Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Colorado State: Early Injury Report

Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

It will be a Big Ten vs. Mountain West contest on Saturday afternoon, as the Minnesota Golden Gophers will travel to take on the Colorado State Rams. The Gophers are 0-1 this season, after a close loss to TCU, while the Rams are 1-0 after a 52-point win over Savannah State last Saturday

Here’s a look at the early injury report for both teams.

Minnesota

OT Josh Campion (Concussion)-Questionable
OT Ben Lauer (Knee)-Questionable
TE Lincoln Plsek (Back)-Out
TE Duke Anyanwu (Knee)-Out
WR Isaiah Gentry (Hamstring)-Questionable
S Damarius Travis (Undisclosed)- Questionable

Overview

Campion was a late scratch for the season opener against TCU, but he reportedly returned to practice on Monday. If he is able to play against Colorado State, Campion may split time at right tackle with Foster Bush. Jonah Pirsig performed when he moved over to left tackle last week, and he’s likely to remain there going forward regardless of Campion’s health.

Lauer tried to play at less than 100 percent health last week, after knee surgery during fall camp, and he struggled to protect Mitch Leidner’s blind side. Lauer reportedly did not practice on Monday, so he should be considered questionable for Saturday at this point.

Travis apparently limped off the field after the loss to TCU. His exact injury is unclear, but Gophers’ head coach Jerry Kill said “we’ll see” about the senior safety’s status for Saturday.

Plsek and Anyanwu missed last week’s game, and it’s at best unclear if the Gophers’ top two tight ends will return against Colorado State.

Gentry also sat out last week, and he has resumed running. But the redshirt freshman wide receiver is not yet a full-go for practice, so his status for Saturday remains iffy.

Colorado State

TE Kivon Cartwright (undisclosed)-Probable
WR Rashard Higgins (undisclosed)-Probable
S Kevin Pierre-Louis (leg/ankle?)-Probable
LB Kiel Robinson (undisclosed)-Probable

Overview

Cartwright was knocked out of Colorado State’s season opener in the second quarter. Head coach Mike Bobo said the injury did not appear to be serious on Monday, but more would be known later in the week. The senior tight end missed most of 2014 after re-injuring a surgically-repaired ankle, but it’s unclear if he is dealing with a similar issue now.

Higgins briefly left the field near the end of the Rams’ season opener, and quickly returned to the sideline without a helmet. That would seem to suggest a head injury, but one of the best wide receivers in the country looks certain to play on Saturday.

Pierre-Louis reportedly ran off the field at the end of last Saturday’s game with a noticeable limp. Until further notice, he can be expected to play against the Gophers on Saturday.

Robinson was reportedly injured while making a tackle against Savannah State. There does not seem to be any doubt about the sophomore linebacker’s ability to play on Saturday.