Sophomore running back Rodrick Williams replaced injured starter Donnell Kirkwood and rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown, and sophomore quarterback Philip Nelson added 122 rushing yards and a touchdown as Minnesota rolled to a 44-21 victory over New Mexico State Saturday night.
The Gophers came in worried about the absence of Kirkwood in Las Cruces, but in the end, it was another lopsided victory. They pulled away to win 44-21 before an announced crowd of 16,418 at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
After a couple of field goals, the Gophers racked up three TDs in the 2nd quarter.
The Pioneer Press reports the Gophers (2-0) rushed for 342 of their 469 total yards, the first time they reached the 300-yard mark on the ground since 2007.
Chris Hawthorne hit field goals of 45 and 22 yards, and David Cobb had a 14-yard touchdown run, according to the Star Tribune.
