Minnesota Golden Gophers Secure Victory Over UCLA Bruins in Week 7 College Football

The Minnesota Golden Gophers emerged victorious in their Week 7 college football matchup against the UCLA Bruins, played at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, October 12, 2024. The game, broadcast on the Big Ten Network, saw the Gophers leverage their strong defensive capabilities to secure the win.

One of the standout performers for the Gophers was running back Darius Taylor, who had an outstanding game with 144 yards on 25 carries and an additional 56 yards receiving on five receptions. This marked Taylor’s fourth game in his career with over 200 all-purpose yards and included a touchdown that helped the Gophers take a 14-10 lead in the third quarter.

The Gophers’ pass defense, which leads the FBS with just 114 yards allowed per game, was a key factor in their success. However, their run defense, which has shown vulnerabilities, was tested by UCLA’s rushing attack. Despite this, the Gophers managed to contain UCLA’s ground game, which ranks 132nd out of 134 FBS teams in rushing yards per game.

UCLA quarterback Justyn Martin had a solid debut, completing 22 of 30 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown, although the status of injured quarterback Ethan Garbers was a factor in the game strategy.

The game highlighted several notable stats, including the Gophers’ impressive interception record with 10 interceptions this season and their perfect conversion rate on all seven fourth-down attempts. Freshman Koi Perich from Minnesota also made a mark with six punt returns for 135 yards, the highest total for the program in a decade.