COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Gophers got big playmaker back in their lineup just in time for Saturday night’s game at No. 1 Ohio State.
Darius Taylor, the Gophers’ top running back who has missed the past two games because of an apparent hamstring injury, was not listed on the Big Ten’s availability report that was announced two hours before kickoff, meaning the junior is cleared to play.
Taylor missed last week’s 31-28 victory over Rutgers and the 27-14 loss at California on Sept. 13 after suffering the injury to his right leg on his third carry in the 66-0 win over Northwestern State on Sept. 6. He ranks second on the team with 166 yards on 33 carries and has five receptions for 45 yards.
In the absence of Taylor and A.J. Turner, who was lost for the season because of a knee injury, the Gophers have turned to Fame Ijeboi for the bulk of their carries. The redshirt freshman leads the team with 173 yards on 35 carries.
Taylor participated with his running back teammates during the non-padded portion of pregame warmups on Saturday and had a compression wrap on his left leg.
The Gophers had two members of their defensive secondary ruled out because of injuries: safeties Aidan Gousby and Garrison Monroe.
