With Minnesota’s football team trailing 21-20 to Purdue late in the fourth quarter, the Gophers needed a big play from quarterback Bryan Cupito.
And on a crucial third-and-eight from his own 22, Cupito delivered.
An interception.
Purdue linebacker Dan Bick picked off Cupito on Minnesota’s 29 and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Boilermakers a comfortable 28-20 lead with 5:45 left in Saturday’s homecoming game at the Metrodome.
“I think about Bryan Cupito, throwing that interception for a touchdown,” Gophers coach Glen Mason said. “I’ve got to admit, (I was thinking) How did you do that? Here we go again.”
But somehow, despite throwing three interceptions earlier in the game, with his confidence having taken a – make that three – serious blows, somehow, Cupito collected himself on Minnesota’s next drive.
Then again, collected might be a gross understatement.
He threw his first pass away after being chased out of the pocket. Then Cupito marched the Gophers down the field, completing 4-of-4 passing attempts and also converting a third-and-one on a quarterback sneak that set up first and goal.
With 1:34 left in regulation, Cupito hit tight end Matt Spaeth over the middle for an 8-yard touchdown pass that put the score at 28-26.
On a do-or-die two-point conversion attempt, Minnesota used one of Purdue’s favorite offensive plays so far this season – the option – and Cupito ran to the right, kept it and barreled into the end zone for the late tie.
“You know what I said in the huddle?” the less-than speedy Cupito said. ” ‘You guys aren’t going to believe what they just called.’ But hey, it worked.”
But that was only the first challenge. Purdue got the ball first in overtime and scored a touchdown in just four plays to take a 35-28 lead.
But again, Cupito led the Gophers down the field, but the drive stalled at the Boilermakers’ 8-yard line.
On fourth down, with Purdue’s eighth straight win over the Gophers just a single play from becoming a reality, Cupito came through again, hitting wide open receiver Logan Payne on a slant to tie the score again.
“I knew I had to do something,” Cupito said. “I took it personally. I was letting the team down throwing three interceptions so I had to bounce back quick. I couldn’t believe how wide open (Payne) was.”
After Gary Russell ran in a 3-yard score and Minnesota’s defense held off Purdue, the Gophers stormed the field in celebration.
It’s entirely possible nobody is celebrating more than Cupito.
“He was our team down the stretch,” Spaeth said. “He played great. We need a quarterback and a leader like that to be able to bounce back from adversity and that is what we did. We went out there and played our hearts out, and we came out on top.”