XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, free.tim.walz.deployment.run.run.run.away,   
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   From: slurp@slurp.slurp   
      
   The Gophers football team began its 2024 season with bad news as star   
   running back Darius Taylor was ruled out pregame, along with starting   
   safety Darius Green. With costly penalties, two missed field goals and a   
   plethora of mistakes, the Gophers fell to North Carolina 19-17 Thursday   
   night in front of an announced crowd of 50,805 at Huntington Bank Stadium   
   in Minneapolis.   
      
   Preseason All-American kicker Dragan Kesich missed a 27-yard field goal   
   early and his 47-yarder at the buzzer sailed wide right to give the   
   visiting Tar Heels the nonconference win.   
      
   Minnesota's new transfer quarterback Max Brosmer looked nervous in his   
   first FBS football game. He began the night 3-of-7 passing for 26 yards   
   through his first three drives. Right when it looked like he led the   
   offense down the field for a field goal, Kesich banged a 27-yard attempt   
   off the right upright.   
      
   North Carolina took advantage and put together a 90-yard touchdown drive,   
   taking a 7-0 lead.   
      
   Things continued to look like a struggle for Minnesota's offense, but   
   veteran cornerback Justin Walley reeled in an interception midway through   
   the second quarter and put together a highlight return, setting them up in   
   the red zone. Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major found the end zone on a 5-   
   yard carry, and Minnesota evened things at 7-7.   
      
   Brosmer and the Gophers (0-1) ended the first half with their most   
   successful drive, going 65 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a 20-yard   
   Daniel Jackson reception. Brosmer's quarterback sneak touchdown gave   
   Minnesota a 14-7 lead going into the half.   
      
   North Carolina dominated the third quarter, holding the ball for over 13   
   minutes. Despite a costly penalty, Minnesota's defense held firm at the   
   goal line and forced a pair of field goals, narrowing its lead to 14-13.   
   The Tar Heels (1-0) went into the fourth quarter without starting   
   quarterback Max Johnson, who was carted off with an injury, but an early   
   Brosmer fumble set up a third field goal from Noah Burnette to give UNC a   
   16-14 lead with just over nine minutes to play.   
      
   Right when it looked like Brosmer and the Gophers offense had nothing   
   left, Le'Meke Brockington hauled in a 22-yard reception only to fumble   
   before a lucky bounce put the ball right into the hands of Major, who   
   carried it for 16 more yards. That set up a 30-yard field goal by Kesich   
   for a 17-16 lead, but UNC answered with another field goal to go ahead 19-   
   17 with under two minutes to go.   
      
   After a night of bad passes and mistakes, Brosmer and the offense finally   
   moved the ball, going all the way down the field only to have Kesich pull   
   his 47-yard attempt wide right.   
      
   Brosmer finished 13 of 21 for 166 yards and a fumble.   
      
   Major had 73 rushing yards on 20 carries, but only two yards in the second   
   half.   
      
   Jackson led Minnesota receivers with four catches for 55 yards.   
      
   The worst is yet to come.   
      
   https://www.si.com/college/minnesota/gophers-football/gophers-offense-   
   looks-lost-in-season-opening-loss-to-north-carolina-01j6ahxv715c   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)