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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
California
Gophers Fall To No. 7/8 California 35-21
9/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jahvid Best ran for a career-high five touchdowns to lead No. 7/8 California (3-0) to a 35-21 victory over Minnesota (2-1) this afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium. Eric Decker caught eight passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and threw for another but it wasn't enough for the Gophers in their second game at their brand-new stadium.
Cal jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead just seven minutes into the game on touchdown runs of 33 and 2 yards by Best before the Gophers answered with a 7-play, 54-yard scoring drive. Adam Weber found Decker in the corner of the end zone and Decker absorbed a crushing blow but managed to keep his left foot in bounds and extended over the goal line. Decker laid on the field for several minutes with a cut chin but did not miss a play.
California extended its lead to 21-7 with a 10-play, 74-yard drive that resulted in a Best 27-yard scoring scamper with 3:47 left on the clock. The Gophers answered just before the half when Decker caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Weber with 40 seconds left. The Gophers pinned California deep in their own end and ended up with the ball on the Cal 29 after the Bears' Isi Sofele committed a 15-yard kick catch interference penalty.
The Gophers knotted the game at 21-21 just before the end of the third quarter when Decker took a Weber handoff and passed to MarQueis Gray in the corner of the endzone. The score capped a 7-play, 71-yard drive.
Cal took the lead back with 7:14 left on a Best 2-yard run after an impressive 8-play, 72-yard drive. The Gophers had the Bears pinned with a 3rd-and-16 from their own 22 but Kevin Riley hooked up with Jeremy Ross on a 35-yard play to extend the drive. On the ensuing drive, Weber was picked off by Mike Mohamed at the Minnesota 44. Cal took it eight plays for another score to put the game away. Best scored his fifth touchdown of the day from two yards out to make the score 35-21.
Decker broke the school record with his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game dating to last season. It was also the 10th of his career. Weber finished with 226 yards passing on 21-of-32 but was intercepted three times. Riley finished 16-of-25 for 252 yards. Best ended with 131 yards on 26 carries. Nate Triplett led the Gophers with 10 tackles.
Another sellout crowd of 50,805 was on-hand under 80-degree sunny skies.
Minnesota travels to Northwestern for an 11 a.m. next Saturday. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
