Defense shines, but Jacks fall at Minnesota

Saturday, November 14

Minneapolis, Minn.

11 a.m.

South Dakota State University

7-3 , 6-1

Minnesota

6-5 , 3-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
South Dakota State	0	10	0	3	13
Minnesota Gophers	6	7	0	3	16

11/14/2009 8:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

MINNEAPOLIS - Eric Ellestad's third field goal of the game, with 2 minutes and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, gave Minnesota a 16-13 victory over visiting South Dakota State Saturday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium.

Minnesota improved to 6-5 overall and became bowl-eligible with the victory. SDSU, ranked 12^th in the Football Championship Subdivision, dropped to 7-3 overall.

South Dakota State turned the ball over a season-high four times, including a botched snap deep in their own territory that set up the Gophers for the winning score.

Neither team scored an offensive touchdown in the defensive struggle. The Jackrabbits grabbed a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter as linebacker Derek Domino recorded his team-leading fifth interception of the season and returned the pick 22 yards for a touchdown.

Minnesota returned the favor on the Jackrabbits' next offensive possession. Redshirt quarterback Thomas O'Brien was sacked and stripped of the ball by defensive back Michael Carter and D.L. Wilhite picked the ball out of mid-air for a 3-yard touchdown return.

The Golden Gophers took an early 6-0 lead with field goals on consecutive first-quarter possessions. Minnesota's best drive of the day, a 13-play, 78-yard march ended with a 23-yard field goal by Ellestad.

An interception by Traye Simmons on the next Jackrabbit drive gave Minnesota the ball at the SDSU 40. The Jackrabbits fended off first-and-goal from the 8 before Ellestad booted a 26-yard field goal.

SDSU appeared on the verge of cracking the scoring column as Tyrel Kool broke off a season-best 84-yard kickoff return coupled with a face-mask penalty that gave SDSU the ball at the Minnesota 6-yard line. However, O'Brien was picked off for the second time in the game on the second play of the drive.

The Jackrabbits again used a long return on special teams to get on the board early in the second quarter. Saunders Montague returned a punt 49 yards to the Minnesota 11, but the Jackrabbits could only get to the 3 before settling for a 20-yard field goal by Peter Reifenrath.

SDSU struggled offensively throughout much of the first half and did not record a first down until their sixth drive of the game.

The Jackrabbits missed on a couple chances in the kicking game in the middle quarters. Kyle Harris missed wide left on a 49-yard attempt to end the first half and Reifenrath couldn't convert a 25-yarder midway through the third quarter.

Reifenrath came back to tie the game at 13-all in at the 8:27 mark of the fourth quarter with a 34-yard attempt.

With under five minutes remaining, SDSU took over at its own 18-yard line. On second down, O'Brien couldn't corral a low snap and defensive end Cedric McKinley fell on the loose football for the Golden Gophers at the Jackrabbit 11.

The Jackrabbit defense again held firm, holding Minnesota to three yards before Ellestad's game-winning field goal.

SDSU had two more chances, crossing midfield after a short kickoff on the first possession, but could muster only one first down the rest of the way.

Total yardage was nearly identical as Minnesota held a 231-229 advantage. The Golden Gophers gained 137 yards on the ground, led by Kevin Whaley's 56 yards on 16 carries. Adam Weber was 10-for-21 passing for 94 yards, with Nick Tow-Arnett leading the receiving corps with four catches for 39 yards.

SDSU gained 183 of its yards through the air as O'Brien finished the game 15-of-39 with the two interceptions. Glen Fox posted a team-best five receptions for 95 yards, including a 51-yard reception late in the second quarter. Kyle Minett gained 79 yards on 19 carries as he topped the 1,000 mark for the second consecutive season.

Danny Batten paced the Jackrabbit defense with a career-high 12 tackles and collected one of the team's four sacks. Conrad Kjerstad added eight stops.

Lee Campbell and Kim Royston each registered six tackles to lead Minnesota.

SDSU closes out the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 21) at Western Illinois. Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m. at Hanson Field in Macomb, Ill. Minnesota travels to Iowa.

NOTES: Minnesota leads the all-time series 7-0 ... the two teams had not played each other since 1933 ... the Jackrabbits dropped to 0-2 against Football Bowl Subdivision teams since moving to Division I at the start of the 2004 season ... SDSU hadn't played a game in the state of Minnesota since traveling to Winona State in 2003 ... Minett became the first Jackrabbit to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons since Josh Ranek in 1998 and 1999 ... Fox moved into eighth place on the SDSU career receiving yards chart ?with 1,725, passing both Darren Baartman (1,658 yards from 1988-91) and Lionel Macklin (1,700 yards from 1977-79) ... Domino has returned three of eight career interceptions for touchdowns, including two this season ... attendance was listed as a sellout crowd of 50,805, including several thousand Jackrabbit fans