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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Fend Off Jackrabbits for 16-13 Victory
11/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Minneapolis -- A defensive battle between Minnesota and South Dakota State went to the Golden Gophers in a 16-13 victory on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
Minnesota held the Jackrabbits to 229 total yards and managed 231 yards of its own. The Gophers took advantage of a late fumble by South Dakota State on its own 11-yard line and got a game-winning 25-yard field goal from Eric Ellestad with 2:22 left to become bowl eligible for the second straight year with a 6-5 overall record.
The Gophers then stopped the Jackrabbits twice, including a drive in Minnesota territory, to finish off the victory. It was the first time since 1933 that the two schools have met, as Minnesota improved to 7-0 all-time against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits, who are ranked 12th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, fell to 7-3 for the season.
Minnesota got on the scoreboard first following a 13-play, 78-yard drive with a 23-yard field goal by Ellestad to go up 3-0 with 6:26 left in the first quarter. Freshman running back Kevin Whaley led the Gophers with five rushes for 24 yards on the drive that took 5:45 to complete.
Minnesota came back with another field goal on its next possession to go up 6-0 with 3:43 left in the first quarter. Ellestad's 26-yard field goal was his second of the game and capped a seven-play, 32-yard drive that took 1:51. The drive was set up by a Traye Simmons interception at midfield. Simmons stepped in front of the pass and had a clear shot to the endzone, but was brought down by Mike Steffen at the Jackrabbits' 40-yard line.
On the ensuing kickoff, South Dakota State's Tyrel Kool returned the ball 84 yards before being brought down by a touchdown-saving tackle by Minnesota's Jay Thomas. Thomas committed a face mask penalty on the play, which brought the ball to the Gophers' six-yard line. Minnesota's red-zone defense held strong, though, and forced another turnover for the Jackrabbits. Gopher captain Simoni Lawrence stepped in front of O'Brien's pass at the five-yard line, and returned the ball 29 yards with 2:42 left in the first quarter.
South Dakota State came back with a field goal of its own with 14:20 left in the second quarter to bring the score to 6-3. Peter Reifenrath's 20-yarder finished a four-play drive that took 1:51 off the clock and covered eight yards. The great field position was set up by a 49-yard punt return by South Dakota State's Saunders Montague, bringing the ball to the Minnesota 11.
The Jackrabbits took a 10-6 lead with 13:25 left in the second quarter when Derek Domino picked off an Adam Weber pass and returned it 22 yards for the first touchdown of the game. The interception was Domino's fifth of the season.
Minnesota retook the lead, 13-10, with 9:04 left in the first half when freshman Michael Carter came from O'Brien's blindside and knocked the ball into the air from the Jackrabbit quarterback. Gopher teammate D.L. Wilhite snatched the ball in the air and returned it for a three-yard touchdown, the first touchdown of his career. Michael Carter also had a first on the play, earning his first sack of his career with an 11-yard sack of O'Brien.
With two seconds left in the first half, South Dakota State tried to tie the game with a 49-yard field goal attempt. Kicker Kyle Harris had previous hit from that mark earlier in the season, but missed the field goal as time expired.
Harris missed his second field goal of the game with 7:25 left in the third quarter when he pushed a 26-yard field goal wide left of the uprights. The missed opportunity came after a nine play, 50-yard Jackrabbit drive that started at their own 41 and lasted 3:52.
Minnesota missed a field goal of its own with 13:40 left in the fourth quarter. Ellestad missed his 41-yard attempt wide left after the Gophers had started the drive at South Dakota State's 49-yard line. On the drive, Minnesota converted a 4th-and-one to continue the drive and bring its total on fourth-down attempts to 5-of-11 this season.
The Jackrabbits tied the score at 13-13 with 8:27 left in the second half when Reifenrath hit a 34-yard field goal to cap a drive that lasted 5:13. O'Brien led South Dakota State on the 13 play, 60-yard drive with 60 yards passing, completing six-of-11 passes.
The Gophers pulled back in front by the final score of 16-13 with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter when Ellestad hit a 25-yard field goal for his third of the game. Minnesota started with fantastic field position after defensive lineman Cedric McKinley recovered O'Brien's fumble at the Jackrabbits' 11-yard line. Minnesota went four plays and three yards in 1:40 before settling for Ellestad's eventual game-winner.
South Dakota State returned the kickoff to its own 43-yard line and drove into Minnesota territory, but the Gophers forced four straight incomplete passes, with Ryan Collado knocking away a fourth-down pass to regain possession. Minnesota punted after three plays and gave the ball back to South Dakota State on its own nine-yard line with 38 seconds left, but the Jackrabbits gained just 10 yards before the clock ran out.
South Dakota State's Kyle Minett led all rushers with 79 yards on 19 carries. O'Brien was 15-for-39 passing for 183 yards with Glen Fox catching five passes for 95 yards. Whaley had 56 yards rushing on 16 carries and Weber was 10-for-21 passing for 94 yards.
The Gophers conclude the regular season next weekend with a Big Ten contest at Iowa. The game is set for an 11 a.m. kickoff.
