It wasn’t pretty, but the resilient Gophers found a way to earn a huge road win.
A 4-yard touchdown pass from Max Brosmer to Darius Taylor with 0:27 remaining gave Minnesota the lead over UCLA and they left Southern California with a 21-17 win over UCLA. A large contingent of Gopher fans, wanting to see their team play in the Rose Bowl, made the trip to Pasadena and saw Koi Perich end another game with an interception and a Gopher win.
The Bruins have struggled in the first half of this season under new head coach, DeShaun Foster. They rank near the bottom of the Big Ten in both offense and defense while struggling to a 1-4 start. But they opened this Minnesota game moving the ball on offense and making things very difficult for the Gopher offense.
Minnesota could not convert on 3rd downs, struggled mightily at the line of scrimmage, missed another field goal and trailed the Bruins 10-0 at the half. A Cody Lindenberg interception off a Deven Eastern tip was the lone highlight for Minnesota before the break.
But the third quarter was a different story.
The defense opened the third quarter forcing a three-and-out, pushing UCLA backwards. And the offense took 46 yards in five plays and scored their first touchdown of the game when Brosmer found Elijah Spencer for an 11-yard touchdown.
The defense got right back to work, getting the ball back in three plays on a Perich diving interception. The offense, starting at the UCLA 38 took it down to the goalline and Darius Taylor rushed in for a 2-yard touchdown.
Now leading 14-10, the Gophers had all of the game’s momentum and UCLA was starting to make critical mistakes and struggled to move the ball. But that momentum came to quick half when Ethan Garbers hit J. Michael Sturdivant for a 42-yard touchdown midway through the 4th quarter.
With 6:54 in the game, the Gophers trailed 17-14 and likely had one chance to drive for the win. They went just 28 yards on 7 plays and with 2:44 on the clock, PJ Fleck decided to punt the ball back to the Bruins and utilize his three timeouts.
Mark Crawford and the punt team executed perfectly, pinning UCLA on their own 3-yard line. The next three plays were runs, followed by timeouts and the Bruins had to punt from their 12.
Then Max Brosmer took over.
13 yards to Jameson Geers on first down. 27 yards to Daniel Jackson and Minnesota was already down to the Bruins 21. A handful of short plays later it was all coming down to one play. Convert a touchdown on 3rd and 4 from the 4 and you win. Miss it and you’re kicking a game-tying field goal on 4th down.
Brosmer dropped back, found Taylor in the flat all alone and he found the end zone. Minnesota, for the second weekend in a row, came from behind to beat one of our new Big Ten brethren.
UCLA moved the ball to midfield but ended the game when Perich picked off a hail mary attempt as time expired.
It was frankly an ugly game for Minnesota. They managed to win the turnover battle, which proved critical, but the offense struggled mightily. The first half saw 5 punts and a missed field goal, 3/8 on third down and just 26 yards rushing. The second half was…less frustrating, but frustrating nonetheless. This team cannot seem to put together a competent offense despite having plenty of talent and experience on that side of the ball.
An ugly win is still a win. Going on the road, in conference, is never something to be ashamed of. Up next the Gophers have a bye week before Maryland comes to Huntington Bank Stadium on the 26th.