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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota-UNH Game Notes
9/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
Minnesota (2-0) 44, New Hampshire (1-1) 7
Attendance: 47,022
Sept. 8, 2012
SERIES NOTES
• Minnesota opened its 129th home season of college football today versus New Hampshire.
• The contest was the first ever between Minnesota and UNH.
• Today also marked Minnesota's first-ever game against a current member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
TEAM NOTES
• With the victory, Minnesota snapped a two-game losing streak versus NCAA Division I FCS opponents. The Gophers had dropped games to North Dakota State during 2011 and South Dakota during 2010.
• Minnesota owns a mark of 94-28-7 all-time in home openers and has combined to outscore its opposition, 3,417-1,503.
• The Gophers improved to 9-13 in games at TCF Bank Stadium, and are 8-7 since the start of 2010.
• Four of Head Coach Jerry Kill's five wins at Minnesota have come at home.
• The Gophers won a home opener for the first time since 2009 and improved to 14-3 in their past 17 home openers.
• Kill's record in home games improved to 79-29 (.731), and his teams have outscored their opening-day opponents at home, 795-220. He is now 14-5 in home openers and has won 10 of his past 11 such games.
• The 44 points scored were the most for the Gophers in a regulation game since winning, 63-26, versus Indiana on November 4, 2006. The Gophers scored 48 points during a one-point loss in double overtime at Northwestern on Oct. 13, 2007.
• Minnesota's total of 16 first-quarter points was the most for the Gophers in an opening quarter since scoring 21 during the first quarter of the Indiana victory in 2006.
• Minnesota's 30 points in the first half was the most it recorded in an opening half since scoring 35 points during the first half of the 44-41 loss to Texas Tech at the Insight Bowl on Dec. 29, 2006.
• The Gophers held UNH to 68 rushing yards on 32 attempts, the fewest rushing yards allowed since holding USC to 67 yards on 28 attempts in the 19-17 loss on Sept. 3, 2011.
• Minnesota recorded a safety on UNH's first punt attempt. It marked the Gophers' first safety recorded since Sept. 2, 2000 against UL-Monroe.
• The Gophers had four sacks in the game, all in the first half, for 32 yards in losses. Minnesota now has six sacks for 45 yards through two games.
• Minnesota recorded its fourth interception of the season, already equaling last season's total.
• Minnesota finished with 412 total offensive yards, surpassing 400 yards for the second-straight week. The Gophers had 478 total yards at UNLV, the most since compiling 505 vs. Michigan State in 2009.
• With 240 yards rushing, the Gophers have now rushed for more than 200 yards in their last three games (UNH, 240/UNLV, 209/Illinois, 248).
• Minnesota's defense has now held its last three opponents under 300 yards of total offense. The Gophers' first 11 opponents of 2011 all gained over 300 yards of total offense.
• Seven different Gophers had receptions in the game after nine players caught passes in the season-opener at UNLV. INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Isaac Fruechte caught his first career TD pass on just his second career reception, a 27-yard completion from MarQueis Gray, on the first play of Minnesota's second possession. Fruechte finished with two catches for 53 yards.
• Gray has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in three straight games dating to last season.
• Gray added the longest rush of his career late in the first quarter, going 75 yards for a touchdown. It was Minnesota's first run of 50+ yards since Duane Bennett had a 61-yard rush versus Northern Illinois on August 30, 2008.
• Gray ended with 17 rushing attempts for 109 yards and two touchdowns, his fifth career 100-yard rushing game.
• Gray's 75-yard scoring run was the longest for the Gophers since Laurence Maroney's 93-yard run during Minnesota's 38-34 loss versus Wisconsin on October 15, 2005.
• The game was Gray's third career performance with multiple passing TDs, and was his second game with multiple rushing TDs. He had two passing TDs in the season-opening loss to New Mexico State on Sept. 10, 2011, and threw a career-best three touchdown passes at Michigan State on Nov. 5. He rushed for a pair of scores in last year's 27-7 win versus Illinois.
• Max Shortell made his first appearance of the season for the Gophers. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. The passing TD was the third of Shortell's career.
• A.J. Barker caught Shortell's TD pass for the first touchdown of his career and finished the game with two catches for 29 yards.
• John Rabe caught a touchdown pass for the third-straight game dating back to last season. His two-yard scoring catch in the second quarter was the fifth of his career. He had two TDs, both during overtime, in Minnesota's win at UNLV.
• Rabe had three catches for 38 yards, all in the first half, with both totals establishing new career-bests.
• Donnell Kirkwood tied his career-high with 70 rushing yards on a career-best 17 attempts and scored first touchdown of the season (fourth of career).
• Logan Hutton recorded his first career reception.
• Ra'Shede Hageman recorded two sacks for -15 yards, while D.L. Wilhite had 1.5 sacks for -12 yards.
• Martez Shabazz recorded his first career interception.
• Derrick Wells, this week's B1G Defensive Player of the Week, recorded five tackles in the opening quarter. Wells had eight tackles and two interceptions in the season-opening win at UNLV, and followed with eight tackles, one TFL, and a pass broken up versus UNH.
