Minnesota Golden Gophers at Indiana Hoosiers - 2Nov2013

#football

6 min left in 2nd qtr, MN leads 21-13.

IN is known this year for its high-scoring offense.

MN defense forces an IN 3-and-out. After punt, MN starts on own 27. A big play. Nice drive. Touchdown. 5 plays, 73 yards. Nice. Especially right before half time.

IN returns kickoff, however, to MN 48. Score is 28-13 with 2 min left in 2nd qtr. Disappointing kick coverage after scoring TD.

IN got a first down. Then a big loss. It's 3rd and 16 for IN from MN 45. IN calls timeout with 1:00 min left in 2nd qtr. Chance for MN to stop this drive and end half up 2 TDs. IN will probably look for big play.

3rd down pass is incomplete. IN punts. Faircatch. MN kneels. Halftime. 28-13, MN. Good all-around first half for MN. Defense slowed down the IN offense, and the MN offense scored a lot of points. The MN offense has improved in recent weeks.

MN cannot relax. They need to play a solid 2nd half. Should score at minimum 13 points. A TD and a couple field goals.

IN gets ball first to start 2nd half. IN runs a hurry up/no huddle offense. They have the capability to make this game close quickly.

IN got one or two first downs on their opening drive of the 3rd qtr, and then they punted. Good MN defense.

No time for MN offense to get safe and conservative. Trade-off. Also don't want to turn the ball over with self-inflicted mistakes.

MN, starts deep in own territory after the punt. First series, now 3rd and long. Not a good start. Whoa, big play by the QB Nelson and WR. Refs rule on the field that it was a catch in bounds. Close, according to announcers. It's good, and a first down at own 32. Big play.

Run gains 6. Avoid those quick 3-and-outs. Chew some clock. Change the field position too.

Inc pass. Apparently, receiver was open. Bad pass. Lost opp.

Run gains little to nothing. MN punting.

Punt downed at IN 20. 42 yard punt, counting the roll. 10:04 left in 3rd qtr.

Well, at least the MN offense got one first down on their last poss with the 3rd and long pass completion. But MN had the ball and a 15-point lead a chance to extend the lead.

Was the run on 3rd and 4 on last MN series too conservative? Were the Gophers worried about another inc pass, stopping the clock? Might be at little too early to worry about clock.

MN defense holds IN to another 3-and-out. Now it's time for MN offense to get a few first downs. MN offense needs to score at least 10 points in the 2nd half.

Cobb, running, gains 4.

First down for MN. Run gained 12.

MN gains 19! Good drive going. In IN territory.

Touchdown MN!!! Cobb, 27 yard run. Straight ahead running!!! Man, the offensive linemen love that. Power, grinding football. Cobb already has over 120 yards rushing in this game.

6:24 left in the 3rd qtr. MN 35 and IN 13. That's a good statement drive. A lot of running on that drive too. Can't relax. The defense needs to keep laying well and get that ball back to the offense.

After kickoff, IN starts on own 32. IN has been getting good kickoff returns today.

IN had 2nd and 18 in their own territory, and 3 plays later, IN scored TD on a 32-yard pass.

5:13 left in 3rd qtr. Score now 35-20. That's what IN's offense is capable of doing: scoring quickly. I'm surprised so many fans have left the game, according to radio announcers.

That was way too quick and easy of a TD drive for IN. The MN defense needs to make IN offense work harder and take more time to score.

IN kickoff goes out of bounds. MN starts on own 35. I thought it was the 40. Maybe that's the NFL, or the rule was changed, or I never had that rule correct.

MN cannot afford a 3-and-out nor a quick turnover. It's only a 2-score game with a lot of time left in the game.

Cobb runs for a nice gain. First down. Around midfield.

Run gains 6.

Another running play. IN blitzed. They know MN will run now. MN lost 3 yards. 3rd and 7.

But MN gets a first down. Pass completion. Whew. IN defense needed that stop.

Run to Kirkwood loses one yard.

Pass inc. 3rd and 11.

Pass, compl, but short of first down.

(10 min left in 4th qtr, Michigan 6 at Michigan St 22.)

MN punts. IN fair-catches punt at own 10. IN scored a TD with sub-2-min drive on last poss. MN defense needs to stiffen.

IN 3rd and 1 at own 19.

IN gains 16. Even though MN got up 3 TDs in the 3rd qtr, no way was the lead safe or the game over.

IN driving. 3rd qtr ends. If MN defense does not wake up, it's going to be only a one-TD lead. It would be a huge defeat to blow a 22-point lead in the 3rd qtr. But the MN offense needs to score at least one more TD. 28 points in the first half. Need at least half that in the 2nd half.

IN runs option, 56 yards, TD. That's horrible defense. Two straight very fast TD drives for Indiana on consecutive possessions. IN's offense is not chewing up clock.

If the MN offense gets shutout this quarter, then the Gophers deserve to lose.

I wonder if MN changed its defensive play when they went up 22 points? On the last two IN poss, it's like the MN defense is non-existent.

At the 8:42 mark of 3rd qtr, MN led 35-13. But that's a lot of time for a no-huddle, high-scoring offense. I'm sure IN was not too worried. IN knew that it needed some defensive stops, and it's offense would eventually get going.

MN has alternated QBs a little in this game. But Nelson is still in the game.

First down for MN after pass completion on 2nd down. Can't be concerned with simply chewing clock now. It's about scoring points. At minimum, one more TD. 42 points. If MN scores 42 and loses, then credit IN.

Another first down for MN.

No gain. 2nd and 10.Just under 12 min left, but that's really irrelevant. IN can score quick. MN needs points.

MN QB Nelson went into the lockeroom.

3rd and 4. QB Leitner keeps for two yard gain.

MN going for it on 4th and 2. MN sideline calls timeout.

QB under center. At the IN 40. Passing ... long pass ... apparently dropped at the 9-yard line. WR Engle had the ball in his hands and chest, according to radio announcers. He timed his jump well. It all worked, but the WR did not catch it. Huge, double huge blunder. Epic fail. Instead of first and goal at IN 9-yard line. IN takes over.

Two big running plays for IN now. All of a sudden, these last 3 IN poss have shredded the MN defense with running plays. Weak. Going to be a tied game soon if this keeps up. IN down 8 right now.

I cannot believe the MN player dropped that pass on 4th down. That's how you blow games.

On 3rd and 10, IN runs for 13 yards. Wow. IN offense has made some kind of change, and the MN defense has no answer.

Now a run gains 16. This is awful for MN and impressive for IN.

IN runs hurry up. Hand off, untouched into the end zone.

It could be that the IN hurry up offense has worn down the MN defense in the 2nd half.

But the MN offense has also failed this half. Scoring only 7 points in the 2nd half can also contribute to a loss.

Clearly, the IN offense and defense has made great adjustments in the 2nd half. MN offense has moved the ball some. One TD drive. And on the last drive, the MN offense stopped themselves. Can't drop passes at this level.

IN goes for 2, and it's unsuccessful. Wow. That's surprising.

35-33 8:45 left. That's a lot of time for IN who may score 7 to 14 more points in this qtr. The MN offense must score a TD.

If the MN team went into relax mode at the 8:42 mark of the 3rd qtr after going up 35-13, then this is a major learning lesson for the team. How to finish. Now the Gophers could be tightening up. Afraid to make a mistake. The offense needs to score. MN defense cannot stop IN who has scored 3 quick TDs on long drives on their last 3 poss.

35-13 with 8 min in the 3rd to 35-32 with 8 min in the 4th.

MN gets not much on its drive. Very weak. On 4th and 4 in their own territory, MN tries a fake punt, and it's unsuccessful.

IN starts drive at MN 39 with over 6 min left. Inc pass. Pass compl for first down.

I guess since the MN defense cannot stop IN, then try the fake punt.

In the 2nd half, it's a breakdown for MN in all areas.

TD pass for IN. 2 point conversion fails.

39-35 IN leads. Again, it may come down to the offense needing to score 14 points this half, and thus far, they have only scored 7. That dropped pass at the 9 on 4th down was huge.

Obviously, the IN defense will be extra-jacked up now. MN was running the ball well, but that seemingly has fizzled.

Sideline reporter thought that the players had relaxed a little when the MN lead went to 35-13, but the coaches were telling players to stay focused.

MN starts on own 20. I think over 5 min left.

MN now has 3rd and 5. 4:20 left.

Pass caught at 48. Whew. First down. Prob would have had to go for it there and from here on if 4th down. IN offense is rolling big time.

Run gains only 1 yard. Now around midfield. 3 min left. MN offense is taking its time.

Pass complete down the middle, and a big run after for the TD!!! Wow!

PAT good.

3:06 left.

42-39.

Of course, IN can execute 80 yard drives in under 2 min.

IN has been making big plays with the running game. So it's not like IN needs to go with mostly passing.

Kick returned from end zone out to 31. Man, MN seems to be giving up too many yards on kick returns.

2:57 left. IN starts on own 31. MN defense needs to force a turnover.

IN runs the no-huddle, I think Oregon-like.

First play gains 4.

Pass compl to MN 45. Man. What happened to the MN defense? IN has scored TDs on its last 4 possessions. The last drive was short, starting at the MN 38 after the failed fake punt

Last play is under review. Announcers think the completed pass at the MN 45 will be overturned and ruled incomplete. Refs rule completed pass.

Run gains 5.

1:50 left. This is it. This drive. MN won't have enough time left if IN scores TD.

Pass compl to MN 18. Doesn't matter. Running and passing are tearing up the MN defense. This is impressively bad for MN and impressively good for IN.

:57 left and running ...

Pass compl and out of bounds at the MN 14.

3rd and 5. Big time play here. Overtime or a loss ...

Need turnover ...

Simple handoff gets the first down. Amazingly bad defense. I'm guessing the MN defense is worn out.

:30 left and running ...

Pass inc. 2nd and goal at the MN 8.

MN calls timeout. Odd. It was an inc pass. Maybe the timeout was to give MN defense a rest.

Doesn't matter. The MN offense won't have another chance. It will either be a TD and a loss, FG and OT, or a turnover and a win.

Fumble !!!!!!!!!

Lateral !!!!!

Recovered and picked up by MN !!!!!

But refs will review. Nope. No review.

MN returned it back to 45.

Unbelievable !!!!

MN kneels. IN calls timeout.

Maybe that TO by MN when on defense helped re-focus the defense and get the defense a bit of a rest.

GAME OVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Moly.

IN, it was a pass into the flat to RB. Screen play, I think or maybe a swing pass. Pass was inc, maybe tipped by MN player, and it was thrown back, so it was a lateral and a fumble, and the IN players may not have realized it, but the MN defender did. That's a big time heads up play by MN. Aaron Hill scooped up the ball.

Wow. Devastating loss for IN after coming back and taking the lead.

Big time credit to the MN offense for scoring that last TD after being down.

Escape with a win.

MN 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference. 3 straight Big Ten wins. 2 of those on the road. Next Saturday, MN plays home vs Penn State.

Apparently, a couple other MN players by that lateral did not realize it was a fumble, but the fifth year senior scooped up the ball. No whistle. Play to the whistle. Doesn't hurt to scoop up a bounding ball.