There was a quarterback on the field Saturday having a breakout, do-no-wrong performance, but it wasn't MarQueis Gray.
And it wasn't Max Shortell, either.
Surprise -- the completion machine was New Mexico State quarterback Andrew Manley, who completed his first 12 passes of the Aggies' 28-21 victory, led four scoring drives of 58 yards or longer, and pummeled the Gophers secondary with 288 passing yards.
Meanwhile, Gray was fighting off a surprisingly effective New Mexico State defensive line -- and more cramps.
For the second consecutive week, the Gophers' starting quarterback was sidelined by muscle cramping, and this time, Shortell couldn't rescue the Minnesota offense. Gray threw two first-half interceptions and appeared occasionally hesitant to throw the ball, but that wasn't why he was benched to start the second half, offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover said.
"He had been cramping up right at the end of the half, and we didn't know if he was going to be ready to start the second half," Limegrover said. "They were working on him, and we made the decision to get Max in there."
Shortell scrambled for 22 yards on his first play, and he threw a 22-yard completion to Da'Jon McKnight moments later. But that drive stalled, and the Gophers' next two drives went three-and-out. By that time Gray was ready to return.
He led the Gophers on a 68-yard drive that pulled Minnesota within 28-21, but they wouldn't score again.