We told you that the Gophers were threatening as the first quarter came to an end, and on the second play of the second quarter, Minnesota cashed in with a touchdown to take their first lead of the 2011 season.

Redshirt freshman Donnell Kirkwood rushed for four yards on 2nd-and-3 to set the Gophers up with a 1st-and-goal situation. On the next play, Kirkwood took another handoff and blasted through a hole that you could have driven a truck through, going into the end zone untouched and giving the Gophers the lead. Chris Hawthorne converted the extra point, and the Gophers went ahead by a score of 10-3.

The scoring drive for the Gophers covered 80 yards in 10 plays, taking 4:34 off of the clock. The touchdown for Kirkwood is the first of his career.

With 14:31 remaining in the first half of play, the Minnesota Golden Gophers lead the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks by a score of 10-3.