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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Minnesota ended 50 years of frustration.
Ohio State's might just be beginning.
"It's almost unbelievable," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said
after his Golden Gophers earned a shocking 29-17 victory over Ohio State (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) on Saturday.
"After the game they said, 'Coach you're on top of the Big Ten.' I
don't know if we can handle that. I mean, we are what we are."
Minnesota's last win in Columbus was in 1949, with Ohio State
winning the last 15 times the Gophers came to town. The Golden
Gophers had lost 16 in a row to the Buckeyes and 28 of the last 29.
Maybe the next streak to fall will be Minnesota's 29 years
without a trip to the Rose Bowl. The Golden Gophers (5-2, 3-1 Big
Ten) are one of five teams with only one loss in the Big Ten race.
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Sat, October 14
Centers are not often singled out as key factors in games, but the play of Gopher center Ben Hamilton was huge. Coach Glenn Mason rode Hamilton. They ran a lot of plays in the first half right behind him and he was dominating the interior of the line. Then Minnesota went to WR Ron Johnson on the outside who just ate up Buckeye cornerback Nate Clements. He had eight catches for 163 yards and clearly won that matchup. That allowed Minnesota to get ahead.
Once they did, it took Ohio State out of the game they wanted to play. They were throwing the ball deep trying to beat the man coverage they were seeing, but they didn't connect often. It put them in a very bad position. In the second half, Minnesota DE Karon Riley put huge pressure on Buckeye QB Steve Bellisari and the Gophers took control. Defensively, Minnesota was able to completely stymie the Ohio State offense.
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"This program is not turned around yet," Mason said. "But
we're getting better."
After the game, the entire team ran to the tiny corner of Ohio
Stadium reserved for visiting fans and lined up to shake hands and
wave to the cheering, clapping crowd.
After a week of daydreaming about BCS rankings and polls, the
Buckeyes (5-1, 2-1) again saw a season of promise turn to ashes
against another "M" school.
In 1996, the Buckeyes were No. 2 in the nation when they lost to
Michigan 13-9. A year later they were ranked fourth when they lost
to top-ranked Michigan 20-14. In 1998, Ohio State ran the table and
was ranked No. 1 as it hosted 17-point underdog Michigan State, yet
lost another shot at the championship game, 28-24. A year ago, the
Buckeyes were just 6-6 but lost games to Miami, Michigan State and
Michigan.
"Obviously, we weren't ready to play and you can blame me for
that," Ohio State's John Cooper said. "I'm the head coach. I
guess it's my job to get them ready to play."
Ron Johnson had eight catches for 163 yards and a 3-yard
touchdown reception and came up with the big plays on three other
scoring drives for the Gophers.
Still, the Buckeyes pulled within six points in the fourth
quarter before Tellis Redmon, who totaled 118 yards on 30 carries,
went 20 yards for a score with 4:51 left to seal the win.
Ohio State mounted a shadow of an offense against a Minnesota
defense that dared the Buckeyes -- without leading rusher Derek
Combs (ankle injury) -- to run. The Buckeyes averaged just 2 yards
on their 35 rushing attempts and totaled 200 yards -- only 37 more
than Johnson had by himself.
"They felt they could check me with one defender and they paid
the price," Johnson said.
Travis Cole completed 16-of-28 passes for 243 yards and two
scores, without an interception. His scoring passes covered 2 yards
to tight end Scooter Baugus and 3 yards to Johnson.
Minnesota built a 23-10 halftime lead by scoring on its first
five possessions.
"It wasn't a surprise to us," Cole said. "We knew we could
win this game."
The Gophers' opening drive was highlighted by Cole's 28-yard
pass to Johnson. Johnson was well defended, but able to get his
hand on the ball. He bobbled it, but pulled it in with his left
hand and picked up another 15 yards.
After a first down at the Ohio State 4, the drive stalled and
Dan Nystrom came on to kick the first of his three field goals,
running his streak to 10 in a row.
Ohio State ran three plays before B.J. Sander punted. Jermaine
Mays, coming in untouched from the right side, smothered the ball
on Sander's foot and Minnesota's Jimmy Henry returned the ball to
the Buckeyes' 20.
"As much time as we spend on punt protection, to have a blocked
kick like that is absolutely devastating," Cooper said.
Cole's short flip to Baugus then made it 10-0.
Johnson had a 55-yard reception that set up his own 3-yard TD
catch for a 17-3 lead.
Ohio State's only touchdown of the first three quarters came on
a 7-yard run by Jonathan Wells. The Buckeyes cut the lead to 23-17
early in the fourth quarter on Steve Bellisari's 4-yard play-action
toss to tight end Darnell Sanders.
Mason chose to play conservatively in the second half, choosing
to throw only when necessary. He had to on third and 10 at the Ohio
State 45 midway through the final quarter, but Cole hit Johnson for
a 14-yard gain -- one of four consecutive third-down conversions on
the drive. Redmon then sprinted around left end for the 20-yard
clinching score.
"They just said, 'We're going to run the ball right at you,' and
then they ran it down our throats," Buckeyes linebacker Matt
Wilhelm said.
Ohio State's homecoming game was particularly sweet for Mason,
Ohio State class of 1972, who played for and was an assistant coach
at his alma mater.
"I've got a lot of memories about this place. Good, good
memories," Mason said.
Now he has one more.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Ohio State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Ron Johnson adjusts in the end zone to haul in the Travis Cole TD pass.
avi: 835 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Minnesota's Tellis Redmon puts the game away with a 20-yard TD.
avi: 1188 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Travis Cole finds Scooter Baugus in the end zone with the play-action pass.
avi: 1105 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Steve Bellisari hooks up with Darnell Sanders for a TD pass.
avi: 904 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jonathan Wells rumbles up the middle for a TD.
avi: 1068 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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