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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Brewster Expects Another Close One
10/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
The last three games between the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin football teams have all been nail-biters. Golden Gopher head coach Tim Brewster expects more of the same Saturday when his team matches up with the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in the battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe.
"We've had three straight (close) games with Wisconsin," Brewster said during his weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon. "The first year at Wisconsin, the second year, last year."
In 2007, Brewster's first year as the head coach at Minnesota, the Gophers went into the game 1-10. The Gophers out-gained Wisconsin and took a 13-10 lead into the Metrodome locker room at halftime. The game was tied after three quarters of play. But Wisconsin outscored Minnesota 21-14 in the fourth quarter. Three costly turnovers hurt Minnesota in the game.
The next season, Minnesota traveled to Madison and dropped a 35-32 decision. The Gophers played an outstanding first half and led 21-7 at the break. Minnesota still led 24-17 after the third quarter. But some untimely errors were the eventual undoing for the Gophers.
Last season, Minnesota again held a halftime lead, this time 13-10 at TCF Bank Stadium. But Wisconsin was able to get its running game going in the second half and hold on for a 31-28 victory.
"We know that's exactly what type of game it's going to be," Brewster said. "That's what it's going to be on Saturday. It's going to be a game that comes down to the fourth quarter. The team that does a great job with the defining moments in the third and fourth quarter is going to be the team that wins.
"It's going to be a great battle," Brewster added. "It's one that our football team is looking forward to very much."
Brewster said going on the road to face a nationally-ranked Wisconsin team with a rowdy Camp Randall Stadium as the backdrop to the game will be the "ultimate challenge."
Wisconsin is a "very well‑coached football team that has an excellent track record playing at home in front of their people," according to Brewster.
The Gophers know exactly what to expect out of Wisconsin on the offensive side of the ball.
"It all starts up front with their offensive line, a very big, strong, physical offensive line," Brewster said. "They do an outstanding job with their schemes and the running game. Really, really think that Scott Tolzien does a great job of running their offense. He does a great job obviously of getting them in plays at the line of scrimmage, but also getting the ball to John Clay. I think John Clay is a big, physical back, and certainly will present a great challenge to us defensively to be able to slow him down. It's going to be a great challenge for our defense to accept the challenge, accept the physicality that Wisconsin wants to play with, and match them."
The Badger defense has been successful forcing its opponents to drive the football without giving up large chunks of real estate so far this season.
"They give up very few explosive plays," Brewster said. "Very few runs over 12 (yards); passes over 20 (yards). They do a really nice job with coverage in the secondary."
With the most-played rivalry in college football - as well as Paul Bunyan's Axe being on the line - on tap this week after four home losses, Brewster said he just wants to be able to see his team enjoy a victory this Saturday.
"All I can think about is how meaningful it'll be to our players," Brewster said when asked what it would mean for him to bring the Axe back to Minnesota. "To see the smiles on our players' faces, to see them succeed when they've poured so much effort into what we're trying to accomplish. To see them get what I like to call their just reward, would be more meaningful than anything in the world to me. I would love to sit back and watch our guys celebrate. That's how we're going to plan this week and expect when we go over there."
-By Associate Director of Athletic Communications Andy Seeley
