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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
New Mexico State
Gophers Fall to New Mexico State, 28-21
9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Sept. 10, 2011
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
Update on Coach Kill
Team Doctor Addresses Media
McKnight, Stoudermire are bright spots
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - New Mexico State's 28-21 victory at Minnesota on Saturday afternoon was overshadowed by a health scare for Gophers head coach Jerry Kill, who had an apparent seizure on the sideline and was taken from the stadium by ambulance with 20 seconds left in the game.
Andrew Manley passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns for the Aggies (1-1), who beat a Big Ten team for the first time in program history. The Gophers (0-2) had the ball at the New Mexico State 25-yard line and were trying for the tying touchdown when medical personnel suddenly surrounded Kill.
After about 15 minutes, Kill was hoisted on a stretcher and rolled off the field as the crowd clapped and chanted his first name.
Marqueis Gray, who was relieved briefly in the third quarter by freshman Max Shortell, finished with 110 yards rushing on 17 attempts. He went 16 for 32 through the air for 211 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
After falling behind the Aggies 7-0 on the opening drive, Gray helped lead the Gophers on an 88-yard drive for a tying touchdown, capped by a 4-yard run that marked the first career touchdown for freshman Lamonte Edwards.
Da'Jon McKnight, who enjoyed a career day with 9 catches for 146 yards, made a handful of acrobatic catches on the Gophers' final drive of the second quarter, and tight end Colin McGarry dived to haul in a 10-yard score in the corner of the end zone and pull the Gophers within 21-14 right before the half.
Gray also threaded a perfect pass to McKnight on a quick post route for a 4-yard touchdown with 11:47 left, pulling the Gophers within 28-21.
Gray nearly tied the game later on a rollout with a head-first dive at the pylon with 7:51 left, and the initial ruling on the field was a touchdown. But a replay review determined his foot was out of bounds. On fourth and 1, Edwards was stopped and NMSU took over.
Robert Clay and Victor Johnson ground down the clock for the Aggies, and the Gophers didn't get the ball back until 2:09 remained, starting at their own 11-yard line with no timeouts.
Gray was at his best on this final drive, but after a 13-yard scamper and a quick spike to stop the clock, Kill went down.
After the delay, Gray went 0 for 3 on his last three passes and the Aggies emerged with the victory.
With 65 yards on three returns on the day, kick returner Troy Stoudermire surpassed the 3,025-yard mark set by Wisconsin's David Gilreath to set a new career Big Ten record.
