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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Prevail 20-13 In TCF Bank Stadium Opener
9/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
The opening night of TCF Bank Stadium had everything. Perfect football weather. A sellout crowd. But, most importantly, a Gopher victory. A 17-point fourth quarter propelled the Gophers to a 20-13 win over Air Force.
Trailing 10-3 in early in the fourth quarter, DeLeon Eskridge got Minnesota (2-0) into the end zone for the first time with a 7-yard score. However, the turning point in the game was on the ensuing Falcon possession when Brandon Kirksey stripped Falcon quarterback Tim Jefferson at the Gopher 48-yard line and Nate Triplett scooped up the loose ball and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.
It was one of many huge plays by Triplett who was the Gophers' star of the game, recording 17 tackles, a key pass breakup and the game-winning defensive score.
Eskridge capped a 9-play, 72-yard drive with the Gophers' first touchdown in the new facility with 13:18 on the clock. Eric Decker was the key player on the drive, snagging three passes from Adam Weber for 57 yards.
On the next drive, Air Force got a first down and moved close to midfield before Kirksey made a diving strip of Jefferson at midfield and the ball bounded toward the sideline but Triplett grabbed it and raced 52 yards down the sideline for a Gopher touchdown and a 20-10 lead.
Air Force added a field goal by Erik Soderberg with 1:03 remaining to pull with a touchdown but Da'Jon McKnight preserved the Gopher win when he recovered the Falcon onside kick.
It was a beautiful night in Minneapolis for the stadium opener with a kickoff temperature of 80 degrees under hazy, partly cloudy skies. A sellout crowd of 50,850 was on hand.
Weber had a solid day for the Gophers, completing 20-of-29 passes for 219 yards. Decker was his favorite target, catching 10 passes for 113 yards, his third straight 100-yard game and ninth of his career. Air Force outgained the Gophers 386-327 including 261 yards on the ground. Asher Clark led the way with 90 yards on 12 carries. The Falcons managed just 125 yards through the air.
Minnesota registered the first points at TCF Bank Stadium with 4:45 left in the first quarter when Eric Ellestad converted on a 34-yard field goal. Ellestad capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Adam Weber converted on consecutive 15-yard pass plays to Troy Stoudermire and Eric Decker to kickstart the drive. The key play was a DeLeon Eskridge 25-yard run off right tackle that advanced the Gophers to the Falcon 26. Minnesota made it to the 17 but couldn't convert on a 3-and-1 and Ellestad's field goal became the first points scored at TCF Bank Stadium.
Air Force's triple option rushing attack controlled much of the clock in the first half but the Falcons were only able to muster three points as well. An Erik Soderberg 20-yard field goal culminated a short scoring drive for Air Force after it recovered a fumble by backup quarterback MarQueis Gray at the Gopher 31-yard line.
Air Force kept the ball for more than 18 minutes in the first half but the total yardage remained close with the Falcons holding a 147-129 advantage at the break.
The Falcons marched 61 yards on the opening drive of the second half but it stalled after Minnesota made two straight big stops on a 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 from the Gopher 9-yard line to take the ball back. After a Gopher punt, Air Force marched 76 yards on eight plays and scored the first touchdown in stadium history when Tim Jefferson connected with Kevin Fogler on a 37-yard scoring strike to give Air Force a 10-3 lead.
Weber's 13-yard completion to Jon Hoese in the third quarter gave him the Minnesota career record for pass completions with 540, surpassing Cory Sauter's mark of 539 set from 1994-97.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 on the season heading into a showdown with 10th-ranked California next Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. The game kicks off at 11 a.m.
