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University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Outlast Toledo 31-21
9/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
With the score tied 14-14 at halftime, Minnesota went on a seven- play, 80-yard drive, capped by a Thomas Tapeh 31-yard touchdown run to take a 21-14 lead. On the ensuing drive, Toledo pounded out an impressive 12-play, 74-yard drive to tie the game, finished by a William Bratton two-yard run. Bratton finished the game with a career- high 114 yards on 16 carries.
Minnesota took the lead for good on a Dan Nystrom 21-yard field goal to take a 24-21 edge with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter. Toledo responded, driving to the Minnesota nine-yard line but Minnesota held when Toledo failed on a fourth down conversion. Minnesota put icing on the cake with a seven-play, 44-yard touchdown drive. Asad Abdul- Khaliq ended the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Ben Utecht. Utecht has caught a TD pass in five straight games.
The teams exchanged touchdowns twice in the first half. Toledo opened the scoring in the first quarter when William Bratton rumbled 45 yards for a touchdown. Minnesota scored on its next possession when Terry Jackson II ran five yards for a TD. Jackson II ran for a career- high 83 yards on 21 carries in the game. Toledo took the lead 14-7 when Bratton ran three yards for a score.
Minnesota put together its most impressive scoring drive of the year at the end of the first half. Abdul-Khaliq capped a 17-play, 80-yard drive, that elapsed over nine minutes, with a three-yard touchdown run.
Abdul-Khaliq had a career-high 103 yards on 10 carries, becoming the first quarterback since Billy Cockerham in 1999 to run for over 100 yards. Minnesota pounded out 274 yards rushing on the day, while Toledo held its own in the running game with 233 yards.
Ben West led the Gopher defense with 14 tackles and a forced fumble. Terrance Campbell added seven solo tackles.
Brian Jones completed 23-of-30 passes for 195 yards for Toledo.
Minnesota looks to run its record to 4-0 next Saturday when it hosts Buffalo at 1:30 p.m.
