University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to No. 8 Ohio State
9/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minnesota’s potent offense was stifled by the powerful Ohio State defense as the No. 8 Buckeyes handed the Golden Gophers a 30-7 defeat in front of a season-high crowd of 51,611 at the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The balanced Ohio State offense out-gained the Gophers by a 459-277 yard margin, while the Buckeye defense made the youthful Gopher offense play on a long field. The Gophers average field position to start their drives was their own 29-yard line, but just their 18 in the first quarter and the 19 in the third quarter.
Adam Weber passed for 232 yards against the Buckeyes, the most allowed by the Buckeyes this season. Ernie Wheelwright and Eric Decker were once again his favorite targets as each collected six receptions. The rushing game, however, struggled, gaining just 45 yards on 29 carries.
Minnesota (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) received the kickoff to start the game, and moved the ball down the field. The Golden Gophers started on their own 28-yard line, and marched down to Ohio State 26-yard line until the drive stalled.
The drive started with a 13-yard reception by Ralph Spry. Minnesota moved it into Buckeye territory when Tray Herndon caught a 24-yard pass to get to the Ohio State 30-yard line on 3rd-and-12. After failing to convert a third-and-six opportunity from the Ohio State 26-yard line, Minnesota missed an opportunity to take an early lead when its 43-yard field goal sailed wide.
On the next drive, Minnesota got Ohio State to 4th-and-6 on its own 40-yard line. However, the Buckeyes punter AJ Trappaso ran 18 yards for a first down on a fake-punt attempt after he initially mishandled the snap. Ohio State running back Chris Wells capped off a 12-play 74-yard Buckeye drive that that took four minutes and 12 seconds when scored on a six-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 at the 6:52 mark.
After pinning the Golden Gophers back on their own seven-yard line on their third drive of the game and keeping them from getting a first down, Ohio State received good field position on its 45-yard line to start its third drive of the game.
On the second play of the drive, Ray Small broke a 37-yard run on an option pitch end around to get down to the Golden Gopher 5-yard line. Two plays later Wells scored for the second time on the night on a five-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 14-0.
Minnesota got on the board in the second quarter when Spry caught a four-yard touchdown pass, the first of his career, to make it 14-7 with 6:48 remaining in the first half. The touchdown, which was only the second given up by Ohio State’s defense in the first half all year, capped off a 12-play, 64-yard drive that took 5:48 off the clock.
The key play of the drive came when Minnesota went for it on fourth-and-1, and Weber gained nine yards on a rollout after fake handoff to Bennett. Two plays later, Spry took it in to cut Buckeye lead to seven points.
Minnesota halted Ohio State’s next drive at the Buckeye 45-yard line. The Golden Gophers started their next drive at their own 22-yard line with 3:02 remaining in the first half. Minnesota moved into Ohio State territory after a 19-yard run by Bennett. On the next play, Weber found Eric Decker for a 30-yard strike to get the Golden Gophers down to the Buckeye 19-yard line. On third-and-12, Ohio State forced the first turnover of the contest when Malcolm Jenkins picked off a Weber pass at the 1-yard line to halt Minnesota’s momentum.
The Buckeyes moved the ball out to their own 48-yard line after Chris Wells ran for 27 yards, and was leveled by a late hit for a 15-yard personal foul. On the next play, Todd Boeckman connected with Brian Robiskie for a 52-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 remaining to give Ohio State a 20-7 lead. Todd Meisel blocked the extra point to keep it at a 13-point deficit.
Ohio State got on the board with the first drive of the second half on a Ryan Pretorius 43-yard field to make it 23-7 with 10:32 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes added to their lead with 8:31 remaining in the fourth quarter when Beckman hit Brian Hartline for a 19-yard TD.
Struggling with poor field position throughout the second half, the Minnesota finally moved the ball into Ohio State territory midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately the drive stalled at the Buckeye 36.
After Justin Kucek’s punt pinned the Buckeyes at their own 9-yard line, Gopher senior linebacker John Shevlin came up with a big play, forcing an Ohio State fumble, then recovering the ball at the Ohio State 7-yard line. The Gophers were unable to push the ball over the goal line, with Weber’s fourth-down pass falling incomplete. The Gophers had one more drive late that ended in a Weber interception.
Minnesota takes to the road for its first Big Ten road game next week, traveling to Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 6.
The balanced Ohio State offense out-gained the Gophers by a 459-277 yard margin, while the Buckeye defense made the youthful Gopher offense play on a long field. The Gophers average field position to start their drives was their own 29-yard line, but just their 18 in the first quarter and the 19 in the third quarter.
Adam Weber passed for 232 yards against the Buckeyes, the most allowed by the Buckeyes this season. Ernie Wheelwright and Eric Decker were once again his favorite targets as each collected six receptions. The rushing game, however, struggled, gaining just 45 yards on 29 carries.
Minnesota (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) received the kickoff to start the game, and moved the ball down the field. The Golden Gophers started on their own 28-yard line, and marched down to Ohio State 26-yard line until the drive stalled.
The drive started with a 13-yard reception by Ralph Spry. Minnesota moved it into Buckeye territory when Tray Herndon caught a 24-yard pass to get to the Ohio State 30-yard line on 3rd-and-12. After failing to convert a third-and-six opportunity from the Ohio State 26-yard line, Minnesota missed an opportunity to take an early lead when its 43-yard field goal sailed wide.
On the next drive, Minnesota got Ohio State to 4th-and-6 on its own 40-yard line. However, the Buckeyes punter AJ Trappaso ran 18 yards for a first down on a fake-punt attempt after he initially mishandled the snap. Ohio State running back Chris Wells capped off a 12-play 74-yard Buckeye drive that that took four minutes and 12 seconds when scored on a six-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 at the 6:52 mark.
After pinning the Golden Gophers back on their own seven-yard line on their third drive of the game and keeping them from getting a first down, Ohio State received good field position on its 45-yard line to start its third drive of the game.
On the second play of the drive, Ray Small broke a 37-yard run on an option pitch end around to get down to the Golden Gopher 5-yard line. Two plays later Wells scored for the second time on the night on a five-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 14-0.
Minnesota got on the board in the second quarter when Spry caught a four-yard touchdown pass, the first of his career, to make it 14-7 with 6:48 remaining in the first half. The touchdown, which was only the second given up by Ohio State’s defense in the first half all year, capped off a 12-play, 64-yard drive that took 5:48 off the clock.
The key play of the drive came when Minnesota went for it on fourth-and-1, and Weber gained nine yards on a rollout after fake handoff to Bennett. Two plays later, Spry took it in to cut Buckeye lead to seven points.
Minnesota halted Ohio State’s next drive at the Buckeye 45-yard line. The Golden Gophers started their next drive at their own 22-yard line with 3:02 remaining in the first half. Minnesota moved into Ohio State territory after a 19-yard run by Bennett. On the next play, Weber found Eric Decker for a 30-yard strike to get the Golden Gophers down to the Buckeye 19-yard line. On third-and-12, Ohio State forced the first turnover of the contest when Malcolm Jenkins picked off a Weber pass at the 1-yard line to halt Minnesota’s momentum.
The Buckeyes moved the ball out to their own 48-yard line after Chris Wells ran for 27 yards, and was leveled by a late hit for a 15-yard personal foul. On the next play, Todd Boeckman connected with Brian Robiskie for a 52-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 remaining to give Ohio State a 20-7 lead. Todd Meisel blocked the extra point to keep it at a 13-point deficit.
Ohio State got on the board with the first drive of the second half on a Ryan Pretorius 43-yard field to make it 23-7 with 10:32 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes added to their lead with 8:31 remaining in the fourth quarter when Beckman hit Brian Hartline for a 19-yard TD.
Struggling with poor field position throughout the second half, the Minnesota finally moved the ball into Ohio State territory midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately the drive stalled at the Buckeye 36.
After Justin Kucek’s punt pinned the Buckeyes at their own 9-yard line, Gopher senior linebacker John Shevlin came up with a big play, forcing an Ohio State fumble, then recovering the ball at the Ohio State 7-yard line. The Gophers were unable to push the ball over the goal line, with Weber’s fourth-down pass falling incomplete. The Gophers had one more drive late that ended in a Weber interception.
Minnesota takes to the road for its first Big Ten road game next week, traveling to Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 6.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ FootballWR
/ FootballP
/ FootballDT
/ FootballLB
/ FootballWR
/ Football
QB
/ FootballWR
/ FootballPlay in Focus: Anthony Smith & Deven Eastern
Monday, November 17
Coach Fleck Previews Northwestern
Monday, November 17
Highlights: Gophers 13, Oregon 42
Friday, November 14
Game Trailer: Gophers-Ducks
Thursday, November 13