MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Minnesota blocked Shawn Bibeau's field goal as time ran out, helping the struggling Gophers hold on for a 10-9 victory over Division I-AA North Dakota State before a crowd of 62,845 at the Metrodome on Saurday Oct. 21. It was the largest crowd to watch an NDSU football game

Amir Pinnix rushed 25 times for 97 yards and a 5-yard score with 10:36 left to give Minnesota (3-5) its first lead of the afternoon against the ninth-ranked team in I-AA.

Bibeau made kicks of 30, 39 and 41 yards for the Bison (6-1), but his 21-yard try in the third quarter banged off the left upright. He has 12 field goals for the season, one short of tying the NDSU single-season record.

Steve Walker, who went 22-for-37 for 237 yards and one interception, drove NDSU into range as the seconds ticked away and set Bibeau, a freshman from suburban White Bear Lake, up for a 42-yard attempt. The snap by Jeff Curtis was low, and a strong surge of Gophers overpowered the Bison line to get in the backfield for the dramatic block.

This was a big one for the Bison, easily the most anticipated matchup in the four years since they moved up from Division II. The last time they played Minnesota was 1937, and they've never beaten them in seven tries.

With the campus in Fargo less than four hours away by car and more than 12,000 alumni living in the Twin Cities area, fired-up NDSU fans wearing green and gold apparel clogged several sections of both decks in the Metrodome. The announced crowd of 62,845 was by far the largest here this season, boosted in part by a preseason rule that required customers to buy a ticket for this game if they wanted a seat for the Iowa game on Nov. 18.

Gophers fans have grown increasingly frustrated with coach Glen Mason and his program, and a 6-3 halftime deficit for the home team brought some boos from the student section - but they were barely audible because of all the roaring for the Bison.

NDSU made up for a disadvantage in speed and size with solid tackling, and a rushing defense that entered the weekend leading Division I-AA with an average of only 41.5 yards per game certainly held its own against a Minnesota team that is always a threat on the ground. The Bison gave up only 99 yards on the ground and have all seven opponents this season under 100 yards rushing.

On the other side of the ball, receivers Travis White (six receptions for 82 yards) and Kole Heckendorf (eight catches for 96 yards) were consistently open against a Gophers defense that gave up 48 points to Wisconsin last week and was missing two starters - cornerback Trumaine Banks and linebacker John Shevlin - to injuries.

NDSU senior halfback Kyle Steffes rushed for 138 yards on 29 carries. He topped 100 yards for the 17th time in his career and for the fifth time this season. The Bison held a 380-249 advantage in total offense and decided 34:57 to 25:03 edge in time of possession.

But the Bison had to be mad at themselves for not leading the entire game and pulling out their second win over a Division I-A team this year. They beat Ball State 29-24 on the road on Sept. 23.

Walker's pass was tipped by Steve Davis at the line and picked off by Jamal Harris at the Gophers 20-yard line late in the first quarter.

Then White, one of 33 players from Minnesota on the NDSU roster, fumbled a punt at his own 18-yard line less than 2 minutes later to set up a 30-yard field goal by Jason Giannini.

Giannini missed from 52 and 40 yards in the first half, both wide left.

After forcing the Gophers' Justin Kucek to punt for the fifth time, NDSU took the ball at the 16 with three timeouts remaining and 2:21 left on the clock and marched all the way to the Minnesota 25 in eight plays to give Bibeau a chance to win it.