The Minnesota Gophers team from 2019, the one with a consistent defense, powerful rush and dazzling passing game, seemed to have disappeared in the 0-2 start to 2020.
At Illinois on Saturday, it made a triumphant return.
For the first win of the year, the Gophers overpowered Illinois, 41-14, Saturday in Champaign, Ill., to begin salvaging this delayed and shortened nine-game Big Ten season. What the Gophers struggled with to start the season, while not completely perfect, was much improved against the Illini, an 0-3 team with a despairing offense on its fourth-string quarterback.
The Gophers defense entered the game allowing a conference-worst 578 offensive yards per game. And when defensive coordinator Joe Rossi tested positive for COVID-19 this week and wouldn't make the trip to call the game, it could have been another setback for the inexperienced unit.
Instead, Joe Harasymiak, the co-DC and defensive backs/safeties coach — led the unit to giving up just 287 yards to Illinois, including just 106 in the air.
Offensively, the Gophers had leaned heavily on running back Mohamed Ibrahim, whose six touchdowns and 347 total yards led the Big Ten heading into this matchup. And while he was still a huge impact player who had career-tying game, rushing 30 times for 224 yards and four touchdowns, others lent their contributions as well.
Redshirt freshman running back Treyson Potts, the No. 2 behind Ibrahim, ran in his first college score on a 9-yard rush with 3:29 left in the first quarter to start the Gophers with the lead.
Reigning Big Ten Receiver of the Year Rashod Bateman also recorded his first touchdown of the season at 13:23 in the second quarter, catching a 5-yard pass from quarterback Tanner Morgan.
Ibrahim's first score came on a 1-yard rush at 8:09 in the second before Illinois finally broke through onto the scoreboard. Illinois running back Mike Epstein met Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin at the goal line but spun away from him for a 1-yard score at 5:32 in the second quarter.
Ibrahim was back again with 24 seconds left until halftime, this time with some rugby-like help from his offensive line, who helped push the huddle across the threshold for a 2-yard touchdown. That drive was another throwback to last season, as it covered 75 yards in 10 plays and ate up more than five minutes.
The junior added a third touchdown late in the third quarter on a 1-yard rush.
A Morgan interception set the Illini up for a score, with quarterback Coran Taylor throwing 52 yards to Josh Imatorbhebhe at 11:30 in the fourth quarter. Morgan went 17 of 27 for 231 yards and one touchdown.
For the second-consecutive game, Ibrahim scored four touchdowns, again tying a school record. His 4-yard score with 8:29 left in the game also helped solidify his second-consecutive 200-yard game, making him just the second Gophers player to accomplish that feat.
