One of the biggest challenges the Minnesota Gophers faced with the Fresno State Bulldogs was to contain an offense that scored a record 79 points the previous week. Minnesota did just that, holding Fresno State to 14 points in a narrow 21-14 win.
“I don’t think the players are going to get the credit maybe they deserve with the type of win they just had for many reasons,” head coach PJ Fleck said. “(Fresno State) won 10 games last year and got everybody back. They scored 79 points last week. On offense they scored points, on defense they scored points, special teams they scored points.
“This isn’t a Big Ten Championship. But Rodney went down, Mohamed Ibrahim didn’t play, 59 percent of your team is freshmen,” Fleck said. “You look out there at one point and every one of your playmakers besides Tyler Johnson is a freshman. And they’ve never been in this situation before. And you don’t know how they’re going to react. It’s kind of like you go on that ride you’ve never been on before. You’re on it and there are twists and turns, and there’s that excitement to it but there’s also that little bit of fear too like, ‘What’s through the tunnel?’ That’s kind of how I felt going through.”
The play of the game in the low-scoring affair came with under two minutes to go. Fresno State ran a trick play inside the Gophers 10-yard line — a pass from Josh Hokit that was intended for a wide-open receiver in the back of the end zone. It looked for all the world the Bulldogs potentially forced overtime.
The closure of Antoine Winfield Jr. put him in position to make a leaping interception.
“I saw the running back get the ball and then out of the corner of my eye. I saw the tight end release. That’s my man so I have to go make this play,” Winfield said about his adjustment on the game-saving interception. “I saw the ball come over (my head) and I just went high up under the ball.”
The Bulldogs were only in a position to tie the game because of a costly Gophers penalty.
Bulldogs quarterback Marcus McMaryion fumbled a snap, recovered quickly and was forced straight back by the Gophers pass rush. McMaryion was hit just after he heaved the ball away but the Gophers were assessed a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty.
Except for the ending, the drive seemed to mirror what had transpired in the Gopher’s previous drive.
On third-and-9, Annexstad dropped back to pass, found no one open, scrambled back about 10 yards then spun around to get his momentum moving the “right” direction and fired a ball to Tyler Johnson along the sideline. Johnson’s feet stayed inbounds and on the play, Fresno State was assessed a 15-yard sideline interference penalty. The spectacular play and penalty combined to give the Gophers 28 yards.
Freshman running back Bryce Williams, who was in for the injured Rodney Smith, ran the ball the next four plays for a total 25 yards. His running set up a 3-yard touchdown run for Seth Green.
Green, who scored his second touchdown of the game and fourth this season, wasn’t done yet. All game long, Fleck called Green’s number to run the ball from the wildcat formation but hadn’t called for a pass.
Going for the two-point conversion, Green faked as if he was running then floated the ball to a wide-open Ko Kieft. It was Kieft’s only catch and Green’s only throw of the game but it worked to perfection. The successful two-point try gave the Gophers a seven-point lead with 3:28 left in the game.
Throughout the game, the Gophers had trouble sustaining drives. For what would be the team’s final drive, the touchdown and two-point conversion put the Gophers on top in a hard-fought, passionate win.
“This one I’ll always remember,” Fleck said very emotionally. “This is one of those games that can do a lot for your season.”
The Rodney Smith Effect
On the third play of the game, Smith caught a screen and turned it into an 11-yard play. That’s the good news. The bad news for the Gophers, Smith came up limping, putting very little weight if any on his left leg.
Smith, who netted 153 rushing yards last week, was an integral part of the Gophers offense. Mohamed Ibrahim, who broke off a 74-yard run the previous game, was unavailable to play.
Which left it to Williams to come in for the injured Smith but so too did Green. Running exclusively from the wildcat formation, just as he did last week, Green plowed his way up the middle six times on Minnesota’s first scoring drive.
Williams, getting the bulk of the carries, rushed for 87 yards on 25 attempts. As for Green, he carried the ball 11 times, gaining 30 yards. He also ran for both of Minnesota’s touchdowns.
“It was the next man up,” Green said after the game about his role in the running game. “Like coach said, it’s going to take everybody so with that we’re always expecting to be able to fulfill our job. I didn’t really know how much I’m running each game. I just prepare for what’s given to me.”
For Smith, Fleck doesn’t know the full details of the injury.
The Lone Defensive Freshman
In a group full of mostly upperclassman, defensive back Terrell Smith stands out despite being a true freshman. His closing speed on receivers and swift tackling ability has impressed Fleck in a small sample size.
“He’s a true freshman out there in man coverage against the entire game on KeeSean Johnson who’s a Mountain West All-Conference player. And you’ve got a chance to see why a few times tonight. But you also got to see why (Smith) is going to be a big-time player,” Fleck said.
While he didn’t play a perfect game as the outside corner, he did catch one of two interceptions in the game.
Notes
- Kicker Emmit Carpenter made two kicks, one for 53 yards and another for 50. The 53-yard field goal tied his career long and he became the second Minnesota kicker to make two field goals of 50 yards or more in the same game.
- Catching five passes for 52 yards last week, freshman receiver Rashad Bateman followed that up with another solid performance against a much tougher group of defensive backs. Bateman has 10 catches for 130 yards after two games.
- Fellow freshman receiver, Chris Autman-Bell was held to just two catches and 31 yards after catching four passes for 41 yards last week.
- Zack Annexstad has yet to throw an interception. Through two games, he is 32-for-59 for 395 yards and two touchdowns.
- The Gophers next play Miami (Ohio) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at TCF Bank Stadium.
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