Minnesota Buries Mountaineers in the Desert

Minnesota racks up 249 rushing yards for the 18-6 win over West Virginia

The Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-4) ran for 249 yards in the 18-6 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers (6-7) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl Tuesday night, while WVU produced just 206 yards of total offense. 

Minnesota won the field position battle on the opening kickoff after the Mountaineers ran a reverse to Wintson Wright Jr., bringing the ball out to the 13-yard line. Then, the Golden Gophers held the Mountaineers to a three and out, and Tyler Sumpter's 42-yard punt set their offense up at the Minnesota 43-yard line. 

The Golden Gophers quickly got into WVU territory and down to the 20 following a 22-yard pass from Tanner Morgan to Dylan Wright and Ky Thomas' 12-yard run had Minnesota inside the 10. However, the Mountaineer defense bowed, highlighted by a sack from Dante Stills on third and five. It set up a 25-yard field goal for Mathew Ticket, but he missed wide left. 

The West Virginia offense did not take advantage of the break and proceeded to go three and out, and, again, Minnesota took over at midfield. Tanner Morgan hit Dylan Wright over the middle for 36 yards and had the Golden Gophers threatening to score. However, Ky Thomas fumbled the ball three plays later at the six.

The Mountaineer offense picked up its first, first down of the game, following back-to-back carries for Tony Mathis Jr. for 10 yards. Still, the Golden Gophers defensive line won the battle up front, getting to quarterback Jarret Doege twice on conductive plays, forcing a punt deep in their territory. West Virginia finished the first quarter with six total yards.

Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Ky Thomas (8) against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After taking over at their own 46, Minnesota constructed a seven-play 54-yard touchdown drive and followed it with a fake field goal for the two-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead at the beginning of the second quarter. 

West Virginia responded on the ensuing drive, grinding 75-yards on 12 plays and capped off by a one-yard run by Jarret Doege on a bootleg and diving to the pylon for the touchdown. The Mountaineers attempted the two-point conversion with an off-balanced look to the left but came up short on an incomplete pass over the middle. 

With under five minutes remaining in the second quarter, Thomas took the pitch to the right, cut it back up the middle for 50-yards down to the nine-yard line. Two plays later, he punched it in from four yards out, and the extra point extended Minnesota's lead to nine, 15-6. 

Minnesota settled for a field goal midway through the third after Tanner Morgan slipped in the backfield for a seven-yard loss.

West Virginia defensive back Charles Woods picked off Morgan near midfield at the 42. However, the offense again was held to a three and out. 

The Mountaineers ran just five plays in the fourth quarter while Minnesota held the ball the final eight minutes of the game, taking a knee at the goal line on the final drive of the game to hold on for the 18-6 win. 

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