Gophers drive home final insult

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- It was the way the Minnesota Golden Gophers won this game that gutted Iowa.

The Gophers final drive went only 19 yards but it was nine plays that drained the final 4:15 off the clock and defined UM's upset over the Hawkeyes on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

They were nine plays right at the nation's No. 6 rush defense and they were the final nails in Iowa's coffin.

The final numbers weren't pretty, either. Minnesota gashed Iowa for 216 rushing yards, the most against Iowa this season and most since 2009 Ohio State (229). But those final yards, when Iowa needed a stop for any hope at keeping Floyd of Rosedale and stemming a three-game losing streak, were the back-breaker.

"It's embarrassing, I guess, I don't what to say," Iowa defensive tackle Karl Klug said. "When a team can run the ball on you like that, especially up the middle, it's embarrassing."

It wasn't just one play, it wasn't just one player. Minnesota attacked the Hawkeyes from all angles.

Running back DeLeon Eskridge led Minnesota with 95 yards. Running back Duane Bennett chipped in 63. They both rushed for a TD, too. Minnesota quarterbacks Adam Weber and Marqueis Gray combined for 62 yards, with Gray going for 7 yards on a third-and-4 that kept alive Minnesota's final drive.

It wasn't one play, it wasn't one player.

"We felt we just had to try to hit a few seams in there, spread them out a little bit, and we changed up the package some with Marqueis," interim Minnesota coach Jeff Horton said. "But still, the big hogs up front, those guys got after it against a great defensive front."

Third down remains a crusher for the Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes allowed Minnesota to convert 9 of 16, including 3 of 4 in the fourth quarter. In the Hawkeyes' five losses, the defense has allowed opponents to convert 17 of 30 on third and fourth down.

That's 56.7 percent. That's a giant reason why the pig will stay in Hennepin County, Minn.

"We tried to change up some things and it seemed like it was working a little bit," defensive end Broderick Binns said. "But they just shoved it down our throat and we couldn't get off the field when we needed to."

The Gophers averaged 4.7 yards a carry against Iowa in 22 games, going back to Arizona 2009 (5.9 per carry). Iowa went into this game allowing just 93.27 rushing yards per game.

"I think Iowa prides itself on containing the passing game and not allowing teams to run on them," said Weber, who completed 13 of 25 for 164 yards. "I believe we went far beyond what they were averaging a game. Anytime you can run the ball with success like we were today that directly correlates to this win."

It definitely directly correlated.