Final score: Minnesota 34 Nebraska 7

Brief recap: The story of the game, really from the opening kickoff, was Minnesota’s ability to run the football. For a second straight week, Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks dominated a B1G defense, this time with the help of Mohamed Ibrahim, who found the end zone quite frequently. The end result was a Minnesota rushing attack that piled up 322 yards and four touchdowns in a cold, wintry-like night in Minneapolis. Nebraska really had no answer. The Gophers built a 14-0 lead at halftime, but completely dominated the first 30 minutes of the contest. The second half was more of the same, with Minnesota leading by as much as 34-0 early in the fourth quarter. No Adrian Martinez under center proved to be a significant loss for the Huskers.

Key stat: Minnesota’s prominent rushing attack was the difference in the game. The Gophers averaged 6.6 yards per carry and rushed for 322 yards in the victory. That makes life a lot easier when you can rack up that kind of yardage on the ground.

Key moment: The first drive out of halftime was huge for the Gophers. They needed just five plays to drive 63 yards for a touchdown to take a 21-0 advantage. Tanner Morgan hit Tyler Johnson for a 45-yard gain, eventually setting up a 5-yard touchdown run for Ibrahim.

Key player: You know who hasn’t gotten much credit this season? Minnesota’s offensive line. It’s time we do that. And it’s not as if it’s unwarranted, the big bodies up front created plenty of lanes for Smith, Brooks and Ibrahim for most of the night. This group looked like what we expected to see from the start of the year.

What it means for Nebraska: Inconsistency continues to be a concern in Lincoln. This one was a little more explainable on the offensive side, with Adrian Martinez out and Noah Vedral making his first start on the road in a game in which the weather was a factor. That’s not easy. But the defense stood no chance against Minnesota’s run game, which is a major concern moving forward for the Huskers.

What it means for Minnesota: The Gophers are a perfect 6-0 with a very real chance to start the season 8-0 before a matchup against Penn State in Minneapolis. In the next two weeks, Minnesota will travel to Rutgers and host Maryland, both of which are struggling right now. More important than who’s on the schedule is the fact that P.J. Fleck’s group continues to play better each week. The return of Shannon Brooks has been significant to the Minnesota offense and the offensive line has improved quite a bit since the off week, too. The defense, by the way, has allowed just one touchdown in the last two games.