Needing a field goal to win with less than two minutes on the clock, Brosmer had a chance to write a beautiful ending to his first game in a Gophers uniform.

He completed three consecutive passes to move the offense down the field. But a holding penalty on guard Tyler Cooper negated a 14-yard run that ultimately led to a missed 47-yard field goal by Dragan Kesich at the buzzer.

First games are usually an adventure, and the Gophers emptied their entire bag of sloppiness. They had two illegal formation penalties on punts, a dropped interception, two missed field goals, a penalty that negated a sack and fumble recovery and lost fumble by Brosmer that set up a North Carolina field goal in the fourth quarter.

The performance by their offense was uninspiring.

The Gophers managed only 244 total yards and two touchdowns against a defense that played so poorly last season that coach Mack Brown changed coordinators.

The Gophers were gifted their first touchdown after Justin Walley returned an interception 70 yards to the UNC 6.