MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota football team improved to 3-1 Saturday with a 24-7 win over San Jose State in a game that included a one-hour weather delay. It wasn't always pretty, especially when the Gophers tried to pass, but Minnesota got the job done.
Here's a look at the grades from Saturday's victory at TCF Bank Stadium:
With Minnesota's passing game almost entirely non-existent, it was up to the ground game to do most of the damage on offense. That's exactly what running back David Cobb and quarterback Chris Streveler did. Two games after rushing for a career-high 220 yards, Cobb gained 207 yards on 34 carries Saturday, including a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, Streveler -- who made his first career start -- ran the ball 18 times for 161 yards and a score. Berkley Edwards only got a few carries late and ran three times for nine yards. As a team, Minnesota racked up 380 rushing yards and averaged 6.6 yards per carry. With San Jose State struggling to stop the run, the Gophers didn't have to pass much.
One completion. That's all Minnesota managed Saturday against San Jose State's defense. In fairness to Streveler and the Gophers, he only attempted seven passes all game as the Spartans weren't able to do much against Minnesota's zone read offense. Still, there was no threat of a passing game to speak of. Streveler threw a few passes that probably should have been completed, but he also missed a few passes by quite a bit. It wasn't until about 6:30 left in the fourth quarter that Streveler finally completed a pass to wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky for a seven-yard gain. Minnesota didn't need to run the ball against San Jose State, but it likely will need to at least have some type of passing game next weekend against Michigan.
For as good as Minnesota's rushing offense was, its running defense was equally as impressive Saturday. The Spartans rushed 32 times but managed to gain just 68 total yards. On top of that, the Gophers forced three fumbles (one of which came when quarterback Jarrod Lawson had the ball slip out of his hand on a pass). Linebacker Damien Wilson had a big game, making a team-high nine tackles as well as forcing and recovering a fumble on a run play inside the Gophers' 10-yard line. Running back Jarrod Lawson had most of the carries for San Jose State but finished with just 56 net rushing yards -- an average of 3.1 yards per carry.
The Gophers' secondary was tested Saturday by Spartans quarterback Blake Jurich, and Minnesota's defense passed the test. Jurich was just 14-for-29 for 161 yards, and Minnesota intercepted him twice. The first pick came on the second play of the game when safety Damarius Travis had a Jurich pass come right to him. Later in the first half, cornerback Eric Murray made a play on a pass to pick it off in San Jose State territory just before halftime. Minnesota was able to turn that Murray pick into a late touchdown at the half.
Gophers kicker Ryan Santoso had yet to make a field goal this season and finally hit his first one in the first quarter when he connected from 38 yards out. He later pushed a 49-yard try wide right. Meanwhile, the Gophers' defense blocked a 52-yard field goal try by Spartans kicker Austin Lopez in the third quarter. There wasn't much of a return game to speak of, as the Gophers had just one punt return for zero yards and didn't have a kick return. Punter Peter Mortell had another strong day, averaging 44 yards per punt, with two of his four punts ending inside the 20-yard line.
Head coach Jerry Kill was clear after the game that he didn't care about how his team won, only that it did win. Minnesota's passing game was absent, yet the Gophers still won handily. We're seeing this defense continue to improve, as was evident by the five turnovers it forced Saturday. And Minnesota's rushing attack bounced back nicely after Cobb and Co. were shut down against TCU. Now the Gophers face another test as the Big Ten season begins.
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