The Minnesota Golden Gophers defense has stiffened up since the early going, and the offense might have gotten back on track. Minnesota just engineered an impressive six-play drive to take their first lead of the 2012 season, as they've gone in front of the UNLV Rebels by a score of 7-3.

The Gophers took over at their own 20-yard line, and Donnell Kirkwood got things started with a 12-yard carry. A 3-yard run by James Gillum and an 8-yard pass to K.J. Maye moved the Gophers to their own 43. On 2nd-and-8, Marqueis Gray found A.J. Barker for a big 39 yard catch-and-run to move the ball into UNLV territory at the 16, and Gillum finished things off from there, scoring on a run from 16 yards out. Jordan Wettstein hit the extra point, and the Gophers took a 7-3 lead.

The drive went 80 yards in six plays, and took a mere 2:28 off of the clock.

On a down note, it appears that running back Jamel Harbison suffered a serious knee injury. If we find out more information, we will pass it along to you.

With a little more than nine minutes left in the first half at Sam Boyd Stadium, the Minnesota Golden Gophers lead the UNLV Rebels by a score of 7-3.