By Garin Turner
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 3-0 after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes (0-3) 49-7 behind three touchdown passes from Tanner Morgan and three touchdown runs by Mohamed Ibrahim.
The Gophers ran 53 times for 343 yards and four scores against the Buffaloes. Morgan went 11/16 for 157 yards. Ibrahim rushed 23 times for 202 yards.
Ibrahim scored twice in the first quarter on runs of five and two yards to give Minnesota a 14-0 lead. Ibrahim scored for a third time in the second quarter on an 18-yard run.
Tanner threw for his first score with 1:37 left in the half on a 39-yard pass to Chris Autman-Bell. With eight seconds left, Tanner found Dylan Wright for 16 yards to bring the score to 35-0 at the half. Autman-Bell left the game with an apparent right knee injury.
Minnesota would score again in the third quarter when Morgan connected with Clay Geary for 8 yards for a 42-0 score. The Gophers final score came on a Bryce Williams 22-yard run in the fourth.
The Buffaloes lone score came at the 8:55 mark when J.T. Shrout passed to Austin Smith for a four-yard score.
The Golden Gophers held Colorado to 226 total yards (only 90 passing). Minnesota was 13/15 on third down while Colorado went 1/12. Minnesota had 500 yards of offense.
Deion Smith had 10 carries for 70 yards for Colorado. Isaiah Lewis had an interception for the Buffaloes.
Minnesota got to the QBs three times. Lorenza Surgers, TerellSmith, and Danny Strigggow all had a sack.
UP NEXT
Minnesota opens up BIG Ten play on the road against #11 Michigan State Saturday afternoon.
Colorado hosts UCLA in its Pac-12 Opener.
