The bottom fell out of Gophers’ defense in 2023 and the Minnesota skidded to a 6-7 season, so their ability to bounce back under new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman represented the bigest question mark going into this season.

So far, so stifling.

With a 27-0 win over Nevada on Saturday, the Gophers’ D has produced two straight shoutouts, following a 48-0 suffocation over FCS-level Rhode Island a week ago. Even North Carolina was held to 252 yards yards in the U’s 19-17 loss in the season opener.

It’s the Gophers’ first consecutive shutouts since 1962.

Minnesota (2-1) was a 17-point betting favorite Saturday and used three interceptions and four sacks to frustrate the Wolf Pack.

Nevada (1-3) was picked to finish last in the Mountain West Conference this season and was held to under 200 yards Saturday.

Gophers running back Darius Taylor produced the most electric play of the game in the third quarter. He broke tackles in the box, bounced it to the outside and then cut it all the way back to the other sideline on an 80-yard touchdown run.

Taylor’s run tied for the sixth-longest rush in program history, joining two gallops from Laurence Maroney in the 2004 season.

Kerry Brown, a second-year safety, produced his first two collegiate interceptions, and Minnesota scored 10 points off the takeaways.

Nevada was driving in the fourth quarter, but cornerback Ethan Robinson’s interception in the end zone helped preserve the shutout.

Brown’s second pick came on a great read of Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis’s eyes in the first half. He stepped in front of a post route to pick it off and return it 16 yards.

Two plays later, Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer threw underneath to Taylor, who made a Nevada defender miss and scored from 10 yards out to make it 13-0.

The Gophers offense got the ball back at its own 32 with 1:55 left in the second half. With seven straight drop backs, including a 22-yard completion to Jameson Geers, the U was in position for Taylor to score a rushing TD from 4 yards out for a 20-0 lead at the half.

With the U defense playing lights out, the game was out of reach at the halfway point.

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