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University of Minnesota Athletics
FB: Penn State Defeats No. 18 Minnesota 44-14
10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Box Score
Penn State defeated the 18th-ranked Golden Gopher football team, 44-14, on Saturday afternoon in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lion defense held the nation’s top rushing offense to just 113 yards, including a season-low 48 yards for Laurence Maroney on just 16 carries. Penn State snapped a four-game losing streak to Minnesota and captured the Governor’s Victory Bell for the first time since 1998.
Penn State’s offense matched the domination by its defense. The Nittany Lions outrushed Minnesota, 364-113, and held a 539-287 advantage in total offense. Penn State finished with 35 first downs as compared to 13 for the Golden Gophers. Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson rushed for 110 yards and threw for 175 more, while Tony Hunt added 114 yards rushing and two scores.
The Nittany Lions controlled most of the first half after scoring on its first three possessions. The Penn State defense held Laurence Maroney to just 14 yards on seven carries. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lion offense rushed for 178 yards, behind Robinson’s 87 yards on 13 carries.
After forcing a three-and-out on Minnesota’s first possession, the Nittany Lions took its opening drive 64 yards on nine plays to take a 7-0 lead. Freshman standout Derrick Williams took the option pitch from Robinson and raced 13 yards for the score. Penn State added a 29-yard field goal from Kevin Kelly on its second drive to take a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
Williams struck again for Penn State on its second-straight 13- play scoring drive. Williams took the reverse and rushed five yards for his second touchdown. Kelly tacked on a 47- yard field goal with 3:07 to play in the half to give the Nittany Lions a 20-0 lead.
The Golden Gophers gained some momentum late in the first half. After Jakari Wallace’s 35-yard kickoff return, Bryan Cupito found Ernie Wheelwright for a 48- yard touchdown pass on third and one. After Kelly missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired, the Golden Gophers trailed by just 13 heading into halftime.
Penn State opened the second half just like it opened the game. The Nittany Lions put together a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown run by Hunt. Hunt added another touchdown on Penn State’s next possession after the Golden Gophers turned the ball over on downs at midfield. Kelly closed out the scoring in the third quarter with his third field goal of the game to give Penn State a 37-7 lead.
Minnesota opened the fourth quarter with a 16-play, 73-yard scoring drive. On third down from the two-yard line, Wallace walked into the endzone on the reverse to cut the Penn State lead to 37-14. The Nittany Lions closed out the scoring with an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown run by Rodney Kinlaw.
In addition to Maroney’s 48 yards, Gary Russell led the Golden Gophers with 53 yards on eight carries. Cupito finished the game going 16-for-28 for 174 yards and a touchdown.
Minnesota returns to the road next weekend when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. The game on Saturday will begin at Noon and can be seen on ABC.
