Up next: vs. Northwestern, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Huntington Bank Stadium, BTN, 100.3-FM
Up next for Gophers: Home matchup vs. struggling Northwestern
The Wildcats are 0-8 since a season-opening victory, but their defense turned heads by slowing down Ohio State on Saturday.
November 7, 2022 at 12:24AM
The skinny: On a rainy and windy Saturday in Evanston, Ill., Northwestern threw a scare into No. 2 Ohio State, leading by a touchdown early and tied with the Buckeyes at halftime before falling 21-7 as Miyan Williams rushed for two second-half touchdowns.
Wildcats running back Evan Hull, a junior from Maple Grove, scored on a 16-yard run in the first quarter and finished with 122 yards on 30 carries. Hull has rushed for 701 yards and four TDs this season and ranks second on the team with 46 receptions for 465 yards and two TDs.
The Wildcats (1-8, 1-5 Big Ten) got a solid defensive effort Saturday, limiting Ohio State to 283 yards and nearly 25 points fewer than their average. Still, Northwestern lost its eighth consecutive game after opening the season with a 31-28 win over Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland.
"A lot of good happened today," Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "Unfortunately, the bad is the outcome on the scoreboard.''
The Gophers scored three goals in the first period and went on to win their ninth game in a row.
