NCAAF Game Recap - South Dakota State at Minnesota
Thu Aug 29, 2019 9:00 PM EDT

GATec
14
Clem
52
F
Duke
3
Bama
42
F
UGA
30
Vand
6
F
Hou
31
Okla
49
F
FlAtl
21
OSU
45
F
GaSo
3
LSU
55
F
MidTN
21
Mich
40
F
ND
35
Lou
17
F
LT
14
Tex
45
F
Oreg
21
Aub
27
F
TxSt
7
TxAM
41
F
EWa
14
Wash
47
F
Utah
30
BYU
12
F
Idaho
7
PSU
79
F
FlaAM
0
UCF
62
F
Tuls
7
MSU
28
F
Wisc
49
SoFL
0
F
MiaOH
14
Iowa
38
F
NoIa
26
IASt
29
F(2OT)
Syr
24
Lib
0
F
NMS
7
WaSt
58
F
SoAl
21
Neb
35
F
NW
7
Stan
17
F
Alb
21
C Mi
38
F
UCLA
14
Cin
24
F
RMor
10
Buff
38
F
Wagn
21
UConn
24
F
Mor
3
BGSU
46
F
C Ark
35
W Ky
28
F
GWebb
28
UNCC
49
F
JacSt
14
SouLA
35
F
AlaSt
19
UAB
24
F
FLInt
14
Tul
42
F
SDSU
21
MIN
28
F
NoCol
18
SJSU
35
F
Kent
7
AzSt
30
F
Rice
7
Army
14
F
UMass
21
Rut
48
F
UtSt
35
Wake
38
F
Purd
31
NEV
34
F
ColSt
31
Colo
52
F
OkSt
52
OreSt
36
F
Miss
10
Mem
15
F
MissSt
38
ULLaf
28
F
InSt
17
Kans
24
F
Akr
3
Ill
42
F
ECU
6
NCSt
34
F
How
0
MD
79
F
Toled
24
KY
38
F
Ind
34
Ball
24
F
Boise
36
FlaSt
31
F
JMU
13
WVU
20
F
URI
20
Ohio
41
F
Buck
12
Temp
56
F
HolyC
7
Navy
45
F
Colg
7
AF
48
F
GASt
38
Tenn
30
F
SCar
20
UNC
24
F
E Mi
30
CoCar
23
F
ETenn
7
App
42
F
MonSt
10
TxTch
45
F
PorSt
13
Ark
20
F
VaTec
28
BC
35
F
SamHu
31
NM
39
F
(N/A)
7
UTSA
35
F
Camp
14
Troy
43
F
UCDav
13
Cal
27
F
VMI
17
Marsh
56
F
IllSt
10
NIU
24
F
Monm
13
WestMI
48
F
AlcSt
10
SMiss
38
F
Nich
14
K St
49
F
SFA
17
Bayl
56
F
SMU
37
ArkSt
30
F
Norf
21
OD
24
F
MIZ
31
Wyo
37
F
Abil
31
NorTx
51
F
UVA
30
Pitt
14
F
Gram
9
ULMon
31
F
HBU
34
UTEP
36
F
ArkPB
7
TCU
39
F
Web
0
SDSU
6
F
SoUt
23
UNLV
56
F
Fres
23
USC
31
F

Minnesota 28, South Dakota State 21

Aug 29, 2019, 9:00 PM EDT

Final

1

2

3

4

T

South Dakota State (0-1)

0

7

14

0

21

Minnesota (1-0)

0

13

7

8

28

Gophers avoid upset with 28-21 win over South Dakota State
Fri Aug 30, 2019 2:06 AM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Don't tell coach P.J. Fleck that Minnesota's narrow win against FCS South Dakota State on Tuesday wasn't good enough.

The Big Ten Gophers were double-digit favorites for the season's first game against their neighbors from the southwest, who nearly beat Minnesota in 2009, long before Fleck joined the Gophers.

So, when Mohamed Ibrahim finally put the Gophers ahead late in the fourth quarter, Fleck was ready to enjoy a win no matter how others perceive the narrow victory.

"There's hard wins, there are no bad wins, and that is my message to the football team today," Fleck said. "There are no bad wins. That's a really good football team out there."

Ibrahim plunged up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:39 remaining and Minnesota avoided an upset with a 28-21 win at home against South Dakota State on Thursday night.

Winston DeLattiboudere recovered a fumbled exchange between Jackrabbits quarterback J'Bore Gibbs and running back Pierre Strong with South Dakota State holding a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota capped a five-play, 34-yard drive with Ibrahim's touchdown to pull ahead and extend the nation's longest winning streak of nonconference games to 16 in a row.

"These guys just spent 30 days practicing for fall camp and champing at the bit to get the chance to play against somebody else," Jackrabbits coach John Stiegelmeier said. "That stings a little bit, the fact that we could've won on the road against a Big Ten school - and I think a pretty good Big Ten program - stings a little bit."

Minnesota entered the season with plenty of hopes built on an offense with nine returning starters and four running backs that brought 6,503 combined rushing yards into this season.

The Gophers were tested by one of the best in FCS. South Dakota State ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the two major preseason FCS polls. Minnesota finished with 132 yards rushing on 42 carries for a 3.1-yard average.

"We were tested tonight and our players passed the test," Fleck said. "Whether we won by 40 or 20 or seven, we won. Now, are there a lot of things we have to get better at? Yes."

Tanner Morgan was 13-of-18 passing for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Minnesota.

BATEMAN'S BITTERSWEET NIGHT

Rashod Bateman had five catches for 132 yards for the Gophers, including a one-handed, 42-yard touchdown pass from Morgan in the first half. The performance comes two weeks after the sophomore receiver's uncle died.

"He was like a father figure to me," Bateman said. "It was tonight just going out there and playing for him. He was pretty special. I know he's always there with me, so I've just got to continue to ball for him."

NEW QB IN TOWN

In his first start for the Jackrabbits in replacing Taryn Christion, the program's all-time leading passer, Gibbs was 13 of 26 for 193 yards passing and a touchdown and he added another touchdown rushing. But the redshirt freshman threw an interception that was returned 43 yards for a touchdown by Chris Williamson.

"The ball was snapped on the ground, so I was trying to pick it up and throw it away, not obviously throw it to him," Gibbs said. "I was trying to throw it away. Coach was telling me, when that happens, just fall on it and go on to the next play. That's what happened."

THE TAKEAWAY

South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits were looking to be the latest FCS team to post a win over an FBS team. Nicholls State was the last FCS team to beat a Power 5 conference team when it beat Kansas last season. North Dakota State was the last FCS team to beat a Big Ten opponent when it handed No. 13 Iowa a loss in 2016. Mistakes ultimately proved the difference. South Dakota State had the fumbled handoff and the interception returned for a touchdown. It also had a kickoff return for a touchdown nullified due to a penalty.

Minnesota: The Gophers can exhale. This was not the start Minnesota fans likely envisioned, another lackluster performance against a neighboring school. But the Gophers come away with a win. The defense will need examining after giving up 367 yards. Part of the trouble running the ball offensively was due to a down game from the offensive line. Fleck noted the line will need to play better.

UP NEXT

South Dakota State: Four straight home games await the Jackrabbits, who will host LIU on Sept. 7.

Minnesota: The Gophers will go on the road to face Fresno State on Sept. 7.

---

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Passing

SDSU Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
J. Gibbs 26 13 50.0 1 193 39 1 71.5
MIN Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
T. Morgan 18 13 72.2 1 176 42 1 98.4

Rushing

SDSU Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
P. Strong Jr. 12 53 4.4 13 0
C. Wilson 7 47 6.7 11 0
MIN Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
R. Smith 21 92 4.4 15 0
M. Ibrahim 12 36 3.0 9 1

Receiving

SDSU Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
C. Johnson 6 90 15.0 19 0
P. Strong Jr. 2 59 29.5 39 0
MIN Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
R. Bateman 5 132 26.4 42 1
T. Johnson 3 28 9.3 18 0

Fumbles

SDSU F FL
J. Gibbs 1 1
C. Johnson 1 0

Returning

SDSU KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
C. Johnson 2 11.5 0 23 0 0 0
P. Strong Jr. 1 47.0 0 47 0 0 0
MIN KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
D. Douglas 0 0 0 1 8.0 0 8

Punting

SDSU Punt Yds Avg LgPu
B. Dinkel 4 161 40.3 57
MIN Punt Yds Avg LgPu
J. Herbers 5 170 34.0 41

Takeaways

SDSU Int Yds InTD
J. Manchigiah 1 0 0
MIN Int Yds InTD
C. Williamson 1 43 1

Team Stats Comparison

SDSU MIN
Points For 21 28
Total Yards 367 308
Rushing Yards 174 132
Passing Yards 193 176
Passing Completions / Attempts 13/26 13/18
Turnovers 2 1
Interceptions Thrown 1 1
Fumbles - Lost 2/1 0/0
First Downs 23 17
Penalties - Yards 4/32 3/40
Time Of Possession 48:48 12:12
Third Down Conversions/Attempts 3/9 6/13
Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts 1/2 1/1
Punts - Average Yards 4/40 5/34

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter SDSU MIN
No scores this quarter
2nd Quarter SDSU MIN
MIN 05:08 TD Seth Green 1 yd run (Michael Lantz kick) 0 7
SDSU 11:37 TD J'Bore Gibbs 1 yd run (Chase Vinatieri kick) 7 7
MIN 14:11 TD Rashod Bateman 42 yd pass from Tanner Morgan (missed kick) 7 13
3rd Quarter SDSU MIN
MIN 01:18 TD Chris Williamson 43 yd interception return (Michael Lantz kick) 7 20
SDSU 05:56 TD Mikey Daniel 1 yd run (Chase Vinatieri kick) 14 20
SDSU 11:34 TD Zach Heins 13 yd pass from J'Bore Gibbs (Chase Vinatieri kick) 21 20
4th Quarter SDSU MIN
MIN 09:21 TD Mohamed Ibrahim 1 yd run (Tanner Morgan 2pt pass from Tyler Johnson) 21 28

Game Information

Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 49,112
Game Time:
Weather: