Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
Minnesota (3-3, 0-3) at Nebraska (0-6, 0-4)
When: Saturday, October 20 | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Where: Memorial Stadium (85,458) | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Kevin Kugler, James Laurinaitis, Lisa Byington)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Satellite Radio: Sirius (Ch. 94) | XM (Ch. 195)
Internet Radio: Huskers.com / TuneIn.com
Nebraska begins a stretch of four home games in five weeks on Saturday afternoon when the Huskers play host to Minnesota at Memorial Stadium. The Big Ten West Division matchup is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff with the game televised on BTN. The contest can also be heard on the IMG Husker Sports Network.
Nebraska heads into the contest looking for its first win of 2018 following a 34-31 overtime loss at Northwestern on Saturday. Nebraska took a two-touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter, but saw the Wildcats storm back to defeat the Huskers on an overtime field goal. The Nebraska offense was productive again, rolling up better than 480 yards for the third straight game.
Minnesota will come to Lincoln with a 3-3 overall record and an 0-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference. The Gophers were victorious in each of their three non-conference games before dropping their three Big Ten games, including a 30-14 loss at Ohio State last Saturday. The Gophers have leaned on a strong defense in the first half of the season, allowing 354.2 yards per game to rank fifth in the Big Ten. Minnesota Coach P.J. Fleck is in his second season at the helm of the Gopher program.
This Week's Numbers
100 - Sophomore receiver JD Spielman is five receptions from becoming the 12th Husker with 100 career receptions. Spielman would be the first Husker to reach that milestone before his junior season. Spielman has 27 receptions over the past three games.
2 - Nebraska freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez is one of two players in the country averaging 225 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game, joining Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray.
150 - Running back Devine Ozigbo has topped 150 rushing yards in two of the past three games. Ozigbo had 159 yards and two touchdowns at Northwestern, two weeks after a career-high 170 yards against Purdue.
Series History
Nebraska and Minnesota will be meeting for the 59th time this Saturday. Nebraska has played Minnesota more than any other Big Ten opponent, as the two teams met 51 times prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten in 2011.
The Huskers and Gophers played 19 straight seasons between 1934 and 1952 and met for another eight straight seasons between 1967 and 1974. Nebraska won 16 straight in the series between 1963 and 2012, before Minnesota snapped the win streak in 2013.
Minnesota leads the all-time series 32-24-2. Nebraska leads the series in games held in Lincoln, 11-9 and 10-8 in games played at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska leads the series 4-3 in games as Big Ten opponents.
Over the course of the 58 prior games, Nebraska has scored 1,029 points (17.7 ppg) and Minnesota 1,003 (17.3)
1900 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 12 (Lincoln)
1901 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1902 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1904 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 12 (Minneapolis)
1905 - Minnesota 35, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1906 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1907 - Minnesota 8, Nebraska 5 (Minneapolis)
1908 - Nebraska 0, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1909 - Minnesota 14, Nebraska 0 (Omaha)
1910 - Minnesota 27, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1911 - Minnesota 21, Nebraska 3 (Minneapolis)
1912 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1913 - Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1919 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 6 (Minneapolis)
1932 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1934 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1935 - Minnesota 12, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1936 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1937 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 9 (Lincoln)
1938 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1939 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1940 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1941 - #2 Minnesota 9, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1942 - #14 Minnesota 15, Nebraska 2 (Lincoln)
1943 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1944 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1945 - Minnesota 61, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1946 - Minnesota 33, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1947 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
1948 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 13 (Minneapolis)
1949 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 6 (Lincoln)
1950 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 26 (Minneapolis)
1951 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 20 (Minneapolis)
1952 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1954 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1959 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 12 (Minneapolis)
1960 - Minnesota 26, #12 Nebraska 14 (Lincoln)
1963 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1964 - Nebraska 26, Minnesota 21 (Minneapolis)
1967 - #7 Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1968 - #9 Nebraska 17, #17 Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1969 - Nebraska 42, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1970 - #6 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 10 (Minneapolis)
1971 - #1 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1972 - #7 Nebraska 49, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1973 - #2 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1974 - #6 Nebraska 54, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1983 - #1 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 13 (Minneapolis)
1984 - #1 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1989 - #3 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1990 - #8 Nebraska 56, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
-----------------Big Ten--------------------------
2011 - #13 Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012 - #16 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014 - Minnesota 28, #21 Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015 - Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016 - #21 Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
Scouting 2018 Minnesota
Minnesota looks to bounce back this week after losing its last three games. The Golden Gophers started the season 3-0, but have yet to win a game since beginning conference play.
Minnesota's most recent loss came last Saturday against No. 3 Ohio State. The Gophers allowed OSU's Dwayne Haskins to throw for 412 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-14 loss.
Gopher quarterback Zack Annexstad is 88-for-167 in the air this season through six games. heh as eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Tyler Johnson has been the top target this season with 36 catches for 521 yards and six touchdowns. Mohamed Ibrahim leads the team on the ground with 422 yards this season and two touchdowns. Seth Green has a team-high five rushing touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, Blake Cashman (47), Thomas Barber (42) and Jacob Huff (40) each have at least 40 tackles on the season, to lead the Minnesota defense.
On special teams, the Gophers lead the country in punt returns, averaging more than 28 yards per return.
2018 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule/Results (3-3, 0-3)
New Mexico State (W 48-10)
Fresno State (W 21-14)
Miami (OH) (W 26-3)
at Maryland (L 13-42)
Iowa (L 31-48)
at Ohio State (L 14-30)
at Nebraska
Indiana
Illinois
Purdue
Northwestern
at Wisconsin
About Minnesota Football
Minnesota has fielded a football team since 1882 and has almost 700 program wins. The Golden Gophers joined the Big Ten Conference in 1896 and have won 18 Big Ten championships. The team's last conference title came in 1967. The Gophers claim seven national championships and have seven bowl wins. Additionally, Minnesota has 35 consensus All-America selections and 180 first-team All-Big Ten picks.
First Season: 1882
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
All-Time Record: 690-520-44
Bowl Record: 7-12
Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium
About Minnesota Coach P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck is in his second season as the head coach at Minnesota and sports a record of 8-10 and a Big Ten record of 2-10. Prior to Minnesota, Fleck served four years as head coach at Western Michigan, where he led the Broncos to a 30-22 record, including a 13-1 record in 2016 and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. In his six years as an FBS head coach, Fleck sports a record of 38-32.
Fleck is an alumnus of Northern Illinois, where he played receiver and graduated in 2003. Fleck spent one year as a player in the NFL and then began his coaching career in 2006 as a grad assistant at Ohio State. Since then he has had assistant coaching stops at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and spent one year as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012) before getting the head coaching job at Western Michigan (2013-16).
Last Meeting: Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Nov. 11, 2017)
Minneapolis - Minnesota returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, an early omen for how this day would go for Nebraska.
Gopher quarterback Demry Croft ran 10 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns, the Gophers rushed for 409 yards, and Minnesota defeated Nebraska 54-21 on Saturday before 39,933 fans at TCF Bank Stadium.
Nebraska (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten Conference) must win its final two games, at Penn State and home against Iowa, to qualify for a bowl.
Minnesota (5-5, 2-4) had lost five of six games entering Saturday but won its second Big Ten Conference game under first-year coach P.J. Fleck.
Croft entered the game with 159 rushing yards on 49 carries for the season. He had 111 rushing yards by halftime Saturday, including a 73-yard touchdown run when he went untouched after perfectly executing a zone-read play.
The Gophers successfully ran that same play in the first half, when Minnesota scored on all four of its first-half drives, not counting Rodney Smith’s kickoff return to begin the game.
As disappointing the outcome, the Huskers had some bright spots, mostly on offense.
Redshirt freshman receiver JD Spielman caught nine passes for 141 yards and etched his name in the Nebraska record books. Playing in his hometown of Minneapolis, Spielman increased his season receiving totals to 49 receptions and 734 yards to set Nebraska freshman records in both categories. The previous records were 45 receptions for 641 yards by Nate Swift in 2005.
Spielman recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, joining Swift as the only freshmen in Nebraska history to post multiple 100-yard receiving games. Spielman’s 49 receptions this season leaves him just one catch shy of the single-season top 10.
Junior quarterback Tanner Lee went 13-of-18 passing for 174 yards for Nebraska but fell ill at halftime with what Nebraska coach Mike Riley said was an impact migraine. Lee didn’t play in the second half. Redshirt freshman Patrick O’Brien, in the most extensive playing time of his career, replaced Lee and went 12-of-18 for 137 yards.
“I thought he made some nice plays,” Riley said of O’Brien.
Nebraska played turnover-free football and committed a mere four penalties but ran for just 69 yards and couldn’t come up with enough stops in the first half to keep the Gophers in sight.
“Here’s what happened,” Riley said in his postgame news conference. “They moved the football and we couldn’t get them off the field. We never got our feet on the ground anytime that I can remember defensively.”
After the Gophers scored 16 seconds into the game, Lee led a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the game 7-7.
Junior running back Mikale Wilbon ran five times for 25 yards on the series and capped it with a 1-yard run. That marked Nebraska’s first rushing touchdown since Sept. 29 at Illinois, when Devine Ozigbo ran 15 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Lee also led a 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter when he found a rhythm with Spielman. Lee hit Spielman for gains of 10, 18, 27 and 11 yards before finding tight end Tyler Hoppes on a 14-yard touchdown pass to pull the Huskers within 27-14.
Minnesota responded with an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with Emmit Carpenter’s 36-yard field goal with four seconds to play before halftime, and the Gophers took a 30-14 lead into the locker room.
The Huskers had another drive go deep into Minnesota territory in the first half. It came when senior receiver DeMornay Pierson-El caught a 44-yard pass on a crossing route to advance the Huskers to the Minnesota 27-yard line.
Nebraska worked the ball to the 7-yard line early in the second quarter but couldn’t convert on fourth-and-short, giving the ball back to the Gophers. That’s when Croft scored on his 73-yard run.
Nebraska took the opening second-half kickoff, and with O’Brien playing for the first time, the Huskers went three-and-out.
The Husker defense then responded by forcing its first punt of the game, but Nebraska went three-and-out on offense, and Minnesota scored touchdowns on its next two drives to take charge.
Nebraska’s final score came when Ozigbo scored a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap a 10-play, 70-yard drive in which O’Brien completed four passes, including a 25-yard strike to Spielman.
Minnesota (3-3, 0-3) at Nebraska (0-6, 0-4)
When: Saturday, October 20 | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
Where: Memorial Stadium (85,458) | Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network (Kevin Kugler, James Laurinaitis, Lisa Byington)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Satellite Radio: Sirius (Ch. 94) | XM (Ch. 195)
Internet Radio: Huskers.com / TuneIn.com
Nebraska begins a stretch of four home games in five weeks on Saturday afternoon when the Huskers play host to Minnesota at Memorial Stadium. The Big Ten West Division matchup is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff with the game televised on BTN. The contest can also be heard on the IMG Husker Sports Network.
Nebraska heads into the contest looking for its first win of 2018 following a 34-31 overtime loss at Northwestern on Saturday. Nebraska took a two-touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter, but saw the Wildcats storm back to defeat the Huskers on an overtime field goal. The Nebraska offense was productive again, rolling up better than 480 yards for the third straight game.
Minnesota will come to Lincoln with a 3-3 overall record and an 0-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference. The Gophers were victorious in each of their three non-conference games before dropping their three Big Ten games, including a 30-14 loss at Ohio State last Saturday. The Gophers have leaned on a strong defense in the first half of the season, allowing 354.2 yards per game to rank fifth in the Big Ten. Minnesota Coach P.J. Fleck is in his second season at the helm of the Gopher program.
This Week's Numbers
100 - Sophomore receiver JD Spielman is five receptions from becoming the 12th Husker with 100 career receptions. Spielman would be the first Husker to reach that milestone before his junior season. Spielman has 27 receptions over the past three games.
2 - Nebraska freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez is one of two players in the country averaging 225 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game, joining Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray.
150 - Running back Devine Ozigbo has topped 150 rushing yards in two of the past three games. Ozigbo had 159 yards and two touchdowns at Northwestern, two weeks after a career-high 170 yards against Purdue.
Series History
Nebraska and Minnesota will be meeting for the 59th time this Saturday. Nebraska has played Minnesota more than any other Big Ten opponent, as the two teams met 51 times prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten in 2011.
The Huskers and Gophers played 19 straight seasons between 1934 and 1952 and met for another eight straight seasons between 1967 and 1974. Nebraska won 16 straight in the series between 1963 and 2012, before Minnesota snapped the win streak in 2013.
Minnesota leads the all-time series 32-24-2. Nebraska leads the series in games held in Lincoln, 11-9 and 10-8 in games played at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska leads the series 4-3 in games as Big Ten opponents.
Over the course of the 58 prior games, Nebraska has scored 1,029 points (17.7 ppg) and Minnesota 1,003 (17.3)
1900 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 12 (Lincoln)
1901 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1902 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1904 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 12 (Minneapolis)
1905 - Minnesota 35, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1906 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1907 - Minnesota 8, Nebraska 5 (Minneapolis)
1908 - Nebraska 0, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1909 - Minnesota 14, Nebraska 0 (Omaha)
1910 - Minnesota 27, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1911 - Minnesota 21, Nebraska 3 (Minneapolis)
1912 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1913 - Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1919 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 6 (Minneapolis)
1932 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1934 - Minnesota 20, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1935 - Minnesota 12, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1936 - Minnesota 7, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1937 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 9 (Lincoln)
1938 - Minnesota 16, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1939 - Nebraska 6, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1940 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1941 - #2 Minnesota 9, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1942 - #14 Minnesota 15, Nebraska 2 (Lincoln)
1943 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1944 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 0 (Minneapolis)
1945 - Minnesota 61, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1946 - Minnesota 33, Nebraska 6 (Minneapolis)
1947 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 13 (Lincoln)
1948 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 13 (Minneapolis)
1949 - Minnesota 28, Nebraska 6 (Lincoln)
1950 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 26 (Minneapolis)
1951 - Minnesota 39, Nebraska 20 (Minneapolis)
1952 - Minnesota 13, Nebraska 7 (Lincoln)
1954 - Minnesota 19, Nebraska 7 (Minneapolis)
1959 - Nebraska 32, Minnesota 12 (Minneapolis)
1960 - Minnesota 26, #12 Nebraska 14 (Lincoln)
1963 - Nebraska 14, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1964 - Nebraska 26, Minnesota 21 (Minneapolis)
1967 - #7 Nebraska 7, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1968 - #9 Nebraska 17, #17 Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1969 - Nebraska 42, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
1970 - #6 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 10 (Minneapolis)
1971 - #1 Nebraska 35, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1972 - #7 Nebraska 49, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1973 - #2 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 7 (Minneapolis)
1974 - #6 Nebraska 54, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
1983 - #1 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 13 (Minneapolis)
1984 - #1 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 7 (Lincoln)
1989 - #3 Nebraska 48, Minnesota 0 (Minneapolis)
1990 - #8 Nebraska 56, Minnesota 0 (Lincoln)
-----------------Big Ten--------------------------
2011 - #13 Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14 (Minneapolis)
2012 - #16 Nebraska 38, Minnesota 14 (Lincoln)
2013 - Minnesota 34, Nebraska 23 (Minneapolis)
2014 - Minnesota 28, #21 Nebraska 24 (Lincoln)
2015 - Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25 (Minneapolis)
2016 - #21 Nebraska 24, Minnesota 17 (Lincoln)
2017 - Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Minneapolis)
Scouting 2018 Minnesota
Minnesota looks to bounce back this week after losing its last three games. The Golden Gophers started the season 3-0, but have yet to win a game since beginning conference play.
Minnesota's most recent loss came last Saturday against No. 3 Ohio State. The Gophers allowed OSU's Dwayne Haskins to throw for 412 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-14 loss.
Gopher quarterback Zack Annexstad is 88-for-167 in the air this season through six games. heh as eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Tyler Johnson has been the top target this season with 36 catches for 521 yards and six touchdowns. Mohamed Ibrahim leads the team on the ground with 422 yards this season and two touchdowns. Seth Green has a team-high five rushing touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, Blake Cashman (47), Thomas Barber (42) and Jacob Huff (40) each have at least 40 tackles on the season, to lead the Minnesota defense.
On special teams, the Gophers lead the country in punt returns, averaging more than 28 yards per return.
2018 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule/Results (3-3, 0-3)
New Mexico State (W 48-10)
Fresno State (W 21-14)
Miami (OH) (W 26-3)
at Maryland (L 13-42)
Iowa (L 31-48)
at Ohio State (L 14-30)
at Nebraska
Indiana
Illinois
Purdue
Northwestern
at Wisconsin
About Minnesota Football
Minnesota has fielded a football team since 1882 and has almost 700 program wins. The Golden Gophers joined the Big Ten Conference in 1896 and have won 18 Big Ten championships. The team's last conference title came in 1967. The Gophers claim seven national championships and have seven bowl wins. Additionally, Minnesota has 35 consensus All-America selections and 180 first-team All-Big Ten picks.
First Season: 1882
Conference Titles: 18
National Titles: 7 (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
All-Time Record: 690-520-44
Bowl Record: 7-12
Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium
About Minnesota Coach P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck is in his second season as the head coach at Minnesota and sports a record of 8-10 and a Big Ten record of 2-10. Prior to Minnesota, Fleck served four years as head coach at Western Michigan, where he led the Broncos to a 30-22 record, including a 13-1 record in 2016 and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. In his six years as an FBS head coach, Fleck sports a record of 38-32.
Fleck is an alumnus of Northern Illinois, where he played receiver and graduated in 2003. Fleck spent one year as a player in the NFL and then began his coaching career in 2006 as a grad assistant at Ohio State. Since then he has had assistant coaching stops at Northern Illinois (2007-09), Rutgers (2010-11) and spent one year as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012) before getting the head coaching job at Western Michigan (2013-16).
Last Meeting: Minnesota 54, Nebraska 21 (Nov. 11, 2017)
Minneapolis - Minnesota returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, an early omen for how this day would go for Nebraska.
Gopher quarterback Demry Croft ran 10 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns, the Gophers rushed for 409 yards, and Minnesota defeated Nebraska 54-21 on Saturday before 39,933 fans at TCF Bank Stadium.
Nebraska (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten Conference) must win its final two games, at Penn State and home against Iowa, to qualify for a bowl.
Minnesota (5-5, 2-4) had lost five of six games entering Saturday but won its second Big Ten Conference game under first-year coach P.J. Fleck.
Croft entered the game with 159 rushing yards on 49 carries for the season. He had 111 rushing yards by halftime Saturday, including a 73-yard touchdown run when he went untouched after perfectly executing a zone-read play.
The Gophers successfully ran that same play in the first half, when Minnesota scored on all four of its first-half drives, not counting Rodney Smith’s kickoff return to begin the game.
As disappointing the outcome, the Huskers had some bright spots, mostly on offense.
Redshirt freshman receiver JD Spielman caught nine passes for 141 yards and etched his name in the Nebraska record books. Playing in his hometown of Minneapolis, Spielman increased his season receiving totals to 49 receptions and 734 yards to set Nebraska freshman records in both categories. The previous records were 45 receptions for 641 yards by Nate Swift in 2005.
Spielman recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, joining Swift as the only freshmen in Nebraska history to post multiple 100-yard receiving games. Spielman’s 49 receptions this season leaves him just one catch shy of the single-season top 10.
Junior quarterback Tanner Lee went 13-of-18 passing for 174 yards for Nebraska but fell ill at halftime with what Nebraska coach Mike Riley said was an impact migraine. Lee didn’t play in the second half. Redshirt freshman Patrick O’Brien, in the most extensive playing time of his career, replaced Lee and went 12-of-18 for 137 yards.
“I thought he made some nice plays,” Riley said of O’Brien.
Nebraska played turnover-free football and committed a mere four penalties but ran for just 69 yards and couldn’t come up with enough stops in the first half to keep the Gophers in sight.
“Here’s what happened,” Riley said in his postgame news conference. “They moved the football and we couldn’t get them off the field. We never got our feet on the ground anytime that I can remember defensively.”
After the Gophers scored 16 seconds into the game, Lee led a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the game 7-7.
Junior running back Mikale Wilbon ran five times for 25 yards on the series and capped it with a 1-yard run. That marked Nebraska’s first rushing touchdown since Sept. 29 at Illinois, when Devine Ozigbo ran 15 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Lee also led a 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter when he found a rhythm with Spielman. Lee hit Spielman for gains of 10, 18, 27 and 11 yards before finding tight end Tyler Hoppes on a 14-yard touchdown pass to pull the Huskers within 27-14.
Minnesota responded with an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with Emmit Carpenter’s 36-yard field goal with four seconds to play before halftime, and the Gophers took a 30-14 lead into the locker room.
The Huskers had another drive go deep into Minnesota territory in the first half. It came when senior receiver DeMornay Pierson-El caught a 44-yard pass on a crossing route to advance the Huskers to the Minnesota 27-yard line.
Nebraska worked the ball to the 7-yard line early in the second quarter but couldn’t convert on fourth-and-short, giving the ball back to the Gophers. That’s when Croft scored on his 73-yard run.
Nebraska took the opening second-half kickoff, and with O’Brien playing for the first time, the Huskers went three-and-out.
The Husker defense then responded by forcing its first punt of the game, but Nebraska went three-and-out on offense, and Minnesota scored touchdowns on its next two drives to take charge.
Nebraska’s final score came when Ozigbo scored a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap a 10-play, 70-yard drive in which O’Brien completed four passes, including a 25-yard strike to Spielman.
