Gophers Beat Huskers, Stay Alive in B1G Race
Nov 22, 2014; Lincoln, NE, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defender
Jalen Myrick(28) waves to the crowd after defender
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (not pictured) recovered a fumble against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the final moments of the second half at Memorial Stadium. Minnesota won 28-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Bring on Bucky!
I have been watching Gophers football for many years and have seen them lose many ways. I have seen blowouts, huge leads blown and heart breakers lost at the final moments.
Today was different.
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When Ryan Santoso‘s field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a Cornhusker touchdown in the second quarter, it felt like a movie I had seen before with this program; Start well, fade in the middle, and get blown out late. That was not what happened, however. The tide started turning right after halftime. The Gopher defense was able to get a stop, backing the Huskers into the shadows of their own goal posts. The ensuing punt and return gave the Gophers great field position, and they cashed it in shortly thereafter with a David Cobb touchdown. Cobb hurt his hamstring and was done for the day after the touchdown.
Having the Gophers win huge games on the road is unfamiliar enough, but when the best player on the team was lost for the game, it made the hill to climb that much steeper. The good news was, Matt Limegrover stuck with what has worked for the Gophers and against the Huskers all season. The Gophers continued to pound the ball with Rodrick Williams, Donnell Kirkwood and Mitch Leidner getting the carries. One of those carries was Williams bouncing a 4th and 1 carry outside for a 19 yard score. Jerry Kill was willing to take a chance, and it is good that he was. Road wins in tough environments aren’t given, they are earned, and tough decisions are a part of the deal. As Kill said himself after the game, “On the road, in Lincoln, Nebraska, you roll the dice a little bit.”
“On the road, in Lincoln, Nebraska, you roll the dice a little bit.” – Jerry Kill
In a game that was played mostly on the ground, two of the biggest moments came on pass plays. First, Leidner hit K.J. Maye down the sidelines for a big third down conversion which lead to the go-ahead touchdown by Leidner. Then, Nebraska got the ball back and drove it right down the field. Tommy Armstrong, Jr. hit De’Mornay Pierson-El down the sidelines, and he had it to the two yard line when Briean Boddy-Calhoun ripped the ball from his hands and gave the Gophers possession with little time left. As it turned out, Nebraska would have been pushed backwards on the play, as Pierson-El went out of bounds on his own, then came back in for the catch, but it didn’t matter. The Gophers ground out one more first down and it was all over.
I have no idea what is going to happen next week in Madison. All I know is that the Gophers have a chance to go to the Big Ten Championship going into the last game of the regular season. After all of the things I have seen watching Gophers football throughout the years, I will take it.