The three-week stretch of Iowa, No. 12 Michigan and No. 11 USC was the daunting assignment that the Gophers football team faced, and losses to the Hawkeyes and Wolverines left them in a tough situation: a 2-3 record, an 0-2 mark in the Big Ten and a team that had a lot of doubters.
Fourth-down gamble on final drive gives Gophers 24-17 victory over No. 11 USC
Max Brosmer scored his third rushing touchdown of the game with 59 seconds remaining, a 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal. Darius Taylor rushed 25 times for 144 yards.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 6, 2024 at 5:06AM
Saturday night, though, the Gophers put all together, rallying with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat No. 11 USC in front of 50,913 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
It was Minnesota’s first victory over a ranked team since last year’s 12-10 triumph at No. 24 Iowa. And the Trojans were the highest-ranked team the Gophers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) have beaten since topping No. 9 Auburn 21-24 in the Outback Bowl following the 2019 season.
Koi Perich’s end zone interception with 9 seconds left sealed the victory, and fans rushed the field following one last kneel-down by quarterback Max Brosmer.
It was Brosmer who provided the late heroics, scoring his third tush-push touchdown of the night on a plunge from inside the 1-yard line with 56 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
That fourth-and-goal play originally was ruled short on the field, but a replay review showed that Brosmer had reached the end zone.
“It’s absolutely incredible for our team,’’ Brosmer said in a postgame interview on KFXN-FM.
Why it Happened
During his halftime radio interview, Gophers coach P.J. Fleck emphasized that Minnesota’s defense had to find a way to get off the field on third. That was a problem most of the night. USC converted six of eight third-down chances in the first half, helping the Trojans put together 11- and 15-play drives. The picked up where they left off in the second half, marching 91 yards in 12 plays and taking a 17-10 lead on Marks’ 1-yard TD run. Marks had six carries for 41 yards on the drive and had a 7-yard reception.
But the Gophers defense stepped up when it meant the most, getting Devon Williams’ interception with 10:11 left and forcing the Trojans to punt with 7:08 left. That gave Minnesota’s offense two opportunities to score, and two touchdowns followed that resulted in the upset of the Trojans (3-2, 1-2).
What it Means
The victory was much needed for the Gophers, who saw their chance for an upset win at Michigan disappear with a controversial offsides call after they successfully executed an onside kick with 1:37 to play. Now, at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, the Gophers need three wins to reach bowl eligibility and avoid a second consecutive losing regular season.
The win also ended a six-game Big Ten losing streak and gives them a chance to start a winning streak in the conference with next week’s game at 1-4 UCLA.
Play of the Game
Fourth-and-less-than-1 with 59 seconds left in the fourth quarter of a 17-17 game. Gophers coach P.J. Fleck sent out the offense, and a second consecutive tush-push sneak by Brosmer – initially ruled short on the field – is overturned for a touchdown and 24-17 Gophers lead after Dragan Kesich’s extra-point kick. That capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
Turning Point
With the Trojans up seven points and driving early in the fourth quarter, the Gophers defense produced a big play. Facing third-and-4 from the Minnesota 35, Moss dropped back to pass but was hit by Jah Joyner. The ball popped up, and Gophers linebacker Devon Williams dived for an interception at the 35. The Gophers would drive for the touchdown that tied the score 17-17.
Key Stat
140 Yards covered by the Gophers in their last two scoring drives, 12 plays covering 8 minutes, 16 seconds.
MVP
Darius Taylor, Gophers
The sophomore running back rushed 25 times for 144 yards and caught five passes for 56 yards.
Up Next
at UCLA, 8 p.m. Saturday, Rose Bowl, BTN, 100.3-FM
The Gophers will make their first appearance at Rose Bowl Stadium since Jan. 1, 1962, when they face UCLA for the first time in Big Ten play. The Bruins (1-4, 0-3 Big Ten) lost 27-11 at Penn State on Saturday, dropping their fourth consecutive contest.
The game will be the fourth all-time the Gophers against the Bruins. Minnesota won 21-3 in the Rose Bowl game following the 1961 season and 27-13 in 1977 at Memorial Stadium. UCLA won 17-3 in 1978 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Max Brosmer's 1-yard plunge with under a minute remaining, his third TD of the game, gave the Gophers the late lead and Koi Perich's acrobatic interception set off a wild celebration at Huntington Bank Stadium.
