On a cold, frigid day in Minneapolis, the Gophers couldn’t find a way to get its offense started in a 24-14 loss to Northwestern. Blake Cashman and Co. played well a majority of the game on defense but turnovers, dropped passes, and missed opportunities all haunted Minnesota in the loss. The Gophers travel to Madison next weekend to take on the Badgers in a game Minnesota must win if they want to be bowl eligible.
20: Total tackles for senior Blake Cashman in his last game at TCF Bank Stadium (a stadium record for a Gophers player) Cashman also had 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one pass breakup.
10: Points off the three Gophers turnovers for Northwestern in the ten-point win. Minnesota had three fumbles in the game (1 lost) and Tanner Morgan threw two interceptions.
“We need to come in Sunday, look at the film, break it down, and see what we need to work on to get that Axe back,” Blake Cashman said after Saturday’s game.
5: Receivers to reach 1,000 yards in a season in school history including Tyler Johnson after surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in today’s loss. Johnson also is the fourth Minnesota receiver with double-digit touchdown receptions and is third in school history for receptions in a season.
7: Different receivers that Tanner Morgan completed passes to in the loss to Northwestern. Johnson led the lot with eight catches for 88 yards while Bateman added four catches for 54 yards. Other receivers with a catch were Ibrahim, Douglas, Femi-Cole, Green and Autman-Bell.
2003: The last time the Gophers owned “The Axe,” the rivalry trophy between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Badgers have won every “Axe Game” since 2004, the longest streak in the history of the rivalry.
6: Rashod Bateman is just six yards away from the freshman receiving record in Gophers history and also just one touchdown reception as well. Ernie Wheelwright currently holds both records with 654 yards and seven touchdowns.
23: Degrees at kickoff, marking the game tied for the fifth coldest game in the ten-year history at TCF Bank Stadium.
90: Tyler Johnson is 90 yards away from breaking the single-season record for receiving yards in school history. Johnson currently sits at 1,036 yards for the season with the school record being set in 2000 by Ron Johnson (1,125).
“It means a lot because it shows the hard work that I put in day in and day out,” Johnson said about reaching 1000 yards on the season. “Then again, I’ve got to realize that I’m not done. I’m just going to keep working harder.”
31: Blake Cashman has 31 tackles for loss in his career which is seventh all-time at Minnesota. Cashman is currently tied with Lamanzer Williams.
58: Yard punt for Jacob Herbers in the first quarter tied his career best. Herbers had three punts on the day, averaging 46.3 yards per punt.
15: Straight third down stops for the Gophers defense between last week’s game at Purdue and the beginning of this week’s game vs. Northwestern. The Wildcats did manage four third-down conversions in the victory.