
Minnesota returns to action next Saturday night when it hosts Michigan at 6:45 p.m. at the Metrodome.
