Gophers knock off Cougars
Wake Forest topples Temple; Army earns overtime victory
SAN DIEGO — Shannon Brooks caught a tipped pass from Mitch Leidner for a 13-yard, go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, beset by turmoil after 10 players were suspended after a sexual assault investigation, upset QB Luke Falk and the Washington State Cougars 17-12 in the Holiday Bowl on Tuesday night.
It was one of the few exciting plays in an otherwise pedestrian edition of what traditionally has been one of the country’s most exciting bowl games.
WSU cornerback Marcellus Pippins reached up with his right hand and deflected Leidner’s pass in the end zone but it went right to Brooks for the TD and a 10-6 lead. That capped an 84-yard, 10-play drive on Minnesota’s first possession of the second half.
The Golden Gophers (9-4) were looking to regroup after backing down from a threat to skip this game if 10 teammates suspended after a sexual assault investigation weren’t reinstated. Their boycott lasted less than 36 hours, with university leadership never blinking. The players backed down amid pressure from many who read details of the allegations.
WSU (8-5) ended on a three-game losing streak and was held to its lowest point total of the season. The Cougars had scored more than 50 points four times this season, a school record.
The Golden Gophers frustrated Falk most of the game, holding him to 264 yards — 86 below his average — on 30-of-51 passing.
Military Bowl
WAKE FOREST 34, TEMPLE 26: In Annapolis, Md., the Demon Deacons (7-6) attached a positive ending to a season marred by scandal, using a strong performance by quarterback John Wolford to beat the heavily favored Owls (10-4).
After throwing an interception on the first series of the game — a turnover Temple used to take a 7-0 lead — Wolford helped the Demon Deacons rattle off 31 straight points before halftime.
Wolford left with a neck strain in the third quarter with the score 31-17. Wake Forest (7-6) then withstood a comeback bid by Temple (10-4) to secure its first winning season since 2008.
Heart of Dallas Bowl
ARMY 38, NORTH TEXAS 31 (OT): In Dallas, for Army coach Jeff Monken, there was never really a second thought about what to do on fourth down from the 3 on the opening possession of overtime. Not with the way the triple-option Black Knights (8-5) dominate running the ball and struggle kicking it.
Jordan Asberry took a toss and scored Army’s sixth rushing touchdown in a win over North Texas (5-8).
“One of our goals is not flinch and believe no matter what,” said quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw, who ran for 129 yards and a score. “A lot of people say it’s a questionable call. … We were determined to get it in.”
The Black Knights finished with 480 yards rushing, including 119 yards and two TDs by Darnell Woolfolk. Asberry’s score was the 46th rushing touchdown this season, breaking the school record held by the 1945 national championship team that had two Heisman Trophy winners in the backfield.