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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Travel to Ohio State
10/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minnesota Game Notes - at Ohio State
GOPHERS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK AT OHIO STATE SATURDAY
The Minnesota Golden Gophers, coming off a 20-0, shutout loss at Penn State, will play their second straight road game against a nationally-ranked opponent Saturday. Minnesota travels to Columbus, Ohio for a meeting with Ohio State University at Noon (ET) at Ohio Stadium.
Saturday’s matchup is the 49th in the series between Ohio State and Minnesota. The Buckeyes hold a 41-7 advantage in the all-time series, the most success any Big Ten opponent has had vs. Minnesota.
Ohio State is looking to bounce back from a tough loss as well. The Buckeyes lost for the first time in Big Ten play last weekend, on the road at Purdue.
ESPN will televise the game. Dave Pasch will call the play-by-play. Chris Spielman and Bob Griese will be in the booth as the analysts.
QUICK HITTERS
>Minnesota ranks No. 6 in the nation in punt return average, going for 19.0 yards per return. However, the Gophers have only returned three punts in seven games this season
> The Gophers are No. 6 in the nation in net punting, averaging 40.76 yards of field position per punt.
> Minnesota ranks 17th in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging almost 26 yards per kick return.
> Minnesota had its lowest offensive output of the season last week, tallying just 138 yards vs. Penn State. That’s the lowest offensive output since putting up 134 vs. Iowa in the 2008 regular-season finale.
> Despite being 87th in rushing defense, 77th in passing defense and 92nd in total defense, the Gophers have found a way to allow just 23.3 points per game to rank No. 60 in scoring defense.
> Minnesota has come from behind in all four of its victories this season.
NOTHIN' BUT NET
Through the first seven games of the 2009 season, Minnesota’s net punting average (punt yardage-minus return yards/touchbacks) ranks No. 6 in the nation. The Gophers’ net punting average is 40.76 yards per punt. The Gophers have punted 34 times with eight punts of 50-plus yards, 12 fair catches and 10 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Opponents are averaging just 3.5 yards per return against the Minnesota punt coverage team and have only returned 13 of the 34 Gopher punts.
PURPLE HOESE
Junior fullback Jon Hoese rushed for two touchdowns in his first three career carries. Those two scores were in the 2008 Insight Bowl vs. Kansas. So far this season, Hoese hasn’t reached paydirt, but he is averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Hoese is the only Gopher with 10 carries or more who has yet to lose a yard. The converted safety and former walk-on has toted the pigskin 12 times for a total of 52 yards. Seven of his 12 rushes have gone for first downs in 2009.
CAMPBELL'S M'MM M'MM GOOD
Senior linebacker Lee Campbell has led the Gophers in tackling in four of their seven games this season, including last week at Penn State. The Pennsylvania native (he moved to Florida when he was 5 years old) recorded a game-high 13 tackles and picked up a team-best 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in front of numerous family and friends vs. the Nittany Lions.
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