ATHENS, Ohio ? In the first visit to Peden Stadium by a team from the Big Ten Conference, Minnesota defeated the Ohio football squad 42-20 on Saturday.

The Golden Gophers (3-0) established their gameplan early with a nine-play, 80-yard opening drive capped by a three-yard touchdown run by Marion Barber III less than three minutes into the contest.

Following a Fred Ray fumble on the Bobcats? first play from scrimmage, Minnesota drove 28 yards in five plays to take a 14-0 advantage with 9:55 left in the first quarter. Barber ended that series with a four-yard run for his second score of the day.

On the very next possession, Ohio (1-2) moved the ball 58 yards in 12 plays but Greg DiMarino missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. The Bobcat defense, however, held the Gophers to a three-and-out and gained possession on their own 40-yard line.

Ohio responded with an eight-play, 60-yard drive resulting in a two-yard touchdown run by Ray with 15 seconds remaining in the opening period. Minnesota came right back, though, and made the score 21-7 on an Aaron Hosack three-yard touchdown reception from Asad Abdul-Khaliq at the 13:43 mark of the second quarter.

The Bobcats then maintained their most impressive drive of the day, using 15 plays to go 77 yards. By breaking three tackles on an option keeper, Ray scampered eight yards for his second score of the day and pulled Ohio to within 21-14 with 7:37 remaining in the second quarter. At the time, Ray had completed his first nine passes for a total of 72 yards through the air.

After three-and-outs by both teams, the Gophers managed a 56-yard drive on eight plays over the final 3:25 of the first half. Facing a 4th-and-goal from the Bobcat two-yard line, Barber took a pitch to the right side and scored his third touchdown of the half to give Minnesota a 28-14 advantage on the final play before intermission.

For the half, the Gophers managed 229 total yards compared to Ohio?s 193. Barber led all rushers with 69 yards on 12 carries while John Taylor led the Bobcats with 37 yards on six carries at the break.

In the third quarter, Ohio and Minnesota traded possessions six times before the Gophers capped a nine-play, 86-yard drive with yet another Barber touchdown run, this time from 19 yards out at the 1:01 mark. The four-touchdown performance by Barber tied a school record for Minnesota.

Minnesota made the score 42-14 in the fourth quarter with a 13?yard scoring run by Abdul-Khaliq at the 5:46 mark.

Ray then completed the game?s scoring on a 23-yard touchdown run with 4:05 left in the contest. His three rushing scores marked the most for Ohio since Chad Brinker?s four-touchdown day on Oct. 12, 2002, against Eastern Michigan.

The senior from Martins Ferry led the Bobcats in rushing with 93 yards on 22 carries and finished with 123 yards through the air on 14-of-22 passing with one interception. It marks the first time in his career that he has posted back-to-back 100-yard passing games after throwing for 107 yards last week at Iowa State

Ohio now has an off-week before beginning Mid-American Conference play by hosting Western Michigan at 4 p.m. on Sept. 27. The Broncos (1-2) lost to Virginia 59-16 at home on Saturday.

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