Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Ohio State Buckeyes Match Player Stats On Nov 07, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 7, 2015

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Cardale Jones passed for 187 yards and a touchdown and ran for an insurance score from 38 yards as No. 3 Ohio State held off a late Minnesota charge for a 28-14 win on Saturday night.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for a score in the first half for the Buckeyes and had his 14th straight game or 100 or more rushing yards with 114 while the defense also chipped in with a score.

Ohio State (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) has won 22 straight overall and 29 consecutive regular-season Big Ten games - the latter accomplishment ties the conference record set by the Florida State teams in the ACC from 1992-95.

But it wasn't easy. Down 21-7, Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner passed 57 yards to KJ Maye, then hit Rashad Still for a 10-yard score with 2:10 left in the game to make it 21-14.

Minnesota (4-5, 1-4) was unable to convert the ensuing onside kick and Jones, on a third-down play, ran up the middle untouched for the final score. He had 65 rushing yards.

Jones regained the starting he held the first seven games because J.T. Barrett, who started the previous game Oct. 24 against Rutgers, is suspended by coach Urban Meyer after being cited for driving while impaired.

Jones hit Michael Thomas for 6-yard score and a 21-0 lead with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Minnesota cut the deficit to 21-7 when Leidner threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Maye with 10:25 left in the game.

Ohio State scored all its points late in the second quarter for a 14-0 halftime lead after neither team shone offensively

The Buckeyes first got on the board with 4:53 left in the first half on a weird play that dramatically swung emotions.

Ohio State safety Vonn Bell returned an interception 16 yards for a touchdown but linebacker Joshua Perry was flagged for targeting Leidner when he nailed him at the Minnesota 3, apparently negating the score.

But after a quick review, Perry was not only allowed to stay in the game but the call was reversed and the touchdown stood.

On Ohio State's next possession, Jones drove the Buckeyes 77 yards in seven plays, capped by Elliott's 15-yard run with 59 seconds remaining. The key plays were Jones running 19 yards from his own 15 on a third-and-18 and his 44-yard pass to Jalin Marshall.

NOTES: Minnesota is the only team to play Ohio State and No. 8 TCU this season. The Gophers lost 23-17 to the Horned Frogs in the season opener. ... The kickoff temperature was 45 degrees, 30 degrees warmer than the game last season in Minneapolis when it also snowed. ... Ohio State is the third team from Ohio that Minnesota has played this season. The Golden Gophers beat Kent State 10-7 and Ohio 27-24. ... This was Minnesota's first game in Columbus since a 38-7 loss in 2009.