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.

"Over the course of the game, both guys continued to improve," Limegrover said. "One thing I was real happy about was we had a better rhythm and a better tempo this game than we did last game, and that was a point of emphasis. But we've got to make plays, especially on third down."

One to remember Troy Stoudermire dropped the most historic ball he has ever caught. Luckily, it didn't go far.

The Gophers' kickoff returner scooped up his own fumble on the opening second-half kickoff just in front of the end zone, cut to his right, and got outside, finally getting knocked out of bounds at the Gophers' 28.

That return, the 119th of his Minnesota career, gave him 22 more yards, and 3,041 in his career, a total no Big Ten player has ever reached before. Stoudermire passed Wisconsin returner and Armstrong graduate David Gilreath, whose career ended last season with 3,025 yards overall.

Stoudermire is now second overall in NCAA history, too. Tulsa receiver Damaris Johnson has 3,417 kick return yards, but has been suspended indefinitely by the team after being arrested on embezzlement charges.

Etc. • McKnight caught nine passes, including his first touchdown of the season, and piled up 146 yards through the air, both career highs for the senior receiver.

• Gophers kicker Chris Hawthorne is now 1-for-4 on field goals this season, after missing a 39-yard kick early in the third quarter.

• The Gophers honored the family of Army Sgt. Matthew Harmon, a Fosston native who was killed last month in Afghanistan, before the game. And the parents and sister of Bloomington native Tom Burnett, who helped overpower hijackers on Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, was recognized after the first half.

• The Gophers drew an announced 48,807 for Saturday's game, a decline of about 750 fans from last year's home opener.