Max Brosmer threw four touchdown passes to propel Minnesota to a 48-23 romp over Maryland in the Golden Gophers’ homecoming game on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Justin Walley added a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown as Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) won its third straight, all in the conference.
Brosmer completed 26 of 33 passes for 320 yards without an interception. His touchdown and yardage totals were his most in a Golden Gophers uniform after transferring this year from New Hampshire.
Minnesota’s Daniel Jackson caught nine passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Elijah Spencer added six receptions for 99 yards and two more scores.
Darius Taylor had a 51-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter for Minnesota and finished with 115 yards rushing and receiving on 20 touches.
The Minnesota defense stymied Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who entered with the second-most passing yards of any quarterback in the Big Ten.
Edwards finished with 19 completions in 35 attempts for 201 yards with two interceptions. In the final minute of the first half, Edwards scored on a touchdown run for Maryland (4-4, 1-4), which has lost three of its last four games.
Coming off a bye, Minnesota was sharp from the start. The Golden Gophers scored on their first two possessions and when Walley dashed up the sideline for his pick-six, it provided a 21-0 lead before the game was 11 minutes old.
Brosmer was working against an injury-riddled Maryland secondary, which was further depleted in the first quarter when Judah Jenkins was ejected for targeting as he made a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jackson.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s defensive backfield thrived. Koi Perich returned his fifth interception of the season 45 yards to set up a 40-yard field goal by Dragan Kesich, which gave the Golden Gophers a 24-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Kesich’s second field goal, a 34-yarder with two seconds left in the first half, gave Minnesota a 34-10 lead at the break.
The Golden Gophers scored on the first possession of the second half, needing five plays to traverse 75 yards. Brosmer capped the drive with a 25-yard pass to Spencer in the back corner of the end zone.
In relief of Edwards in the fourth quarter, MJ Morris completed 7 of 8 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
Maryland’s Tai Felton, who entered as the Big Ten leader in receptions, had nine catches for 104 yards.
