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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota-Northwestern Postgame Notes
10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
POSTGAME NOTES
Northwestern (5-0, 1-0) 29, Minnesota (1-4, 0-1) 28
October 2, 2010 - TCF Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, Minn. - Attendance (49,228)
Series Notes
- Minnesota owns a record of 50-31-5 in its history versus Northwestern.
- This was the Gophers' 92nd Homecoming game, with a record of 55-34-3 in those contests.
- Northwestern was making its 18th appearance as Minnesota's Homecoming opponent, with the Gophers owning a 9-7-2 edge in those games.
- Under Tim Brewster, the Gophers are 1-3 versus the Wildcats, with two of those losses being decided by one point. The Gophers lost, 49-48, in double overtime at Northwestern on Oct. 13, 2007.
Team Notes
- The Gophers are 66-43-9 all-time in Big Ten Conference openers, including opening the past two conference seasons versus Northwestern. The Gophers opened conference play with a 35-24 win at Northwestern during 2009.
- Minnesota is 4-7 all-time at TCF Bank Stadium.
- Minnesota's 21-14 halftime lead was its first this season. The Gophers' last halftime lead was a 13-10 edge against South Dakota State on Nov. 14, 2009.
- The Gophers are now 99-65-9 all-time against teams from the state of Illinois.
- NU was the fourth of nine 2009 Bowl participants the Gophers will face this season.
Individual Notes
- Junior running back Duane Bennett's first carry of the day versus Northwestern pushed his season total to 382 rushing yards, surpassing his 2009 rushing total. He finished the day with 12 carries for 29 yards, giving him 400 for the season. Last year, Bennett rushed for 376 net yards.
- Senior quarterback Adam Weber threw his 60th career touchdown pass, hitting a wide-open Duane Bennett along the sideline for a 38-yard strike in the opening quarter. He later added his 61st career TD pass, tying him with MSU's Jeff Smoker (2000-03) and Iowa's Drew Tate (2003-06) for 10th in Big Ten history.
- Weber's TD pass to Bennett was his 11th career scoring pass of 30 or more yards.
- Bennett's 38-yard TD reception was the longest catch of his career, topping a 35-yarder he had versus North Dakota State on Oct. 20, 2007. It was his first TD reception this season, and the fifth of his career.
- Bennett threw his first career touchdown pass, an eight-yarder to junior tight end Eric Lair, to tie the score at 14-14 in the second quarter.
- Lair finished with his first two career TD receptions, becoming the first tight end with two TDs in a game since Nick Tow-Arnett accomplished the feat during last year's win against Michigan State on Oct. 31.
- Weber threw for 194 yards, giving him 9,437 for his career, which ranks seventh among Big Ten QBs.
- Weber moved up the Big Ten's career completions list, as well, finishing with 14 today to give him 795 for his career. He moved past Iowa's Chuck Long (782 during 1981-85) and Purdue's Kyle Orton (786 during 2001-04) into sixth place.
- Junior wide receiver Da'Jon McKnight stretched his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 10, finishing with four catches for a team-high 50 yards.
- Junior running back DeLeon Eskridge rushed for his 12th career touchdown, a four-yard burst up the middle, giving the Gophers a 21-14 halftime lead.
- Eskridge finished with 22 carries for 119 yards. It was his third career 100-yard rushing performance.
- Sophomore Michael Carter intercepted his second career pass, stepping in front of a Dan Persa pass attempt at the goal line, and returning it seven yards. Carter also led the Gophers with a career-best 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss, and forced a fumble.
- Junior defensive tackle Brandon Kirksey forced his second career fumble, which was recovered by redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron Hill for his first career recovery.
- Junior linebacker Gary Tinsley forced his first career fumble, while finishing with 10 tackles (seven solo), including two tackles for loss.
- Senior Kyle Theret recorded 10 tackles (seven solo).
Players Mentioned
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QB
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