Minnesota outplays WSU, wins Holiday Bowl 17-12

Down 3-6 to Washington State in the third quarter of the Holiday Bowl, the Gophers needed a score.

“He was kind of that person who changed the tide and philosophy”, Gophers coach Tracy Claeys said. In addition to being the first head football coach in school history to win his first two career bowl games, Claeys also led the Gophers to their first nine-win season since 2003.

“We’ve got a resilient group of guys, some guys had to step up and play on defense and I’m proud of the way this team fought”, Gophers running back Rodney Smith told ESPN after the game. Without injured starting wide receiver River Cracraft, I don’t like Washington State to cover tonight as a favorite of over a touchdown. “He didn’t have the look that he wanted”.

The Cougars (8-5) led 6-3 at halftime.

Washington State then did something it couldn’t for nearly the entire game: put together a cogent passing attack. That’s where Golden Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner found himself facing a third-and-8, Cougars in his face moments as the ball was snapped. But I think that’s how you play an offense like that.

“I don’t know”, Leach said, when asked if it’s possible that WSU overlooked Minnesota because of all the boycott drama. A report by the Associated Press revealed how the Minnesota players who were boycotting the suspensions of their teammates decided it was best to start distancing themselves from the controversy.

The Golden Gophers drove with their first possession of the second half to the Washington State 13-yard line.

The formidable task of having a depleted secondary take on one of the nation’s most potent offenses might go a long way toward that goal. But his offensive production was enough.

Somehow this ended up as a Minnesota touchdown. Ayinde almost took his interception to the house, grazing the sideline with a foot at the 31-yard line but still setting up Rodney Smith’s 9-yard touchdown run to make it 17-6.

Washington State had a strong year in the Pac-12. They’ve got awfully good players.

“You get a little younger and with the challenges come opportunities for the kids”, Claeys said. “Our guys ran and tackled extremely well”. He finished with 264 yards and one touchdown. Drew Wolitarsky is by far the Gophers best receiving threat.

But after the boycott ended December 17, Claeys was able to get his team to overcome the abundant distractions in practice. Now they face Minnesota in the Holiday Bowl in the middle of the week following Christmas – how pumped are they to play tonight?

Claeys said shortly after the boycott that his job status could be in jeopardy. Falk went 79 yards in 10 plays, connecting with Kyle Sweet from eight yards out with 19 seconds remaining.

Uncertainty for the program lies ahead, but Claeys wasn’t thinking about that Tuesday night.