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University of Minnesota Athletics
Untimely Turnovers Sink Gophers in Big Ten Opener
9/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minnesota stayed competitive with three-time defending Big Ten champion Ohio State on Saturday, but untimely turnovers dug the Gophers into a hole they couldn’t work out of in a 34-21 loss to the No. 14 Buckeyes on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State rushed for 279 yards in the game, including 106 yards on 14 carries from Chris “Beanie” Wells, who had missed the Buckeyes’ last three games with a big toe injury. Minnesota’s DeLeon Eskridge rushed for 76 yards on 18 carries, while Adam Weber was 23-for-36 passing for 187 yards. Eskridge also had a team-high eight catches for 55 yards.
The Buckeyes got the scoring started quickly, firing out of the tunnel with a five play, 75-yard drive that elapsed 2:23 and ended with a 33-yard touchdown scamper by freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor. But after that initial defensive breakdown, Minnesota defensive coordinator Ted Roof’s crew which limited Florida Atlantic to just three points last week - settled down and helped get the Gophers right back into the game.
On Ohio State’s second possession, sophomore defensive tackle Eric Small forced the games’ first turnover. After an initial hit by junior defensive tackle Garrett Brown, Small stripped Wells and freshman defensive end D.L. Wilhite recovered the fumble at the OSU 24-yard line. Minnesota had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Joel Monroe but the Gophers were very much in it after one period of play, down 7-3.
Then came the Minnesota turnovers, uncharacteristic to the Gophers during their first 4-0 start since 2005. Entering play Saturday, the Gophers had forced 13 turnovers and committed just two, ranking No. 4 in the nation in turnover margin by averaging a +2.75 advantage. In Columbus though, turnovers were Minnesota’s worst enemy.
Trailing 10-3 following a 22-yard field goal by Ohio State kicker Ryan Pretorius, Minnesota was driving in Buckeyes’ territory until Weber threw just his second interception of the young season. Weber, under heat up the middle from the Buckeyes’ defensive line, was intercepted by Donald Washington at the Ohio State 14. The Buckeyes again had to settle for a field goal, this time a 44-yard strike by Pretorius, and led 13-3.
With Minnesota hanging around with under three minutes to play in the first half, a questionable call ultimately changed the game’s momentum into the Buckeyes’ favor. On third and 7 at the Minnesota 23-yard line, Weber found tight end Jack Simmons for a 12 -yard completion, but the catch was subsequently ruled a fumble at the Minnesota 35. After the catch, Simmons forward progress appeared to be halted, but without an officials’ whistle to call the play dead, a mob of Buckeyes helped strip the ball from Simmons. The Gophers challenged the ruling on the field but the call was upheld. Five plays later, Pryor completed an eight-yard touchdown to Brian Robiskie with 33 seconds left, giving the Buckeyes a 20-3 halftime advantage.
In the second stanza, the Gophers play spirited, but couldn’t muster quite enough offense to get back into the game. Weber guided Minnesota on a four-minute, 10-play, 62-yard drive to start the second half but again the maroon and gold couldn’t find the end zone and had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Monroe. Three minutes later, Pryor ran into the end zone for his seventh touchdown in the last seven quarters and the Buckeyes were out to a 27-6 lead.
Following Minnesota’s third turnover of the afternoon a fumble off a missed option-pitch by Weber - Todd Boeckman, who led the Buckeyes to the national championship game a season ago, replaced Pryor at quarterback for Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes’ offense didn’t miss a beat. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Boeckman found Robiskie for a 31-yard TD, giving Ohio State a 34-6 advantage.
A tough afternoon did, however, end on a bright note for the Gophers. When Weber pitched the option back to sophomore wide receiver Ralph Spry for a three-yard TD, Minnesota became the first team this season to score on the Buckeyes defense in the fourth quarter.
Later, with just 1:13 remaining in the game, Weber who finished the game 23 of 36 with 187 yards - scrambled out of trouble on fourth and 14 and found freshman wideout Da'Jon McKnight in the back of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown. Backup quarterback Mike Maciejowski found Eric Decker for the two point conversation and Minnesota ended the game with 15-straight points and some added confidence as the Gophers prepare to host Indiana next Saturday at the Metrodome.
