The Minnesota Golden Gophers improved to 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Huntington Bank Stadium with a 27-0 shutout victory over the Nevada Wolfpack. It was the first time the Gophers achieved back-to-back shutouts since the 1962 season, when they did so by twice and totaled five shutouts on the season.
Below, Gophers Nation offers three players of the game; one from offense, defense, and special teams for the Gophers.
OFFENSE: RB Darius Taylor
While the Golden Gophers offensive line continues to be up-and-down in their run blocking, Darius Taylor finds a way to have success. On Saturday, he had 11 rushing attempts for 124 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded an 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, breaking multiple tackles and out-running Nevada's secondary in the process. On top of his 124 rushing yards, he also recorded five receptions 37 yards and one touchdown.
DEFENSE: CB Ethan Robinson
The Bucknell transfer has shown why he was one of the top cornerback transfers in the transfer portal this offseason through three games this season and on Saturday, he had his best game yet. Robinson recorded eight tackles including three solo tackles. He also recorded his first interception as a Golden Gopher and two additional pass breakups. He did briefly leave the game in the third quarter and banged up but did return, recording his interception midway through the fourth quarter to preserve the Gophers shutout.
With top cornerback Justin Walley's availability going forward being questionable after leaving Saturday's game with a potential leg or knee injury, Robinson's importance for the Gophers will only rise in the upcoming weeks.
SPECIAL TEAMS: P Mark Crawford
It was an all around quality day from the Gophers special teams unit, the only blemish on the day being a missed 50-yard field goal from Dragan Kesich. The Serbian Hammer did, however, make field goals from 52 and 21 yards on Saturday in the first quarter. In the return games, Le'Meke Brockington returned a kickoff for 14 yards while the Wolfpack kept the ball away from Koi Perich on punts for the most part, the talented true freshman was kept to just two returns for 22 yards.
With that, we'll give the special teams player of the game nod to Mark Crawford whose number was called just three times in the 27-0 win. He averaged 42.7 yards per punt and had a long of 46 yards. He had an especially strong punt in the first quarter where he was able to flip field position from the Gophers 14-yard line to Nevada's 40-yard line.
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