Highlights
2 CLIPS · ESPNWin probability
EVERY PLAY · ESPN MODELKICKOFF: MINN 89% · BIGGEST SINGLE-PLAY SWING: 13 PTS
Scoring plays
13 SCORES
Emmit Carpenter 52 Yd Field Goal
0-3
Rodney Smith 35 Yd Run (Emmit Carpenter Kick)
0-10
Cole Herdman 20 Yd pass from David Blough (J.D. Dellinger Kick)
7-10
Cameron Posey 89 Yd pass from David Blough (J.D. Dellinger Kick)
14-10
Emmit Carpenter 53 Yd Field Goal
14-13
Mitch Leidner 2 Yd Run (Emmit Carpenter Kick)
14-20
DeAngelo Yancey 60 Yd pass from David Blough (J.D. Dellinger Kick)
21-20
Emmit Carpenter 28 Yd Field Goal
21-23
Brycen Hopkins 2 Yd pass from David Blough (J.D. Dellinger Kick)
28-23
Rodney Smith 7 Yd Run (Emmit Carpenter Kick)
28-30
Mitch Leidner 9 Yd Run (Emmit Carpenter Kick)
28-37
J.D. Dellinger 34 Yd Field Goal
31-37
Rodney Smith 14 Yd Run (Emmit Carpenter Kick)
31-44
What happened
ESPN RECAPGround game drives Minnesota to 44-31 win over Purdue
MINNEAPOLIS -- After an 0-2 start in the Big Ten, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have fought their way back into the race for the West Division title. Here's where it starts to get interesting. Rodney Smith ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Mitch Leidner ran for 74 yards and two more scores Saturday as Minnesota defeated Purdue 44-31. The Gophers (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) opened conference play with an overtime loss at Penn State and a home loss to Iowa. But they've rattled off four straight wins over admittedly lesser foes -- Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Purdue, who have combined for five conference victories this season. Now the schedule gets tougher, with road games at Nebraska and Wisconsin sandwiched around a visit from Northwestern. Minnesota can win the Big Ten West if it wins out, which seemed and unlikely position for them to be in four weeks ago.
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Team stats
PUR · MINNHUNTINGTON BANK STADIUM, MINNEAPOLIS · ATTENDANCE 42,832
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