Sept. 24, 2005
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Gary Russell scored three touchdowns, the last a 3-yard run in the second overtime to lift Minnesota to a 42-35 victory over No. 11 Purdue.
Laurence Maroney rushed for a career-high 217 yards on 46 carries for the Gophers (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), who held on in another thrilling back-and-forth game between these rivals.
Purdue had a chance to tie the game in the second overtime, but Jerod Void was stuffed on third-and-1 from the Minnesota 17, and Brandon Kirsch's fourth-down pass glanced off Charles Davis' hands. The Gophers to charged the field in celebration of Glen Mason's first victory over Purdue in seven tries as Minnesota coach.
Kory Sheets rushed for 101 yards for Purdue (2-1, 0-1), and his 5-yard touchdown gave the Boilermakers a 35-28 lead in the first overtime.
But the Gophers came right back and tied the game on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Bryan Cupito to Logan Payne.
The Gophers took the ball to start the second overtime, and Cupito hit Payne on a 15-yard pass to set up Russell's game-winning score two plays later.
It was vindication for Mason and the Gophers, who have been criticized in the past for scheduling weak opponents in nonconference play, then folding against superior competition in the Big Ten.
They nearly let this one slip away, too, during a wild fourth quarter.
Russell also had a 1-yard scoring run in the first and a 5-yard TD reception in the third to help the Gophers stake a 17-7 lead, but it was all Maroney for the first three quarters.
Purdue came into the game with the No. 1 ranked rushing defense in the nation after yielding just 16 yards a game to Akron and Arizona.
The Boilermakers found out quickly that they were facing a much more difficult task against Minnesota's top-ranked rushing offense.
The Gophers dominated the opening quarter, outgaining Purdue 204-29 and holding the ball for 12:11 of the first 15 minutes. Maroney ran for 96 yards in the first alone and 147 yards in the first half as Minnesota's superb offensive line opened huge holes and manhandled Purdue's experienced defensive front.
Russell's scoring reception in the third seemed to put the Gophers in control, but the Purdue defense stiffened and Maroney began to wear down as Purdue clawed its way back.
Kirsch was shaky early, but rebounded to throw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, including an 8-yard strike to Andre Chattams with 6:39 to go in the fourth that gave the Boilermakers their first lead of the game, 21-20.
Purdue snatched the momentum on the Gophers' next possession, when linebacker Dan Bick picked off Cupito and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown that gave Purdue a 28-20 lead.
The Gophers came right back after Ben Jones kicked the ball out of bounds. They drove 65 yards in 12 plays, culminating with an 8-yard scoring pass from Cupito to Matt Spaeth. Cupito then kept the ball on an option play to the right and plunged in for the 2-point conversion to tie the game with 1:34 to play.