Get comfortable, Floyd. You're staying in Minnesota for another year.
The Gophers scored back-to-back touchdowns on Saturday, with a perfectly executed onside kick in between, and Minnesota rallied for its first Big Ten victory of the season, 22-21 over Iowa.
The Gophers' first two-game winning streak over Iowa in a decade means Floyd of Rosedale, the 98-pound bronze-pig trophy, stays in Minnesota's trophy case for at least another 12 months.
MarQueis Gray rolled to his right and beat Iowa linebacker James Morris to the pylon for a 3-yard touchdown with 2:48 to play. That gave the Gophers their first lead of any kind in a Big Ten game this season.
Minnesota's defense held Iowa without a first down on the ensuing possession, and Minnesota ran out the clock, then paraded around TCF Bank Stadium with Floyd -- a scene reminiscent of their last conference victory, also against Iowa, in last year's season finale.
Iowa tailback Marcus Coker romped through Minnesota's defense for 252 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries, but the Gophers countered with 101 yards from Duane Bennett -- including a 1-yard touchdown with 8:22 remaining that pulled Minnesota within five points.
The Gophers didn't wait for another chance. Kicker Jordan Wettstein bounced the kickoff high in the air, and after it went the required 10 yards, and bounced out of reach of Gopher freshman Lamonte Edwards, Kim Royston smothered the ball.
Newly energized, the Gophers marched down the field in 12 plays, finally scoring on Gray's rollout.
The victory improves Minnesota to 2-6 on the season and 1-3 in the Big Ten. Iowa is 5-3 and 2-2.
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