University of Minnesota Athletics
FB: Gophers Stumble at Indiana, Lose 30-21
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Gophers were dominant early-on, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions. But Will Lumpkin picked off a Bryan Cupito</ a> pass and returned it 42 yards for a Hoosier touchdown to spark the Indiana comeback. IU's quarterback Matt LoVecchio then threw for two scores before halftime en route to a Hoosier victory.
Minnesota grabbed a quick 14-0 lead behind Laurence Maroney's 4-yard touchdown run and a 1-yard TD pass from Cupito to Matt Spaeth. Then just two plays into the second stanza, Lumpkin jumped in front of Ernie Wheelwright to grab the INT and raced to the endzone for Indiana's first score. The Indiana PAT attempt failed, so Minnesota held an eight point lead, 14-6.
After a Gophers three-and-out, Indiana drove 68 yards in eight plays capped by a Lovecchio to Courtney Roby touchdown pass from 13 yards out. The Hoosiers 2-point conversion failed, so Minnesota remained ahead 14-12. The Hoosiers scored another TD with :35 seconds before halftime when LoVecchio connected with Chris Rudanovic from six yards out. A LoVecchio to David Lewis two-point conversion put the Hoosiers up 20-14 heading into the lockerroom.
Indiana extended the lead to 23-14 when Bryan Robertson made a 23-yard field goal to open the second half. Minnesota countered with a five-play, 80 yard drive capped by Spaeth's second TD reception from three yards out. But the Gophers would not regain the lead. IU's BenJarvus Green-Ellis sealed the Hoosier win with a 27-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, making the final 30-21.
The Gopher running attack was limited to 169 yards, more than 100 yards below the season average of 278. Maroney carried 16 times for 89 yards, giving him 1,030 yards for the season, while Marion Barber III finished with 65 yards on 20 rushes. Cupito was 11-of-30 for 182 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.
Minnesota Notes
Saturday's game against Indiana marked the fourth consecutive week that the Gophers have been involved in a homecoming game. Minnesota was Michigan's homecoming opponent on Oct. 9 and Michigan State's homecoming opponent on Oct. 16 prior to playing Illinois at home for homecoming on Oct. 23.
Minnesota's overall record against Indiana fell to 34-25-3 and 5-16-2 in games played at Indiana. Minnesota's last win in Bloomington, Ind., came on Oct. 19, 1985.
Ernie Wheelwright's catch on the second play of the game gives him at least one reception in every game this season.
Laurence Maroney's first quarter touchdown gives him 18 rushing touchdowns for his career, moving him into a tie for 14th place on the Gophers' career rushing touchdowns list. Maroney is tied with Sandy Stephens (1959-61).
Tight end Matt Spaeth's first quarter touchdown reception was his third of the season and third of his career. It was Spaeth's first touchdown reception since Sept. 18 when he had two receiving touchdowns during Minnesota's 34-16 win over Colorado State. Spaeth equaled his two-touchdown performance at CSU with a third-quarter TD against the Hoosiers.
Spaeth's 47-yard reception in the third quarter was a career long. Spaeth's previous career long was 27 yards against Northwestern on Sept. 25 of this season.
Spaeth's 95 yards receiving was a career high, breaking his previous career high of 72 yards against Northwestern.
Minnesota has scored in the first quarter of every game this season.
Maroney's 1,030 yards this season marks the 13th time in school history a Minnesota player has rushed for 1,000 yards in a season. Maroney is only the third player in school history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons, joining Darrell Thompson (1986, 1987, 1989) and Tellis Redmon (2000, 2001).
Maroney became the first Golden Gopher to post back-to-back 1,000- yard seasons since Tellis Redmon rushed for 1,368 yards in 2000 and 1,091 yards in 2001. Maroney also became the first Gopher to have consecutive 1,000 yards seasons in his first two years at Minnesota (true freshman and sophomore seasons) since Darrell Thompson rushed for 1,376 yards as a freshman in 1986 and 1,229 yards during his sophomore season in 1987.
Maroney has had a run of 20 yards or more in 10 straight games.
Mark Losli's third-quarter sack was his second of the season and the 13th of his career, moving him into a fourth-place tie on the Gophers' career quarterback sacks list. Losli is tied with Ben Williams (1988-91) and current Gopher Darrell Reid.
Ukee Dozier's two pass breakups gives him 31 pass breakups for his career. Dozier is tied for first on the Gophers' career pass breakup list with Michael Lehan (1999-2002). Dozier currently has 15 pass breakups this season, third most on the Minnesota single- season pass breakup list.
Minnesota has reached double-digits in 26 straight games. Ohio State held Minnesota to three points on Nov. 2, 2002.
Minnesota has scored 20 or more points in 33 of its last 37 games.
Minnesota has not been shut out in a school-record 81 games. The last time UM was blanked on the scoreboard was in a 31-0 loss at Iowa on Nov. 22, 1997.
Minnesota has amassed more than 300 total yards in 24 straight games dating back to the 2002 season.
