Minnesota’s O’Brien has dream come true getting into game

It was a moment Casey O’Brien dreamed about, but thought would never occur.

The walk-on, a four-time cancer survivor, made his first collegiate appearance Saturday in the Golden Gophers’ 42-7 victory against Rutgers. O’Brien was the holder on three successful extra points.

He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, when he was a freshman in high school. With Saturday’s outcome well in hand, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck called O’Brien’s No. 14 to hold for the point after for the Golden Gophers’ fourth extra point of the game.

After the kick, the entire team mobbed him on the field.

“Everything I’ve gone through was worth it,” O’Brien said. “It’s a moment I’ve been thinking about as a kid. It showed how much those guys cared about me.”

O’Brien’s parents flew in from Minnesota to witness what Fleck called ‘the most inspirational thing I’ve ever seen.”

Virginia Tech

In a game that took six overtimes and more than four hours to play, Virginia Tech finally put away North Carolina when third-team quarterback Quincy Patter- son’s 2-point conversion run in the sixth overtime propelled the Hokies to a wild 43- 41 victory in the longest game in ACC history. The game marked the debut of college football’s new overtime rules, which now call for going for 2 points after the fourth overtime. The Tar Heels received the ball first, but quarterback Sam Howell was tackled for a loss, setting up Patterson’s game-winning conversion.

Wisconsin

With 132 yards against Illinois, running back Jonathan Taylor (5,128 yards) became the fourth player in FBS his- tory to reach 5,000 yards before the end of his junior season. The other three: LaMichael James (Oregon, 2009-2011), Ron Dayne (Wisconsin, 1996-98) and Herschel Walker (Georgia, 1980-1982).

Michigan State

Another Spartans player has entered the transfer portal — tight end Noah Davis. He has played in four games this season but does not have a catch. It’s the third time this week the Spartans had a player enter the transfer portal.