The Elite, The Meh & The Ugly – UCLA

The Gophers go into the bye week with good vibes

The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-3) overcame a brutal first half to escape the Rose Bowl with a 21-17 come-from-behind victory over the UCLA Bruins (1-5)

The Elite

The game-winning touchdown. All game long, the UCLA defense brought an extra defender to pressure quarterback Max Brosmer and force running back Darius Taylor to stay in the backfield and block. On 3rd & Goal at the four-yard line, the Bruins opted to play coverage and only rush four. It was a fatal mistake that allowed Taylor to slip out for a game-winning touchdown reception.

Max Brosmer. The Gopher quarterback was the straw that stirred the drink on their game-winning touchdown drive. Brosmer was 5-of-7 for 48 passing yards and a touchdown on the decisive drive. He was on his heels for most of the game due to his offensive line’s struggles against the Bruins’ pass rush but he avoided turning the ball over and delivered when the team needed him most.

Daniel Jackson. Statistically, Minnesota’s top wide receiver has not had the season many fans expected. But Jackson made his presence known against UCLA, leading the team with 10 receptions for 89 receiving yards and making a number of catches in traffic to move the sticks.

The Minnesota run defense. The Bruins entered the game with no semblance of a ground game, and the Gophers made sure they didn’t leave with one. UCLA’s three running backs combined for 36 rushing yards on 18 carries against the Minnesota defense.

Koi Perich. For the second straight game, the true freshman defensive back sealed a Gopher victory with an interception. But his most pivotal play came in the third quarter, when Perich made a diving interception to give his offense the football at the UCLA 38-yard line. Six plays later, Minnesota converted the turnover into a go-ahead touchdown.

The Gopher fans in attendance. By all accounts, Minnesota was well represented in the stands, with more than 12,000 Gopher fans estimated to be in attendance.

The Meh

The pass defense. The Gophers’ top-ranked pass defense had a rocky game in the Rose Bowl. In the early going, UCLA effectively neutralized defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s pressures with a quick passing game. It was so effective that quarterback Ethan Garbers was 9-of-10 for 92 passing yards in the first quarter. In the second half, the pass rush was inconsistent, which opened the door for Garbers to connect with J. Michael Sturdivant for a go-ahead 42-yard touchdown pass. Minnesota’s secondary was in Cover 0 on the play and the lack of deep safety help left cornerback Ethan Robinson on an island against Sturdivant, while Garbers had all the time in the world to sit in the pocket and wait for his receiver to beat Robinson on his route. The Gophers surrendered 293 passing yards to Garbers, but also intercepted him three times.

The Ugly

The entire first half. Where do I even begin? Minnesota only had 84 yards of total offense in the first half. They never entered the red zone. Their best offensive drive ended in a missed 43-yard field goal attempt. The Gopher defense gave up a touchdown on the Bruins’ 10-play, 59-yard opening drive. They missed countless tackles on a screen pass to running back T.J. Harden that ended up going 32 yards, setting up a field goal to give the bruins a 10-0 halftime lead. After the game, P.J. Fleck called it “one of the worst halves I’ve ever been a part of as a head coach.”

The Gophers’ ground game. Minnesota could not run the ball against UCLA, stifled by a defensive front that ate up their offensive line early and often. Darius Taylor only had 16 carries for 30 rushing yards, and Marcus Major had three touches for 18 yards.