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Upon further review: Minnesota vs. Colorado State
After having a week off, Minnesota didn't look to rusty in winning its final nonconference game of the season.
The Gophers were heavy favorites at home against Colorado State and while the final score was close -- 31-24 -- Minnesota was seemingly in control for most of the game.
Minnesota used a strong balanced offensive attack and made enough plays on defense to beat the Rams and advance to 3-0 with Big Ten play beginning next week.
A recap of Saturday's game:
-- Minnesota spent a lot of time in Colorado State's backfield. The tone was set on the first play from scrimmage for the Rams when Steven Richardson sacked quarterback Collin Hill, the first of three sacks for the Gophers on the day. Overall Minnesota had 14 tackles for loss.
-- With no score in the first quarter, Colorado State was driving and nearing the red zone. But Damarius Travis intercepted Rams QB Hill at the 6, killing the drive and giving Minnesota some momentum -- which it used in driving right down the field for a touchdown.
-- Minnesota's run game set up its first score. Putting a wide receiver in motion to the left, Mitch Leidner faked a handoff. Colorado State bit, with the defense moving in the direction of the receiver as Leidner ran to his right and untouched for an easy 6-yard touchdown run.
-- Rodney Smith showed some toughness, starting on his first touchdown run. He was hit near the goal line but just moved the pile into the end zone for the score. On his second TD, Smith lowered his shoulder and barreled his way in for a score. Smith also displayed a nice spin move in the backfield en route to a 17-yard gain.
-- Leidner completed 16 of 20 passes, but many of his throws were high. That's been an ongoing issue over the years and something to keep an eye on. Leidner also made a horrible decision on his interception before the half. He tried to force a ball in to a covered receiver near the sideline. It predictably did not end well.
-- Minnesota never felt like it was not in control once it took the lead in the second quarter. Colorado State made it 21-14 in the third quarter, but the Gophers went 76 yards in four plays to push it back to a two-score lead, 28-14. The Gophers just always seemed to have an answer.
-- Colorado State pulled off a beautiful fake punt in the fourth quarter. Minnesota had no idea it was coming, leaving the middle of the field wide open.
-- The Rams chances of winning -- or tying -- were slim as it were, but a penalty as Minnesota lined up for a punt with under a minute to go sealed their fate. Faced with 4th-and-1, the Gophers went for it and Brooks easily got a first down to finish off Colorado State.
-- Minnesota had 200-plus-yards rushing for the second straight game but for the first time against an FBS team since Nov. 21, 2015 vs. Illinois.
-- The Gophers also had 400-plus yards of total offense for the second straight game. Last season, Minnesota had five games of 400-plus yards.
-- Antonio Shenaut led Minnesota with a career-high 10 tackles.
-- Travis hadn't had an interception since Oct. 11, 2014 (Northwestern).
-- Because fashion matters, Minnesota is now 5-0 since 2012 when wearing a gold jersey with maroon pants and maroon helmet.
Minnesota gets to enter Big Ten play feeling good with a 3-0 record. The offense looked good and the defense did enough and should get better as they get some healthy bodies back. The Gophers also showed they can play in a close game. On the down side, Minnesota probably should have won by a larger margin against a team like Colorado State and it does make one wonder how the Gophers will handle some of the better Big Ten teams.
We're going with co-players this week. Running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks ran through the Colorado State defense all game. Smith rushed for 99 yards (5.8 average) and two touchdowns while Brooks, in his 2016 debut, had 85 yards (6.5 average) and one touchdown. The ground game was churning it out and was a big reason Minnesota won this game.
We mentioned above how Steven Richardson set the tone for Minnesota's pressure with a sack on the first play of the game. It also set the tone for Richardson, who had four tackles for loss among his seven tackles. In Minnesota's first two games, Richardson had six tackles and one TFL combined. The four TFL was a career high. Last year he had three . . . against Colorado State. The Rams won't miss playing against Richardson.
Midway through the second quarter, Colorado State had a 3rd-and-11. Hill looked to pass only he never saw or heard Tai'yon Devers, who got past an offensive lineman and stormed Hill from the quarterback's right side. Devers flattened Hill, with the quarterback's helmet flying off in one direction and the ball popping loose in another. Minnesota recovered and ended up getting a field goal to increase its lead 17-7. Devers has three sacks this year -- all of which also forced fumbles.
100 percent. Minnesota was 5-for-5 in the red zone against Colorado State and for the season the Gophers have scored all 14 of their trips inside the 20. Of those 14, all have resulted in touchdowns save one field goal. Not too shabby.
". . . this game rewards people who don't quit and I thought our kids competed all game long. The defense saved us before the half on the turnover where Mitch (Leidner) threw the interception. There at the end the offense got it done for us. We will win as a team but obviously we have some things to work on." -- head coach Tracy Claeys
"Seeing him make those moves on some of those defenders, I went over there after a play and asked if those where his 'Like Mike' cleats, but it's fun joking around with him when he makes plays like that." -- running back Shannon Brooks on Leidner
"They did a great job on third down and even the few times we were able to gain some momentum, they were able to answer every time, either offensively or answer defensively with a stop." -- Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo
Minnesota not only plays its first Big Ten game next Saturday but the Gophers also will play on the road for the first time this season as they travel to Penn State (2-2). The Nittany Lions have won both their home games this year, against Kent State and Temple.
Dave Heller is the author of the upcoming book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players from the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
