Tanner Morgan completed 16 consecutive passes, leading the Minnesota Golden Gophers to a 30-23 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a Big Ten game on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Nebraska (3-5, 1-4 Big Ten) has lost four of its past five games, including two straight. Huskers kicker Connor Culp made a 50-yard field goal, but he missed an extra point wide left and a 27-yard field goal to the right.
Minnesota (4-2, 2-1) also stopped Nebraska on fourth down twice, including once at the goal line. The Gophers’ defense added a safety.
The Gophers won their second straight game and their first since standout running back Trey Potts was ruled out for the season. Potts is the second star Gophers running back to have his season ended, joining Mohamed Ibrahim.
With those two out, Morgan took over in the first half, completing 14 of 15 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He cooled off in the second half, finishing with 209 yards on 20-of-24 passing.
Chris Autman-Bell led the Gophers with 11 catches for 103 yards and one TD.
Austin Allen caught five passes for 121 yards and one TD for the Huskers. Adrian Martinez passed for 241 yards and one score.
Minnesota never trailed, leading 21-9 at halftime.
The Gophers scored on their first possession, putting together a 14-play, 61-yard drive. The key play was on a fourth-and-one from Nebraska’s 5-yard line as backup quarterback Cole Kramer completed a play-action touchdown pass to Brevyn Spann-Ford.
After Culp’s field goal, the Gophers scored on Morgan’s 28-yard TD pass to Mike Brown-Stephens.
Nebraska followed with Rahmir Johnson’s 6-yard TD run, although Culp missed the PAT.
Minnesota took a 21-9 lead on Morgan’s 7-yard TD pass to Autman-Bell.
Morgan was intercepted on his first two second-half passes. On his second pick — by Deontai Williams — Nebraska took the short field and scored on Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Nebraska had a chance to take the lead with less than four minutes left in the third, but the Huskers were stopped on two straight running plays at the goal line. First, Martinez was stuffed. Then, 245-pound running back Jaquez Yant slipped and was hammered by defensive back Tyler Nubin on fourth down.
With 4:45 to play, Minnesota stretched its lead to 23-16 when defensive end Esezi Otomewo harassed Martinez into a safety (intentional grounding from the end zone).
Minnesota put the game away with Bryce Williams’ 56-yard TD run with 2:12 left. Williams finished with 127 yards on 17 carries.
–Field Level Media
