Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 11.11.24

Nov 11

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Vikings Dominate Jags but Survive by Just Five Points

If you looked at the stat book from Sunday’s Vikings and Jaguars game, minus the interception total for Sam Darnold, you’d have thought Minnesota won by five touchdowns, not five points.

The Vikings dominated the Jaguars in pretty much every facet of the game, yet needed their defense to secure three turnovers in the fourth quarter to survive 12-7. In his NFL debut, John Parker Romo kicked two of his four field goals - Minnesota’s only points of the game - in the fourth quarter.

The 7-2 Vikings remain a game behind Detroit, which won despite five interceptions - all in the first half - from Jared Goff. Minnesota is at two-win Tennessee this Sunday.

Minnesota outgained two-win Jacksonville 402 yards to 143. The Vikings’ 42:19 time of possession was the most of any NFL team this season. Twenty-eight first downs to 10. If they track it, the Vikings were the better team.

But Darnold threw three interceptions - and a fourth that was overruled by a penalty. All three were intended for Justin Jefferson.

Minnesota had a 17-play drive end in an interception. The Vikings had drives of 16, 14 and 12 yards without scoring a single touchdown.

Wild Falls in OT in Road Trip Finale

The Wild took five points out of six on a road trip that finished with a 2-1 loss in Chicago last night. The Wild played a LOT like a team that played back-to-back games in California - one in Northern and one in Southern - and flew past their own homes to play a game in Chicago.

But they got a big goal from Matt Boldy late in regulation to garner the overtime point. The 10-2-3 Wild is five points behind league-leading Winnipeg, which became the first team in NHL history to win 14 of its first 15 games.

Minnesota gets three much needed days off before hosting a bad Montreal team on Thursday.

Wolves Lose One They Shouldn’t Have

An inexcusable 95-94 loss at home to the four-win Miami Heat last night for the Wolves. Nineteen turnovers for Minnesota, including six from Anthony Edwards. Ant Man also missed 16 of the 24 field goals he took.

Chris Finch made a risky late move taking defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert out of the game, and Nikola Jovic got a three-point play in the paint less than two seconds later.

The Wolves are 6-4 but have sleptwalked through too many games or parts of games as they hit the seven eighths pole.

The Wolves play at Portland for back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday. Minnesota blasted the Blazers by 25 last week.

Former Gopher QB Kaliakmanis Lifts Rutgers over Minnesota

It’s safe to say that since they recruited him, Saturday was the first time Gopher coaches watched Athan Kaliakmanis at QB and noticed he was the best signal caller in the game.

Kaliakmanis outplayed Max Brosmer and Rutgers beat the Gophers 26-19 in a game Minnesota should not have lost.

Minnesota has two full weeks to think about this one before hosting a top 10 Penn State team, too.

Kaliakmanis went 8-9 over two seasons for the Gophers. But he diced the Minnesota defense for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

The Gophers had no running game - Brosmer had to throw 45 times.

Gopher Hockey Runs Win Streak to Eight

The Gopher men ran their winning streak to eight games with a pair of 3-2 wins in Wisconsin. Jimmy Snuggerud’s second goal of the game, in the third period, secured Friday’s win. Saturday, Brodie Ziemer scored in overtime for the win.

With series against Bemidji State and Alaska at Mariucci surrounding a road series in Notre Dame, it’s possible the Gophers’ win streak could hit 14 heading into the Michigan series at home Dec. 6-7.

The Gopher women were off this week and they return to WCHA play with a series at UMD this weekend.

Gopher Basketball Teams Both Undefeated

The Gopher men snuck by Omaha 68-64 Saturday at The Barn to move to 2-0. Dawson Garcia, who eschewed $1 million in NIL money to stay at Minnesota this season, scored 24 points. The Gophers host North Texas on Wednesday.

The Gopher women shook off a slow start Friday before pulling away from Vermont 74-52 behind 21 points each from Amara Battle and Mara Braun. The Gophers host UMass-Lowell on Tuesday.

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