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University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
2-0
Indiana State
1-1
Gophers Take Care of Sycamores, 58-28
9/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2016
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
MINNEAPOLIS -- Mitch Leidner completed 20 of 30 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday as Minnesota rolled to 592 total yards in a 58-28 win over Indiana State.
After struggling early in a win against Oregon State, the Gophers (2-0) were looking for a quick start, and they got it. Leidner converted three times on third down on Minnesota's opening drive. Then he dropped a 20-yard rainbow into wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky's hands in the corner of the end zone for Minnesota's first score.
Minnesota's senior quarterback kept the offense rolling all day against its FCS opponent. The Gophers scored five touchdowns and a field goal in seven first-half possessions and put points on the board in nine of the 10 drives Leidner led.
Overall, Minnesota's offensive output was the sixth-most yards in school history and its most points in a game since 2006.
Indiana State quarterback Isaac Harker threw three touchdown passes, all to wide receiver Robert Tonyan, and caught a 10-yard touchdown off a reverse option pass by wide receiver Bob Pugh.
The Sycamores (1-1) are 0-16 all-time against teams in the current Big Ten.
THE TAKEAWAY
Minnesota: Junior running back Kobe McCrary made quite an impression in his first extended duty with the Gophers. McCrary, who led the nation with 22 touchdowns last year at Butler Community College, is expected to challenge sophomores Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks for snaps in the backfield. McCrary ran 17 times for 176 yards and two touchdowns. He slashed through the Sycamores defense for a 6-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter he added a 43-yard run and a 50-yard touchdown run on the same drive.
NEXT UP
The Gophers have a week off, then host Colorado State on Sept. 24. Last year the Gophers beat the Rams 23-20 in overtime at Fort Collins. Tickets are on sale now!
Team Stats
INS 0, MINN 7
MINN - Wolitarsky,Drew 20 yd pass from Leidner, Mitch (Carpenter,Emmit kick) 10 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:14
INS 7, MINN 7
INS - Tonyan, Robert 7 yd pass from Harker, Isaac (Nunez, Jerry kick) 11 plays, 85 yards, TOP 4:12
INS 7, MINN 14
MINN - Smith, Rodney 1 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 4 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:39
INS 7, MINN 21
MINN - Wolitarsky,Drew 6 yd pass from Leidner, Mitch (Carpenter,Emmit kick) 6 plays, 52 yards, TOP 2:41
INS 7, MINN 28
MINN - Johnson, Tyler 13 yd pass from Leidner, Mitch (Carpenter,Emmit kick) 5 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:42
INS 7, MINN 35
MINN - McCrary, Kobe 6 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 7 plays, 53 yards, TOP 3:01
INS 7, MINN 38
MINN - Carpenter,Emmit 42 yd field goal 9 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:02
INS 7, MINN 41
MINN - Carpenter,Emmit 44 yd field goal 8 plays, 22 yards, TOP 3:59
INS 14, MINN 41
INS - Harker, Isaac 10 yd pass from Pugh, Bob (Nunez, Jerry kick) 4 plays, 54 yards, TOP 1:36
INS 14, MINN 48
MINN - Smith, Brian 22 yd pass from Leidner, Mitch (Carpenter,Emmit kick) 6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:54
INS 21, MINN 48
INS - Tonyan, Robert 2 yd pass from Harker, Isaac (Nunez, Jerry kick) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:41
INS 21, MINN 51
MINN - Carpenter,Emmit 45 yd field goal 7 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:51
INS 21, MINN 58
MINN - McCrary, Kobe 50 yd run (Carpenter,Emmit kick), 4 plays, 83 yards, TOP 2:26
INS 28, MINN 58
INS - Tonyan, Robert 18 yd pass from Harker, Isaac (Nunez, Jerry kick) 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 4:35
