Gophers safety Tyler Nubin’s two interceptions vs. Nebraska had been predicted

After treating Gopher fans with his game-turning interception in Thursday’s 13-10 victory over Nebraska, Tyler Nubin planned to become a fan himself.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to make a play and have Gus Johnson’s high-pitched voice on the TV screen,” the Minnesota senior safety said postgame. “I’m definitely going to have to watch that one back.”

Nubin can grab some popcorn, fast forward the recorded season opener to 1:09 left in the fourth quarter, sit back and turn up the volume.

Johnson’s trademark excitement was building during the telecast on FOX. Nebraska quarterback Jeff “Sims over the MIDDLEEE! INTERCEPTED! WHOA! TYLER NUBIN AGAIN! His second pick in this game.”

In front of representatives from 10 NFL teams, Nubin showed why he is considered one of the best safeties in the nation. The fifth-year senior, whose first interception of Sims came in the second quarter, recorded a team-high grade of 90.8, according to Pro Football Focus. He contributed three tackles as the U shut down the Cornhuskers outside of a busted trick play that ended up being a 35-yard touchdown.

During the Gophers’ comeback, head coach P.J. Fleck relayed postgame that he kept saying in the huddles: “Our best players have to make the plays. You go back to it: Justin Walley making plays. Tyler Nubin making plays. Daniel Jackson making plays.”

To tie the score at 10-10, the Gophers had just received Walley’s forced fumble and Jackson’s jaw-dropping touchdown catch, but still needed Nubin’s turnover to set up Dragan Kesich’s 47-yard field goal as time expired.

Nubin pounced on Sims for locking onto the post route in the middle of the field. “I just read his eyes, broke on the ball and made a play,” Nubin said.

Johnson wasn’t the only play-by-play commentator who left an impression on Nubin this week.

Soon after practice Wednesday, Nubin ran into Mike Grimm of KFAN. They said hi, exchanged a fist bump, and Grimm shared a prediction.

“I said, ‘I got you for two picks,’ ” Grimm relayed to the Pioneer Press on Friday. “(Nubin) was like, ‘I got you, man.’ Then we laughed.”

“Grimm did call that the other day,” Nubin confirmed in the postgame news conference. Then Nubin started joking, “It’s all cause of him. Put it on Mike. Mike got me those two picks.”

Nubin had eight career interceptions across 43 career games going into Thursday’s opener, so the odds of getting one, much less two, weren’t great.

Grimm said he does not regularly make predictions such as this one, but he believed Nubin would create big matchup problems for the Cornhuskers. He even mentioned the two-INT prediction to Fleck during a commercial break of the coach’s radio show last Friday.

“I hope you’re right,” Fleck responded.

Grimm took extra joy in how it went down Thursday because he has grown fond of Nubin over the years, with the St. Charles, Ill., native blossoming into a star player with a gregarious personality.

“He is so friendly,” Grimm said. “He is one of my favorite guys.”