Turnovers and Penalties Costly to Nebraska as Gophers Win 13-10
August 31, 2023

Dragan Kesich’s 47-yard field goal as time expired gave Minnesota a 13-10 win over Nebraska, and new coach Matt Ruhle, before a sellout crowd of 53,629 in Minneapolis. The Cornhuskers had benefited from a broken play early in the second quarter to take the lead and were up 10-3 before a fumble and interception gave the Gophers their final opportunities. Along the way, penalties cost Nebraska points and helped Minnesota in its drives.

Krasich had a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter for the only points by either team in the first half and missed another, from 54 yards, that allowed the Huskers to start from the Minnesota 36 with five minutes left in the half.

Nebraska drove toward the end zone with Gabe Ervin ruled just short on a first-down run from the four. As the ball was being snapped for the next play, flags flew for a false-start penalty on Ethan Piper. With 8 seconds showing on the clock, Nebraska had to call its final time out to avoid a 10-second rundown on the clock, which would have ended the half. As Nebraska was lining up at the 6, the officials then reviewed the Piper play to see if he had made it to the end zone. The decision was upheld as no score, but Nebraska did not get its time out back although referee Larry Smith asked that the clock be reset at 11 seconds.

Without a timeout remaining, the Huskers had to go for a completion in the end zone to leave any time for a field goal if that wasn’t successful. But Jeff Sims’s pass was intercepted by Tre’Von Jones, ending any possibility of a score.

Nebraska didn’t take long to grab the lead in the second half, Rahmir Johnson returning a kickoff xx yards to the Minnesota 35. After a one-yard run, Sims handed off to Anthony Grant, who turned and threw a cross-field lateral to Sims, who missed the catch. With the ball free, Sims corralled it, and with receivers and pursuers discombobulated, he threw to Alex Bullock, who had been left alone in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, Nebraska again got inside the five but were moved back by a false start by tight end Nate Boerkricher and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Tristan Alvano with 7:37 left.

The 10-3 lead held up as the Huskers twice stopped the Gophers, and Nebraska stayed in control. However, Grant ran nine yards into Minnesota territory but coughed up the ball, which was recovered by defensive back Aidan Gousby recovered on the Minnesota 47 with 4:53 left.

From the 13, Athan Kaliakmanis overthrew Jackson at back of end zone and, on fourth and 10, appeared to throw too far to the left sideline. Jackson made another reaching catch while going out of bounds and this time was able to drag his left foot in bounds for a game-tying touchdown.

Nebraska tried to get into field goal position, but Tyler Nubin intercepted a Sims pass, Nubin’s second pick of the game, at the Minnesota 35 and returned it 14 yards with 58 seconds left. The Gophers faced third-and-13 at the Nebraska 40, but Sean Tyler got back 11 yards, to the 29, to set up Kesich.

Nebraska was penalized seven times for 55 yards in the game to three penalties for 25 yards for the Gophers. Ty Robinson called for targeting and disqualified in third quarter, propelling a Minnesota drive that reached the Nebraska 24 before Kaliakmanis was intercepted by Omar Brown (a graduate of North High School in Minneapolis) at the 11.

Sims was Nebraska’s leading rusher with 93 net yards while Sean Tyler had 41 for Minnesota. Kaliakmanis completed 24 of 44 passes for 196 yards. Sims was 11 of 19 for 114 yards for the Cornhuskers. The leading receiver in the game was Jackson with 9 catches for 68 yards.

The Gophers have non-conference games versus Eastern Michigan and North Carolina before resuming Big 10 play with a game at Wisconsin. The next conference game at home will be against Michigan October 7.