Redshirt freshman quarterback Mitch Leidner scored four touchdowns and led the Minnesota Gophers to a 43-24 win over San Jose State at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday.
The Gophers used a power running game to take control of the second half, rattling off 23 unanswered points to start the second half, before the Spartans scored late.
According to the Star Tribune, Leidner, a Lakeville South graduate, was making his first college start for the injured Philip Nelson. According to the Tribune, the last Gopher quarterback to rush for four touchdowns in a game was Curtis Wilson in a game against Indiana in 1967.
Running back David Cobb had another big day too, he rushed for 125 yards and two scores.
WCCO TV reports that Gopher coach Jerry Kill returned to the sideline, after missing the second half of last week’s game with an epileptic seizure, made it through the game without an incident.
The Spartans kept it close in the first half, as highly touted quarterback David Fales threw for 294 of his 434 yards in that first half, but the Gophers intercepted the Spartan signal caller twice.
Chandler Jones was Fales’ top target, he caught 7 passes for 193 yards and all three scores. The Gophers are 4-0 as they finish up non-conference play. They will play their Big Ten opener next week against Iowa, on homecoming.
Full stats from the game with the Gophers and San Jose state can be found by clicking here.
