Bulldogs Lose a Heartbreaker at Minnesota, 21-14

MINNEAPOLIS - The Fresno State football team lost a heartbreaker at Minnesota on Saturday evening, falling 21-14 at TCF Bank Stadium. After converting a fourth-and-3 from the Minnesota 10-yard line, Fresno State was set up with first-and goal from the Golden Gopher 4-yard line with 1:24 remaining in the game.

The 'Dogs pulled a play out of the book from 2017, a halfback pass attempt from Josh Hokit to try and knot the game. But this one, intended for tight end Jared Rice in the back of the end zone, was intercepted by Minnesota defensive back Antonie Winfield Jr. to dash the Bulldogs' hopes of winning their first game on Big Ten soil since defeating Illinois 53-52 in 2009.

Fresno State was stymied for much of the first half by the Gophers' defense, totaling 104 yards offense, but came alive in the second half. Entering the third quarter trailing 10-0, the Bulldogs scored two touchdowns in the second half and took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter, 14-13. Minnesota regained the lead with 3:28 left in the contest and it proved to be enough to win the game.

Fresno State senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion went 23-of-32 through the air for 205 yards with a pair of touchdowns and his first interception of the season while adding 15 yards on the ground. Sophomore running back Jordan Mims led the 'Dogs rushing attack with 41 yards on 10 carries. The Bulldogs rushed for 87 yards as a team. On the receiving end, senior wide receiver KeeSean Johnson led the team with six receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown while Rice added five catches for 31 yards and a score.

Defensively, junior linebacker Jeff Allison had a career-high 15 tackles while junior safety Mike Bell chipped in a career-best 11 tackles, including five solo. The Bulldog defense did force one turnover in the third quarter as senior cornerback Tank Kelly forced a fumble that was recovered by senior defensive lineman Patrick Belony. The Bulldogs manufactured their first points of the game off that turnover.

How It Happened
Minnesota started the scoring on its second offensive drive by manufacturing a lengthy 14-play, 80-yard drive that ran 7:17 off the clock. Gopher redshirt sophomore Seth Green punched the ball in from one-yard out to give Minnesota a 7-0 lead.

Facing its first deficit of the season, the 'Dogs looked to get its offense going, but McMaryion threw his first interception of the season on the ensuing possession to give Minnesota the ball back at the Bulldogs' 41-yard line.

The 'Dogs defense came up big allowing only one yard after that turnover and nearly had a turnover of their own as Allison snagged a pass attempt on third-and-9, but was unable to stay in bounds. Minnesota finished the half with a 10-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 53-yard field goal by Emmit Carpenter to take a 10-0 lead into the locker room.

After the teams traded punts to start the second half, the Bulldogs defense produced their first turnover of the game deep in the Gophers' own territory. Anthoula Kelly forced the fumble and Patrick Belony pounced on top of it to spark the Bulldogs' offense. Fresno State took advantage going on a four-play, 17-yard drive to score with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter to pull within three, 10-7. Rice capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown catch from McMaryion.

Carpenter added his second 50-plus yard field goal of the game (50 yards) to put Minnesota ahead 13-7 before a quick strike by the 'Dogs gave Fresno State its lone lead of the game.

The 'Dogs went on a five-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by McMaryion connecting with Johnson for 45 yards to push the 'Dogs in the lead, 14-13.

The lead was short-lived as the Gophers, as they did all game, pounded the ball on the ground for a 10-play, 74-yard drive that ate up 4:52 off the clock. Green ran in from three yards out and after a successful two-point conversion, the Gophers held a 21-14 lead. The drive was kept alive after a 13-yard completion along the sideline on a third-and-nine by a scrambling Zack Annexstad in Minnesota territory. That was followed by a 15-yard sideline infraction penalty called on Fresno State to set the Gophers up at the Bulldogs' 28-yard line.

Facing a fourth-and-3 from the Gophers 10-yard line, McMaryion found Justin Allen for six yards and a first down to extend the game, but after a timeout, the Gophers came up with the play that seal the game.

Quotables
Fresno State Head Coach Jeff Tedford
On the message to the team after the game....
"Disappointed obviously, we came here to win a football game. I am proud of them how they came back to compete and to be in position to tie the game at the end. The guys fought hard. We will clean some things up and get ready for next week."

On getting the offense going in the second half....
"We had a lot of plays that we needed to get to and started making some plays in the second half."

Notables

Jared Rice's caught his fifth career touchdown.
Jeff Allison piled up a career-high 15 tackles
Mike Bell had a career-high 11 stops.
Mykal Walker and James Bailey recorded nine stops each.
Fresno State upped its points off turnovers to 45 for the year with seven at Minnesota.
With six catches, KeeSean Johnson jumped to No. 6 on the all-time careers catch list at 192.
With 89 receiving yards, KeeSean Johnson entered the all-time top 10 in career receiving yardatege with 2,330.

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" - 940 AM ESPN Radio and 1600 AM ESPN Deportes is the official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs.