11/22/25 03:07:00
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11/22 15:02 CST Olsen's 3rd field goal of game lifts Northwestern to wild 38-35
win over Minnesota
Olsen's 3rd field goal of game lifts Northwestern to wild 38-35 win over
Minnesota
By MATT CARLSON
Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) --- Jack Olsen's third field goal of the game, from 33 yards,
snapped a tie with 53 seconds left and Northwestern ended a three-game losing
streak with a wild 38-35 win over Minnesota at Wrigley Field on Saturday.
Olsen's boot capped a 14-play, 60-yard drive as Northwestern rebounded from a
28-13 third-quarter deficit to snap a three-game losing streak. Minnesota's
Brady Denaburg's 40-yard field-goal attempt as time expired went wide to the
left, and the Wildcats (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) held on for their first victory ever
at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs in eight tries dating to 1923.
Preston Stone threw for two touchdowns and 305 yards on 25-for-30 passing.
Caleb Komolafe hauled in his first reception touchdown this season and ran for
another to increase his season total 11 TDs and finish with 129 total yards.
Griffin Wilde pulled in a reception TD and 111 total yards and Joseph Himon II
rushed for a score.
Drake Lindsey passed for four touchdowns --- three to Javon Tracy --- but
Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) lost its second straight.
Lindsey, a 20-year-old redshirt freshman, finished with 264 yards on 20-for-30
passing. He started connecting consistently after Northwestern got out to 10-0
and 13-7 leads after it scored on its first three possessions.
Linsdey hit Lemeke Brockington with an 8-yard pass for his fourth TD with 8:20
left in the fourth as Minnesota tied it 35 all on a zippy six-play, 75-yard
drive. Komolafe's second touchdown of the game, on a short pass from Stone had
put Northwestern ahead two minutes earlier.
Northwestern dominated in total yards, 525-323 thanks to a 220-59 advantage in
rushing in a game that became a shootout after a choppy penalty-filled first
quarter.
Darius Taylor rushed for Minnesota's first touchdown and 43 yards. Koi Perich
had a 93-yard kickoff return in the second quarter.
Tracy, a junior wide receiver, had his first multi-TD game with the Golden
Gophers and upped his season total to six. The transfer from Miami (Ohio)
became the first Minnesota player with three TD receptions in a game since
Rashod Bateman, now with the Baltimore Ravens, did it against Northwestern on
Nov. 23, 2019.
The takeaway
Minnesota: Lindsey, Tracy and the passing game were impressive, but Minnesota
couldn't protect or build on a 28-13 lead it opened early in the third quarter
--- and couldn't bounce back from a 42-13 loss at No. 6 Oregon last week,
Northwestern: The Wildcats rebounded from a 24-22 loss to Michigan at Wrigley
Field last week when Dominic Zvada kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired.
With their sixth win, Northwestern is bowl-eligible for the second time in
coach David Braun's three seasons.
Up next
Minnesota hosts Wisconsin on Saturday to concludes its regular season
Northwestern plays at Illinois on Saturday in its regular-season finale.
___
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