Minneapolis - Yards don’t always equal points.
The MSU football team proved that Saturday as it posted 472 yards in a 28-19 loss to Minnesota at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
“It is baffling, and it’s been baffling,” sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker said. “This isn’t the first time this has happened to us. We had so many yards on offense and not the points to show for it - I don’t know the reason for it.”
The offense took another blow on Sunday, when it learned that senior backup quarterback Ryan Van Dyke will be out at least three weeks to heal his broken jaw.
Van Dyke went into the game in the third quarter and completed 6 of 12 passes for 93 yards before Gopher defensive tackle Dan Kwapinski and defensive end Tony Dupree sandwiched him.
The hit gave Van Dyke a mild concussion and broke his jaw. Team oral surgeon Gary Dwight wired his jaw shut Sunday.
“After three weeks, we’ll evaluate the healing process and reassess his playing status,” said Jeff Monroe, the team’s head trainer, in a statement.
Van Dyke had played in all five games as a backup and had 569 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
“I feel so badly for Ryan Van Dyke,” head coach Bobby Williams said in a statement. “Ryan was on pace to have the best season of his career. I hope he gets another opportunity to get back on the field.”
But with or without him, the team must solve its offensive problems, senior linebacker Josh Thornhill said.
As impressive as MSU’s 351-yards passing were, Minnesota’s 322-rushing yards proved to be the difference, Thornhill said.
“What can I say?” Thornhill said. “They ran the ball well - we missed tackles.”
But even if it was unable to stop Minnesota’s (2-4, 1-3 Big Ten) running game and to post points, MSU (3-2 overall, 1-2) still had opportunities to win the game.
“There were plenty of times to come back, but we just came up empty handed,” Williams said.
After Minnesota running back Tellis Redmon scored a touchdown to give the Gophers a 21-17 lead with 7:54 left, MSU rumbled to the Minnesota 43-yard line. But that’s where it was halted. On third-and-seven, Smoker’s pass went through the hands of sophomore wide receiver Charles Rogers.
“I couldn’t reel it in,” Rogers said. “I take credit for the mistake. It was just one of those plays.”
Minnesota linebacker Phil Archer foiled a fourth-and-seven attempt on the next play, when he broke up a pass to senior wide receiver Herb Haygood.
Although Haygood recorded 117 yards on eight catches, he said he didn’t perform when it counted.
“When the team was counting on me, I dropped a pass on fourth down. No matter what I did before, it doesn’t matter. We lost the game.”
The Gophers took over possession and running back Marion Barber III sealed the win for the Golden Gophers with a 39-yard touchdown run that put his team up 28-17 with 3:31 remaining.
MSU had one final hope for a comeback. Smoker launched a pass from the 32-yard line to sophomore wide receiver Ziehl Kavanaght, but it was picked off by cornerback Ukee Dozier at the MSU 2-yard line.
