My Answer to a Survey Question
- Thread starter DeltaHog
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UpnorthGo4
Science Denial Denier
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The internet is a beautiful thing. What do I win DeltaHog?
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The 2002 Golden Gopher football season was eerily similar to Minnesota's 2008 campaign. Following a "bowl-less" 2001 season, then-head coach Glen Mason had this to say prior to the 2002 season. "Yes, we were disappointed that we didn't qualify for postseason play last season. We played numerous first and second-year players. That learning experience, we feel, will pay dividends this year and for seasons to come."
Under second-year starter Asad Abdul-Khaliq at quarterback, Minnesota opened the year with four straight wins (like in 2008), then dropped its Big Ten opener on the road at Purdue (like in 2008 as Minnesota fell at Ohio State). The Golden Gophers then rolled to three straight league victories, including a 28-7 win at Michigan State to push their record to 7-1. Minnesota entered the rankings for the first time in two years following the win. Unfortunately, the 2002 and 2008 Golden Gophers each dropped their final four games, including matching heart-breaking losses at Wisconsin.
After the Sun Bowl passed Minnesota over in favor of Purdue, the Golden Gophers looked ahead to their allotted practices and a December 30th matchup with Arkansas in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. The Razorbacks entered the game ranked 25th in the country following a loss to No. 4 Georgia in the SEC title game.
The game:
* Minnesota looked the part of a team entering the game on a four-game losing streak. The Razorbacks, led by quarterback Matt Jones, traveled 74 yards in just eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead. From there, it was all Golden Gophers.
* Dan Nystrom wasted little time in etching his name in the Big Ten record books. He connected on four first-half field goals to give Minnesota a 12-7 lead and make him the Big Ten's all-time leader in kick scoring and field goals made. Nystrom passed Purdue's Travis Dorsch.
* Senior cornerback Mike Lehan was burned on the first play of the game on a 29-yard pass completion. Soon Lehan would be on the bench, not by coach's decision, but because of a stomach virus he contracted that morning. After missing a couple of series while he was throwing up, Lehan returned and stopped a late first-half scoring drive with an interception. He added his second interception in the third quarter.
* Minnesota extended its lead to 19-7 as Abdul-Khaliq found Ben Utecht for a 19-yard score less than three minutes to go in the third quarter. Utecht entered the game following a regular season that saw him struggle with a broken foot.
* The fourth quarter was more of the same as Nystrom tied Adam Bailey's school record with his fifth field goal. Thomas Tapeh (right) sealed the game with a 33-yard touchdown run with 7:49 to play.
Following the game:
* Dan Nystrom was named the game's most valuable player.
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The 2002 Golden Gopher football season was eerily similar to Minnesota's 2008 campaign. Following a "bowl-less" 2001 season, then-head coach Glen Mason had this to say prior to the 2002 season. "Yes, we were disappointed that we didn't qualify for postseason play last season. We played numerous first and second-year players. That learning experience, we feel, will pay dividends this year and for seasons to come."
Under second-year starter Asad Abdul-Khaliq at quarterback, Minnesota opened the year with four straight wins (like in 2008), then dropped its Big Ten opener on the road at Purdue (like in 2008 as Minnesota fell at Ohio State). The Golden Gophers then rolled to three straight league victories, including a 28-7 win at Michigan State to push their record to 7-1. Minnesota entered the rankings for the first time in two years following the win. Unfortunately, the 2002 and 2008 Golden Gophers each dropped their final four games, including matching heart-breaking losses at Wisconsin.
After the Sun Bowl passed Minnesota over in favor of Purdue, the Golden Gophers looked ahead to their allotted practices and a December 30th matchup with Arkansas in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. The Razorbacks entered the game ranked 25th in the country following a loss to No. 4 Georgia in the SEC title game.
The game:
* Minnesota looked the part of a team entering the game on a four-game losing streak. The Razorbacks, led by quarterback Matt Jones, traveled 74 yards in just eight plays to take an early 7-0 lead. From there, it was all Golden Gophers.
* Dan Nystrom wasted little time in etching his name in the Big Ten record books. He connected on four first-half field goals to give Minnesota a 12-7 lead and make him the Big Ten's all-time leader in kick scoring and field goals made. Nystrom passed Purdue's Travis Dorsch.
* Senior cornerback Mike Lehan was burned on the first play of the game on a 29-yard pass completion. Soon Lehan would be on the bench, not by coach's decision, but because of a stomach virus he contracted that morning. After missing a couple of series while he was throwing up, Lehan returned and stopped a late first-half scoring drive with an interception. He added his second interception in the third quarter.
* Minnesota extended its lead to 19-7 as Abdul-Khaliq found Ben Utecht for a 19-yard score less than three minutes to go in the third quarter. Utecht entered the game following a regular season that saw him struggle with a broken foot.
* The fourth quarter was more of the same as Nystrom tied Adam Bailey's school record with his fifth field goal. Thomas Tapeh (right) sealed the game with a 33-yard touchdown run with 7:49 to play.
Following the game:
* Dan Nystrom was named the game's most valuable player.
DeltaHog
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Good answer.
I grant you and your team the ability to convert a two point conversion late in the fourth quarter
this year against Wisconsin while you are up by 58 points.
Bisker82
Death From Above
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MinnMarchDTF
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And I grant your team the ability to score 10 points in the 4th quarter against Alabama when you're down by 6.