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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
5-5 , 2-5
Nebraska
4-6 , 3-4
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Minnesota | 14 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 54 |
Gophers Rout Nebraska 54-21
11/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 11, 2017
Final Stats | Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
Gophers Host Wisconsin on Saturday, November 25
MINNEAPOLIS -- Quarterback Demry Croft ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns, Rodney Smith added 134 yards rushing and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and Minnesota ran over Nebraska 54-21 on Saturday.
Kobe McCrary had 93 yards rushing and three touchdowns for Minnesota, which finished with season highs of 408 yards rushing and 515 yards of total offense. Croft's big day included an untouched, 73-yard touchdown run up the middle for a 20-7 lead at the start of the second quarter as he set a school record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback.
The Gophers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) held Nebraska to 69 yards rushing on 33 attempts.
Sophomore quarterback Tanner Lee was 13-of-18 passing for 174 yards and a touchdown for the Cornhuskers (4-6, 3-4), but Lee was held out the second half while dealing with an illness. Redshirt freshman Patrick O'Brien replaced him and was 12 of 18 for 137 yards passing.
Minnesota native and the son of Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, JD Spielman caught nine passes for 141 yards for Nebraska.
Smith set the tone for the day by taking the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, the first time the Gophers returned an opening kickoff for a score since 1998 when Tyrone Carter had an 86-yard touchdown return.
THE TAKEAWAY
Nebraska: The Huskers have two games left -- at No. 16 Penn State and at home against No. 25 Iowa -- and need wins in both to become bowl eligible. Nebraska hasn't missed a bowl since Bill Callahan's final season as coach in 2007, when it went 5-7. The Huskers need a win to avoid their first four-win season since 1960. The ineptitude has made coach Mike Riley the target after Bill Moos replaced Shawn Eichorst as the athletic director in October.
Minnesota: Bowl eligibility is looking more likely in coach P.J. Fleck's first season. The Gophers' performance against Nebraska is the type that can give them hope going to Northwestern next week before finishing at home against No. 6 Wisconsin. There's an outside chance of Minnesota still earning a bowl bid with its five wins due to the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate in which the Gophers are tied for fourth. The APR standings are used if there aren't enough six-win teams to fill the bowl requirements.
UP NEXT
Nebraska travels to Penn State on Nov. 18.
Minnesota: Will look for its sixth win at Northwestern next week.
Team Stats
NEB 0, MINN 7
MINN - Smith, Rodney 100 yd kickoff return (Carpenter,Emmit kick)
NEB 7, MINN 7
NEB - Mikale Wilbon 1 yd run (Drew Brown kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:50
NEB 7, MINN 14
MINN - Croft, Demry 3 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:49
NEB 7, MINN 20
MINN - Croft, Demry 73 yd run (Herbers, Jacob rushfailed), 5 plays, 93 yards, TOP 2:32
NEB 7, MINN 27
MINN - McCrary, Kobe 11 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:17
NEB 14, MINN 27
NEB - Tyler Hoppes 14 yd pass from Tanner Lee (Drew Brown kick) 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 3:50
NEB 14, MINN 30
MINN - Carpenter,Emmit 36 yd field goal 11 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:46
NEB 14, MINN 37
MINN - McCrary, Kobe 9 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 7 plays, 51 yards, TOP 3:54
NEB 14, MINN 40
MINN - Carpenter,Emmit 30 yd field goal 6 plays, 25 yards, TOP 2:23
NEB 21, MINN 40
NEB - Devine Ozigbo 1 yd run (Drew Brown kick), 10 plays, 70 yards, TOP 5:56
NEB 21, MINN 47
MINN - Croft, Demry 1 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 5 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:12
NEB 21, MINN 54
MINN - McCrary, Kobe 43 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 3 plays, 50 yards, TOP 1:30
