Minnesota 39, Purdue 38

The Gophers improved to 6-1 on the season today with a 39-38 win over Purdue from TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  Minnesota is now in first place in the Big Ten West division!  What a game, there was no quit in the Gophers today!  I would expect that they crack the rankings this coming week.  It wasn't an easy win, their defense took it's time showing up but they eventually got on track and their offense just seems to be improving by the week.  Great win for Jerry Kill, great win for the program!  Go Gophers!

Observations:

• Minnesota is now bowl eligible! 
• Now that was a fast score by Minnesota.   
• Minnesota is now 1-22 under Jerry Kill when trailing at the half. 
• Ryan Santoso's 52 yard FG into the wind in the 4th quarter was clutch. 
• Lots of over pursuit & missed tackles by the normally stout Gophers defense.
• David Cobb keeps churning.  194 yards on 35 carries, plus 1 TD.  
• That late fourth down stop by the Gophers was huge!
• Minnesota has now won 7 of their last 9 Big Ten games!
• Purdue's bubble screens were killing the Gophers. 
• Tracy Claeys does it again with his 2nd half adjustments!  
• 2nd half score:  Minnesota 19, Purdue 7
• Even it failed, I liked that Gopher fake extra point attempt, Santoso is huge. 
• The officiating in this game was absolutely horrible. 
• It was nice to see Mitch Leidner hit his WR's in the 2nd half. 
• I loved the hustle from Robert Ndondo-Lay. 
• 2 interceptions by Cedric Thompson. 
• Purdue's speedy playmakers were giving Minnesota fits. 
• Austin Appleby was giving me Drew Brees flashbacks.  
• Darrell Hazell seems to have the Purdue program headed in the right direction.
• They set an attendance record at TCF Bank Stadium.  
• Up next?  @ Illinois next Saturday.