MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Gophers faced little adversity during their 4-0 start to the season, outscoring opponents by a combined 183-24 and looking every bit like the favorite to win the Big Ten's West Division.
Saturday, however, adversity came in many forms for the No. 21-ranked Gophers, and much of it was self-inflicted in a 20-10 loss to Purdue on homecoming at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Mitchell Fineran's 25-yard field goal with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter broke a 10-10 tie, and Devin Mockobee's 2-yard TD dive with 3:13 left that followed a 68-yard gain stunned the crowd of 48,288. Purdue (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) ended the Gophers' seven-game winning streak.
Minnesota's problems began from the start.
— Running back Mohamed Ibrahim warmed up but did not play, presumably because of an ankle injury he suffered and played through last week at Michigan State.
— Coach P.J. Fleck's gamble to go for the first down on fourth-and-1 from the Gophers' 29 backfired, leading to a Purdue field goal.
— Previously perfect kicker Matthew Trickett missed a 28-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter.
— Wide receiver Mike Brown-Stephens, wide open in the end zone, had a would-be touchdown pass in the second quarter go through his hands, bounce off his chest and land into the arms of a Purdue defensive back for an interception.
Tanner Morgan completed 18 of 33 passes for 257 yards and no touchdowns with three interceptions for the Gophers (4-1, 1-1). Minnesota rushed for only 47 yards.
Trey Potts, not Ibrahim, started at running back for the Gophers, who went three-and-out on their first possession.
Purdue immediately moved the ball and took a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard run by Dylan Downing with 8:59 left in the first quarter. The Gophers appeared to get a stop on third-and-3 from their 7, but cornerback Terell Smith was called for pass interference while covering Charlie Jones.
The touchdown was the first given up by the Gophers' first-team defense this season.
On their second possession, the Gophers moved to the Purdue 49 on a pass interference penalty, but defensive end Jack Sullivan tipped Morgan's second-down pass and linebacker Jacob Wahlberg intercepted it at the Boilermakers 49.
The Gophers defense, helped by an offensive pass interference penalty, forced Purdue to punt, and Minnesota took over at its 20.
Facing fourth-and-1 from its 29, the Gophers went for it, bringing in Cole Kramer as a wildcat quarterback. Kramer kept the ball, but Khordae Syndor and Wahlberg stuffed him for no gain. Purdue cashed that in for a 43-yard field goal by Fineran and a 10-0 lead with 2:07 left in the first quarter.
The Gophers quickly got a huge play, with Morgan hitting Daniel Jackson over the middle, and Jackson breaking a tackle for a 66-yard gain to the Purdue 10. Minnesota couldn't capitalize, though, with Potts being dropped for a 3-yard loss on second down and Morgan's fade to Jackson in the end zone falling incomplete. Trickett pushed his 28-yard field-goal attempt wide left.
Minnesota's defense quickly got the ball back with Jordan Howden intercepting O'Connell's pass at the Gophers 49.
Morgan's 21-yard hookup with Jackson moved the ball to the Purdue 28. The Gophers dodged a bullet on the next play when Morgan was hit by Kydran Jenkins and the ball popped in the air, right to Potts, for a 2-yard gain. The drive stalled with two incomplete passes, and Trickett kicked a 45-yard field goal to trim the Boilermakers' lead to 10-3 with 10:22 left in the second quarter.
Purdue drove to the Minnesota 37, but the Gophers got another takeaway. Tyler Nubin forced Downing to fumble, and Jalen Logan-Redding recovered. Minnesota's offense couldn't capitalize, going three-and-out. Marc Crawford's punt pinned Purdue at its 13.
The Gophers defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense took over at the Minnesota 46 after the punt.
A 28-yard connection from Morgan to Spann-Ford moved the Gophers to the Purdue 11, but on the next play, Brown-Stephens had Morgan's pass go through his hands and off his chest, and Cam Allen intercepted the ball in the end zone.
Gophers defensive end Danny Striggow sacked O'Connell on third-and-12 from the 20 to start the third quarter, and Minnesota took over at its 48 after a 20-yard punt return by Quentin Redding.
Morgan hit Spann-Ford on a screen for a 20-yard gain to the 32, and seven plays later, Bryce Williams scored on a 1-yard run to tie it 10-10 with 8:06 left in the third quarter. Key on drive was Morgan's 10-yard pass to Brown-Stephens on third-and-5 from the 15.
Purdue went ahead 13-10 on Fineran's 25-yard field goal with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter. Key on the drive was O'Connell's 28-yard connection with Jones to Minnesota's 35 and the QB's 9-yard hookup with Downing on third-and-4 from the 18.
The Gophers got the ball at their 25 after the kickoff but went nowhere, with a 1-yard loss on a screen pass and two incomplete passes forcing a punt.
