Minnesota Football: Halftime Thoughts

A few highlights from the first half of a high-scoring game between Minnesota and Purdue.

• On the opening drive the Gopher offense looked precisely like the Gopher offense we expected this year. Tanner Morgan was 3/3, Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 29 yards on 4 carries and they scored a touchdown on 8 plays to open up an early 7-0 lead.
• Purdue followed that up with a lengthy touchdown drive of their own. Rondale Moore ran one in from the 8-yard line to tie the score after Purdue went 91 yards in 10 plays.
• Purdue’s Jack Plummer finished the 1st half completing 16/18 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. His final pass of the half was initially called a 10-yard touchdown pass but was overturned upon review. Leading to a Purdue FG attempt.
• This field goal was blocked to end the half.
• Mohamed Ibrahim put in 75 yards on the ground for the Gophers in the first half.
• Overall I feel pretty good about this half for Minnesota. The defense struggled with defending the pass, while stopping the run. But it was the Gopher offense scoring 3 touchdowns on 4 drives that looked rather easy.
• Purdue gets the ball to start the second half.