Oct 27, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver MarQueis Gray (5) makes a catch during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE
The first half didn’t look like quarterback Philip Nelson’s second start.
The freshman has torched the Purdue secondary for 246 yards, three touchdowns while completing 15-of-17 passes as well as tacking on an extra 30 yards rushing, including a 25-yard scamper in the final drive of the half that led to a Jordan Wettstein 35-yard field goal.
Running back Donnell Kirkwood has 44-yards on eight rushes but freshman Rodrick Williams has the only rushing touchdown for the Gophers.
Wide receiver A.J. Barker already has more than 135-yards receiving, thanks to a 63-yard touchdown catch, but he was on the sideline on the final drive with what appears to be a right ankle injury.
The start of the game was played by a different Gopher team, apparently, as the offense went three-and-out and allowed a 1-yard touchdown pass that was preceded by a 40-yard Akeem Shavers run that eluded to the run-stopping problems for the Gophers that has haunted the team for the last three games.
But at the half, the 34 points scored by the Gophers is the most allowed by Purdue in the first-half of a game all season.
If there is another indicator that this is a different Minnesota team playing today, it is that Wettstein, who has been troubled by missed PATs and field goals all season, has gone 4-of-4 on extra points while splitting the uprights on a 40-yard field goal for his first three-pointer of the game.