Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis #8 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Lincoln, Nebraska. ((Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota football team hosts Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium, and they’ll be without quarterback Tanner Morgan for the second time this season.
Morgan suffered an upper body injury late in the first half of the Gophers’ 20-13 win at Nebraska last week, on his third sack of the game, and did not return. Redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis played the second half in Morgan’s absence, and went 6-of-12 passing for 137 yards and led four scoring drives as Minnesota came back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to leave Lincoln with the victory.
When the Gophers came out for warmups at Huntington Bank Stadium Saturday afternoon, Kaliakmanis took snaps from starting center John Michael Schmitz. Morgan stood and watched, not in pads.
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The Gophers managed 269 total yards in the second half with Kaliakmanis running the offense. Morgan reportedly did not practice all week. Kaliakmanis made his first career start earlier this season, a 45-17 loss at Penn State where he was 9-of-22 passing for 175 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Morgan had to miss that game, due to being in the concussion protocol.
Kaliakmanis also ran three times for 27 yards in the Gophers’ win over the Cornhuskers.
Minnesota is seeking its seventh win of the season, it’s third straight and is looking to stay alive in the Big Ten West race with Iowa and Wisconsin still left on the schedule. The Gophers also need Purdue to beat Illinois on Saturday to increase their division hopes.