BIG TEN

TDs settle nerves, sustain Minnesota

MINNESOTA 42, EASTERN ILLINOIS 20

MINNEAPOLIS -- The nerves surprised Mitch Leidner, but they were there at the beginning of his first season as Minnesota's unquestioned starting quarterback.

The anxiety wasn't anything a little touchdown run couldn't remedy.

Leidner rushed for two scores and threw a touchdown pass to Donovahn Jones, leading the Gophers past Eastern Illinois 42-20 on Thursday.

"Getting my legs moving a little bit, getting a little contact, that's always a big thing that gets me into a game," said Leidner, who was 3 for 8 for 24 yards while taking two sacks and losing a fumble over the first five possessions.

He scrambled in for a third-and-goal score from 2 yards out during that span, though, a rhythm he continued on a nine-play, 90-yard drive punctuated by the 35-yard touchdown toss to Jones the next time the Gophers had the ball.

Leidner finished 9 for 17 with 144 yards, Berkley Edwards ran for two late scores in his first career game and the defense delivered a punishing performance to overwhelm the Panthers, a perennial FCS power facing the Gophers for the first time.

Coach Jerry Kill wasn't worried about the slow start by Leidner, who made four starts last year in a sporadic time-share with Philip Nelson. The Panthers were constantly changing their defense in an attempt to catch the Gophers off guard.

"He's seen more things and more blitz than he'll see in a lifetime," Kill said.

Jalen Whitlow, a transfer from Kentucky, went 14 for 23 passing for 110 yards and rushed 19 times for 77 yards for the Panthers. He had an interception, though, and took two sacks on a mistake-marred night. Right after halftime, Eric Murray blocked a punt near the goal line for the Gophers that Logan Hutton grabbed for a three-touchdown lead.

"Any time you give up a special-teams touchdown, it'll take the wind out of your sails," Panthers linebacker Adam Gristick said.

To improve on their 4-4 finish in the Big Ten, the Gophers are going to need to be better than last in the league in passing yards, where they finished last year. So there's clearly a lot of work left for Leidner and his unproven group of wide receivers this fall. Two promising sophomores, Jones and Maxx Williams, each had 57 yards.

The defense is further along. Alex Keith, who started at defensive end in place of the injured Michael Amaefula, was credited with a sack and two recovered fumbles to highlight the kind of production the Gophers have come to expect on that side of the ball.

SUN BELT

NEW MEXICO STATE 28, CAL POLY 10

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Larry Rose III ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries and Tyler Rogers passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns in New Mexico State's opening victory over FCS opponent Cal Poly.

Rose III also had four receptions, including a 6-yarder for a touchdown in the third quarter.

After leading 14-10 at halftime, New Mexico State broke it open in the second half.

The Aggies passed for 143 yards and ran for 196, outgaining the Mustangs 339-259.

MID-AMERICAN

AKRON 41, HOWARD 0

AKRON, Ohio -- Kyle Pohl threw a career-best four touchdown passes to lead Akron to a victory over Howard of the FCS.

Three of Pohl's first five pass attempts were for touchdowns. In the first 5:26, Pohl connected with L.T. Smith with a 57-yard touchdown pass, then hit Imani Davis with a 9-yarder and Mykel Traylor-Bennett for a 43-yard score to give Akron a 21-0 lead. Pohl and Traylor-Bennett connected again for a 28-yard touchdown strike in the third quarter.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 55, PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE 3

DEKALB, Ill. -- Joel Bouagnon ran for 97 yards and four touchdowns and Northern Illinois beat Presbyterian College in the season opener for both FBS schools.

Northern Illinois, of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, scored on its first possession with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Matt McIntosh to Da'Ron Brown, igniting a 55-point spree before Presbyterian of the Big South Conference was able to post its only points on a field goal with 6 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN 20, CHATTANOOGA 16

MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. -- Thomas Rawls ran for one touchdown, Cooper Rush passed for another and Central Michigan scored on its first two second-half drives in a comeback victory over Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Rawls finished with 123 yards on 25 carries, and Rush completed 15 of 26 passes for 176 yards and two TDs for the Chippewas in the season opener for both teams.

PACIFIC-12

UTAH 56, IDAHO STATE 14

SALT LAKE CITY -- Kaelin Clay had two returns for touchdowns and Devontae Booker rushed for two more scores to boost Utah past Idaho State.

Utah posted three touchdown drives of less than 42 seconds and added two other scores on kick returns.

Clay returned a punt 46 yards for his first touchdown. In the second half Clay broke away for a 100-yard kick-off return.

Sports on 08/29/2014

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