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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Football Prepares To Square Off With Troy State
9/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Weekly Preview
1. Senior quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq is one pass away from setting the all-time record for touchdown passes in a career. He is currently tied with Cory Sauter (1994-97) in that category with 40 touchdown passes.
2. Senior tight end Ben Utecht is only 27 yards away from surpassing 1,000 yards receiving for his career. Utecht is currently ranked 15th on the Gophers' all-time list for receiving yards with 973.
3. Head Coach Glen Mason is closing in on his 100th career victory. Mason has 94 career wins, which ranks second only to Penn State's Joe Paterno for career Division I wins among active Big Ten coaches.
Breaking Down Troy State
Troy State University will make its first appearance at the H.H.H. Metrodome this Saturday, Sept. 6, when it faces the Gophers at 7 p.m. in non-conference action on ESPN Plus. The Trojans are in their third season as a NCAA Division I member. This is their final season as an independent before moving to the Sun Belt Conference in 2004. Troy State suffered a 41-5 setback to Kansas State last weekend in Manhattan, Kan. Troy State is led by junior quarterback Hansell Bearden, who is a returning starter from 2002. In the loss to the Wildcats, Bearden was 8-for-17 passing for 69 yards. Bearden's favorite weapon, junior receiver Jason Samples, was the team's leading receiver last year and he had a team-high five receptions for 40 yards against KSU. On the ground, the Trojans rely on junior tailback DeWhitt Betterson and sophomore Marrio Frasier. Betterson gained 711 yards last season, while Frasier led the Trojans in rushing yards versus Kansas State with 42. Defensively, Troy State will turn to junior free safety Derrick Ansley, the team's top returning tackler from 2002. Ansley totaled 82 tackles last season and had a team-high two interceptions. Also figuring into the mix is Demarcus Ware. Ware had 19.5 tackles-for-loss a year ago and he is off to a good start in that department again this season. Ware recorded two tackles-for-loss and a sack against the Wildcats.
The Series
This will be the first meeting between the Gophers and the Trojans.
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