With the game well in hand, Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Jerry Kill went to his bench and gave quarterback Max Shortell some playing time. Shortell gave Gopher fans reason for optimism after the Marqueis Gray era ends in the Twin Cities, engineering a very impressive drive to tack on yet another Golden Gopher touchdown and increase the lead over New Hampshire to 44-7.
The drive came after junior college transfer Martez Shabazz intercepted New Hampshire quarterback Andy Vailas, with a penalty on the return giving Minnesota the ball on their own 13-yard line. Shortell proceeded to go 4-of-5 for 65 yards on the drive, hitting four different receivers in the process. It was all a part of a 12-play, 83-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off of the clock.
Shortell concluded the drive by hitting A.J. Barker from 19-yards out for the touchdown, and Jordan Wettstein's extra point gave the Gophers a 44-7 lead. Since New Hampshire scored a first-quarter touchdown to make the score 9-7 in favor of Minnesota, the Gophers have scored 35 unanswered points.
We've got about six and a half minutes to go at TCF Bank Stadium, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers have this one on cruise control, leading 44-7.