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The Defending National Champion Minnesota Golden Gophers improve to 15-0 under Head Coach Ryan Turner narrowly beating the North Carolina State Wolfpack 27-24 in Raleigh North Carolina.
Minnesota won the opening toss and elected to receive, Minnesota would drive down the field mainly on the ground and would score as Marqueis Gray would punch one in from 4 yards out to put Minnesota up 7-0 with 3:16 to play in the 1st Q.
NC State's opening drive would yield success leading into the 2nd quarter but would stall out and they settled for a 32 yard field goal with 6:55 left int he 2nd. On Minnesota's ensuing drive Marqueis Gray would throw one of two interceptions on the day and D Johnson would return it 49 yards for the score to put the Wolfpack up 10-7 with 5:17 left to play. Minnesota would answer back with a FG to tie the game at 10 with 1:13 to play in the half. On NC State's ensuing drive there elite RB Greene would cough one up and Minnesota would recover in good field position and it would lead to a 40 yard FG to end the half and the Gophers would take a 13-10 lead at the half.
The second half opened with NC State being forced to punt and starting from there own 25 on the very first play of the drive Lamonte Edwards last seasons leading receiver at A Back who played B Back today would take one up the middle and rumble 75 yards to paydirt to put the Gophers up 20-10. The Wolfpack would come marching back and on 3rd and 8 from around the 20 would get intercepted near the endzone and true freshman Jolly would make a nice return of it but a flag on the play for offsides on MLB Beal would give NC State a second chance and they would capitilize as Greene would eventually punch one in from 1 yard out to pull within 3 with 2:09 left in the 3rd.
Fast forward to the 4th quarter down 3 NC State QB Glennon would find is TE Watson wide open for a 29 yard TD Pass to put the Wolfpack up 24-20 with 4:45 to play. Minnesota would take over and near midfield on 4th down Gray would end up throwing a interception but a Wolfpack defender was flagged for roughing the passer, Herbstreit commented about it being a vicious hit and mentioned something about kicking him out. Anyways the Gophers catch a break and Gray would shake it off and they would make good out of there 2nd chance and converted WR RS Fr A Back Marcus Jones would punch it in from 1 yard out with 1:30 to play in the game. NC State would start at their 20 after a touchback with 1:30 to play and 1 timeout. Glennon would connect again with Watson on a deep pass to set the Wolfpack up near midfield where they would hurry to the line and trying to catch the Gophers off guard called a run play that would go for a loss and 3 straight incompletions would lead to Marqueis Gray taking a knee with 30 seconds left as Minnesota would pull one out to open the 2012 season 1-0.
Lamonte Edwards was named player of the game with 12 carries for 144 yards and 1 TD who started today at B Back for the first time after playing A Back all last season.
When asked if Edwards would play B Back the remainder of the season Coach Turner replied "I cant say for sure, I was very pleased with his effort today and he was excellent last season playing A Back and being named a freshman All American but he was penciled in at A Back as I promised a 4 star recruit no red shirt and solid playing time but in a game this big I had to put out my best lineup. I could see Edwards playing both spots this year as I like to be known as a man of my word and will look to get true freshman DJ Ewing involved."
Converted WR RS FR Marcus Jones played in Edwards' old spot and ran 8 times for 28 yards and the game winning TD while adding the only 3 recpetions for the Gophers for 64 yards, he also returned 5 kicks for 118 yards and 1 punt for 5 yards.
Marqueis Gray struggled in this one completing 3 of 7 passes for 64 yards but threw 2 int's, Gray added 13 rushes for 38 yards a 1 TD on the ground.
Next up the Gophers will host the #5 Oregon Ducks.
Minnesota won the opening toss and elected to receive, Minnesota would drive down the field mainly on the ground and would score as Marqueis Gray would punch one in from 4 yards out to put Minnesota up 7-0 with 3:16 to play in the 1st Q.
NC State's opening drive would yield success leading into the 2nd quarter but would stall out and they settled for a 32 yard field goal with 6:55 left int he 2nd. On Minnesota's ensuing drive Marqueis Gray would throw one of two interceptions on the day and D Johnson would return it 49 yards for the score to put the Wolfpack up 10-7 with 5:17 left to play. Minnesota would answer back with a FG to tie the game at 10 with 1:13 to play in the half. On NC State's ensuing drive there elite RB Greene would cough one up and Minnesota would recover in good field position and it would lead to a 40 yard FG to end the half and the Gophers would take a 13-10 lead at the half.
The second half opened with NC State being forced to punt and starting from there own 25 on the very first play of the drive Lamonte Edwards last seasons leading receiver at A Back who played B Back today would take one up the middle and rumble 75 yards to paydirt to put the Gophers up 20-10. The Wolfpack would come marching back and on 3rd and 8 from around the 20 would get intercepted near the endzone and true freshman Jolly would make a nice return of it but a flag on the play for offsides on MLB Beal would give NC State a second chance and they would capitilize as Greene would eventually punch one in from 1 yard out to pull within 3 with 2:09 left in the 3rd.
Fast forward to the 4th quarter down 3 NC State QB Glennon would find is TE Watson wide open for a 29 yard TD Pass to put the Wolfpack up 24-20 with 4:45 to play. Minnesota would take over and near midfield on 4th down Gray would end up throwing a interception but a Wolfpack defender was flagged for roughing the passer, Herbstreit commented about it being a vicious hit and mentioned something about kicking him out. Anyways the Gophers catch a break and Gray would shake it off and they would make good out of there 2nd chance and converted WR RS Fr A Back Marcus Jones would punch it in from 1 yard out with 1:30 to play in the game. NC State would start at their 20 after a touchback with 1:30 to play and 1 timeout. Glennon would connect again with Watson on a deep pass to set the Wolfpack up near midfield where they would hurry to the line and trying to catch the Gophers off guard called a run play that would go for a loss and 3 straight incompletions would lead to Marqueis Gray taking a knee with 30 seconds left as Minnesota would pull one out to open the 2012 season 1-0.
Lamonte Edwards was named player of the game with 12 carries for 144 yards and 1 TD who started today at B Back for the first time after playing A Back all last season.
When asked if Edwards would play B Back the remainder of the season Coach Turner replied "I cant say for sure, I was very pleased with his effort today and he was excellent last season playing A Back and being named a freshman All American but he was penciled in at A Back as I promised a 4 star recruit no red shirt and solid playing time but in a game this big I had to put out my best lineup. I could see Edwards playing both spots this year as I like to be known as a man of my word and will look to get true freshman DJ Ewing involved."
Converted WR RS FR Marcus Jones played in Edwards' old spot and ran 8 times for 28 yards and the game winning TD while adding the only 3 recpetions for the Gophers for 64 yards, he also returned 5 kicks for 118 yards and 1 punt for 5 yards.
Marqueis Gray struggled in this one completing 3 of 7 passes for 64 yards but threw 2 int's, Gray added 13 rushes for 38 yards a 1 TD on the ground.
Next up the Gophers will host the #5 Oregon Ducks.
