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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Game Day Blog - Ohio State
9/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Gopher Game Day Blog at Ohio State
It's game day for Minnesota Golden Gopher Football. Follow along with us here on GopherSports.com as Minnesota opens the Big Ten season at Ohio State. We'll give you some insight into the game, a bit of a running commentary and hopefully a look inside some of the things you might not get watching the game on television or listening on the radio. As always, feel free to send a note with a question or comment on the blog, send them to aseeley@umn.edu.
2:40 p.m. (EDT)
Minnesota finally got on the scoreboard with a touchdown. Ralph Spry took a pitch from Adam Weber on a broken play and rushed three yards for a TD. For Spry, it is his first TD of the season and the first rushing TD of his career. This is the first TD in Ohio Stadium for Minnesota since 2000, when the Gophers upset then-No. 6 Ohio State 29-17 here in Columbus. Minnesota converted on two fourth-down plays on the scoring drive. Ohio State 34, Minnesota 13 - 8:24 remaining in the game.
2:27 p.m. (EDT)
Ohio State made the Gophers pay for the turnover. On the first play of the fourth quarter, QB Todd Boeckman found WR Brian Robiskie in the back right corner of the end zone for a diving 31-yard scoring strike. 34-6, Ohio State, with 14:55 left in the game.
2:21 p.m. (EDT)
Another tough break for the Gopher offense. Adam Weber just lost control of the ball on an option pitch and the fumble was recovered by the Buckeyes at the Minnesota 25-yard line. It's the third turnover for the Gophers, who came in with just two on the season (one against Northern Illinois and one against Florida Atlantic).
That's the end of the third quarter, when the final period begins, Ohio State will face a 2nd-and-16 at the Gophers' 31-yard line. Through three quarters of play, Ohio State 27, Minnesota 6.
2:17 p.m. (EDT)
The Minnesota defense bent, but didn't break late in the third quarter. Ohio State reached the Minnesota 21-yard line. But Ryan Pretorius missed a 43-yard field goal. The Gophers take over down 27-6 with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter. Time of possession tells you most of what you need to know in this game. Ohio State has held the ball for 25 minutes, compared to just 18 minutes for the Gophers. Total offense is a bit one-sided as well. The Buckeyes have 337 yards of offense, while Minnesota is at 134.
2:10 p.m. (EDT)
Today's attendance ... 105,175.
2:00 p.m. (EDT)
The Ohio State offense is playing as well as it has all season. A Dan Herron 26-yard run gave the Buckeyes a first-and-goal at the Minnesota 1-yard line. Minnesota needed a stop on that possession to build on the momentum of its scoring drive to open the second half. But on second-and-goal, Terrelle Pryor took a keeper around the right end and walked into the end zone for a 27-6 lead with 7:37 remaining in the third quarter.
1:51 p.m. (EDT)
The Gophers put together a solid drive (aided by two 15-yard penalties against Ohio State) on the opening possession of the second half. But the drive stalled at the 12-yard line. Joel Monroe kicked his second field goal of the day, a 28-yarder. For Monroe, he tied a career-high for field goals in a game. This is the third time he has booted two three-pointers in one contest. That latest kick pulled the Gophers within two scores. 10:40 left in the third quarter ... Ohio State 20, Minnesota 6.
1:43 p.m. (EDT)
The second half is about to get under way. Minnesota will receive to open the second half. An interesting moment as the captains met at midfield prior to the start of the second half. Minnesota native James Laurinaitis and Gopher captain Willie VanDeSteeg exchanged some pleasantries (the real kind, not the sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek kind) and hugged just before they headed back to their respective sidelines. A nice display of sportsmanship.
1:20 p.m. (EDT)
That's the first half and probably one the Gophers would rather forget. Minnesota certainly had its chances, but two costly turnovers (one deep in Buckeye territory) are the difference in this one so far. Minnesota has managed just 93 yards on 23 plays and has committed five penalties. They'll look to clean things up in the second half and start chipping their way back into the game.
1:15 p.m. (EDT)
Pryor and Robiskie make the Gophers pay and hook up on an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it 20-3 Bucks with 33 second to go before the break. OSU has now turned two Minnesota turnovers into 10 points and lead the points-off-of-turnover battle 10-3.
1:09 p.m. (EDT)
The ruling on the field is confirmed by the replay booth and Minnesota has now turned the ball over twice today, equaling their turnover total in the first four games of the season combined. The Gophers entered the game fourth in the nation in turnover margin at plus-11 on the year but appears like it will go into intermission -1 for the game and trailing by double digits on the scoreboard.
1:06 p.m. (EDT)
Jack Simmons, struggling for extra yardage, appears to have fumbled at the Gophers 35-yard line. Coach Brewster has asked for a review of the play.
1:02 p.m. (EDT)
Ohio State turned the interception into a three points off the foot off Ryan Pretorius. A 44-yard field goal was good at the 4:10 mark of the second quarter. Ohio State 13, Minnesota 3. The Gopher defense has had its moments, but unfortunately, Ohio State's offense has ripped off a number of big plays, as well. The Minnesota offense currently has just 73 yards of offense, compared to 189 for the Buckeyes. The Gophers would be well-served to give the defense a rest for the remainder of the half, if at all possible. Time of possession is currently in Ohio State's favor - 15:17 to 10:39.
12:55 p.m. (EDT)
The Gophers had a nice drive going, but QB Adam Weber tossed his second interception. Weber tried to get the ball to Eric Decker deep in Ohio State territory, but the pass was intercepted by Donald Washington and returned out near midfield.
12:47 p.m. (EDT)
Ryan Pretorius just gave Ohio State a 10-3 advantage with a short field goal. Minnesota had picked up two straight sacks earlier in the possession. But on third-and-18, Terrelle Pryor broke off a 17-yard run. A fourth-and-1 was converted inside the 10-yard line. But the Gophers then held and forced the field goal. Eric Small had one of the aforementioned sacks. Small is playing pretty well today. 9:45 left until halftime, Ohio State 10, Minnesota 3.
12:40 p.m. (EDT)
Carol in Minnetonka just wrote in. She's too nervous to listen to the game, so she's following along here. But she wants to know if the guys will shake off that opening scoring drive. They did fairly well the rest of the first quarter. However, on the first play of the second quarter, Terrelle Pryor just ripped off a 38-yard run to the Minnesota 20-yard line.
12:37 p.m. (EDT)
That's the end of the first quarter. When the second quarter begins, Ohio State will be facing a third-and-3 at its own 42-yard line. One quarter in the books ... Ohio State 7, Minnesota 3.
12:29 p.m. (EDT)
Three-and-out for the Minnesota defense, which seems to be playing with a little more confidence after that turnover. Willie VanDeSteeg got a hand on Pryor's pass on third-and-7. Minnesota takes over on offense at its own 38-yard line.
12:23 p.m. (EDT)
The Gophers turn the Wells fumble into points. Joel Monroe just booted a 34-yard field goal. Minnesota had a third-and-inches at the 15-yard line. But a false start penalty pushed them back five yards and Adam Weber's pass to Ben Kuznia on third-and-5 was short of the marker. 7:01 left in the first quarter, Ohio State 7, Minnesota 3. It was the 11th time (of 14) that Minnesota has turned a takeaway into points this season.
12:20 p.m. (EDT)
Huge play for the Gopher defense just now. Defensive tackle Eric Small just stripped the ball right out of Beanie Wells' hands. Gopher ball at the Buckeyes' 24-yard line. That's the 14th takeaway of the season for the Gopher defense.
12:15 p.m. (EDT)
The Gophers picked up a first down on their possession, but saw the drive stall out. Justin Kucek got off a 43-yard punt and it will be first-and-10 for Ohio State at their own 20-yard line. The Gopher defense is going to need to stiffen up against the running game on this possession. The Buckeyes rushed for 67 of the 75 yards on their opening scoring drive.
12:09 p.m. (EDT)
The Buckeyes took the ball on their opening possession and marched right down the field for a touchdown. Minnesota bottled up Beanie Wells on his first carry of the day. But his second carry was a long run to set the Buckeyes up deep in Minnesota territory. From there, freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor did the rest on a keeper around the right end for a 31-yard TD run. 7-0 Buckeyes with 12:47 remaining in the first quarter.
12:02 p.m. (EDT)
Minnesota won the toss for the fourth time in five weeks. This week, for the first time this season, the Gophers elected to defer and start the game on defense. But that worked out pretty well last week ...
11:55 a.m. (EDT)
I know there are scores of you loyal Game Day Blog readers who are out there wondering where we've been all day. The athletic communications part of the job was pretty hectic this morning. So forgive us for the late start on the blog.
Let's get right to business. It's a road game, so that means it's time for the finger-lick rating (think of the Wonderlic test the NFL gives its prospective players at the combine). This is my rating of the host school's press box food. Because if there is one thing that rivals my love for college football, it is my love for food.
The Ohio State spread is going to be tough to beat for the remainder of the season. With it being an early game, it was a brunch layout. There were eggs, along with traditional lunch/press box fare (hot dogs, cole slaw, pasta salad, chips, pretzels, etc.). But there are two things that give the Ohio State press box food a very good score (wait for it, it's coming). The Buckeyes served us one of the best pork barbecue sandwiches I've had in a long time (and I'm a big-time BBQ connoisseur). On top of that, there was a McDonald's McFlurry machine, mixing up McFlurries for the entire press box. Now that's a spread.
The BBQ was excellent and the rest of the food was pretty darn good. The addition of the flurry maching gives the Ohio State press box food a finger-lick rating of 9. It wasn't perfect, but it was awfully close!
We're just minutes away from kickoff. The Ohio State band just completed the script Ohio and there are more than 100,000 fans in the stadium. We'll be back in a few minutes with more ...
