Minnesota Postgame Notes
Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20 (overtime)
Sept. 5, 2009 – Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
• Minnesota played its first overtime game since Oct. 13, 2007 at Northwestern today. The victory improved
the Gophers to 2-2 in OT under head coach Tim Brewster and 3-7 overall.
• It was the first overtime win for Minnesota since defeating Miami-Ohio, 41-35, in triple OT on Sept. 8, 2007.
• The Gophers have now played overtime in two of three season openers under Brewster (2007 and 2009).
• Minnesota is now 88-32-6 all-time in season-openers with a 2-1 mark under Brewster.
• Today’s game marked the first season opener on the road for the Gophers under head coach Tim Brewster.
• It was also Minnesota’s first season debut against a BCS opponent, home or road, since the Gophers
opened the 1994 season vs. Penn State.
• Today’s win improved Minnesota to 2-1 all time against Syracuse and 14-10-3 vs. current members of the
BIG EAST Conference. It was the first Gopher win in the Carrier Dome.
• The Gophers have now won five straight regular season games vs. non-conference foes.
• The Gophers improved to 3-1 when opening on the road over the last 11 seasons.
• The Gophers trailed 20-14 at the break and won for the first time under Brewster when entering intermission
with a deficit on the scoreboard. Minnesota is now 1-5 with trailing at the half under Brewster.
Individual Notes
• With 9 receptions for 183 yards today, Eric Decker extended his consecutive games with a reception streak
to 27 games. The streak is the sixth-longest in the nation. It was also his eighth career 100-yard receiving
game – which is tied for third in school history. Decker’s 183 yards were the seventh-most in Gopher history
and the second-most of his career behind only the 190 yards he collected vs. Indiana last season.
• Weber’s TD pass was the 40th of Weber’s career. He now has at least one TD pass in 22 of 26 career
games and is tied for third on the Gophers’ career passing TD list. Weber completed 19 of 42 passes for 248
yards.
• Troy Stoudermire hauled in his first career touchdown reception with 11:48 to go in the first, snagging a 7-
yard pass from Adam Weber. Stoudermire finished the game with 4 catches for 22 yards, both career highs.
He had just three receptions all of last season.
• Sophomore running back Duane Bennett rushed for his eighth career touchdown (sixth rushing) on his first
touch of the ball in nearly a year with 14:41 to play in the first quarter. It was his first carry since going down
with a season-ending knee injury at Bowling Green last season on Sept. 6, 2008.
• Bennett finished the game with 16 carries for 78 yards.
• Senior Cedric McKinley recovered first career fumble on Syracuse’s first play from scrimmage to set up the
Gophers’ opening score of the game.
• All three starting linebackers hit career-high marks for tackles today, with seniors Lee Campbell (13) and
Simoni Lawrence (10) leading the way. Senior Nate Triplett collected nine and snagged his first career
interception in overtime to help set up the Gopher victory.
• Seven Gophers made their first career starts in today’s game. Seniors Cedrick McKinley and Barrett Moen
earned their first career starts at defensive end, while junior Kim Royston made his Gopher debut at safety.
On offense, juniors Matt Carufel and Jeff Wills made their first starts as Gophers on the offensive line. On
special teams junior place-kicker Eric Ellestad and true freshman Dan Orseske made their starting debuts.
• Ellestad connected on his first career field goal attempt, hitting a 26-yarder midway through the third quarter.
He finished the game making 3 of 4 attempts (26, 26 and 35), including the game-winner in overtime.
