MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota has quite the 1-2-3 punch in its running game this season.The Gophers hit Colorado State with two of them all afternoon and completed nonconference play unbeaten.Rodney Smith rushed 17 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns and Shannon Brooks returned from injury to net 85 yards and a score on 13 carries, helping Minnesota wear down the Rams on the way to a 31-24 victory on Saturday.Theyre both awfully good, coach Tracy Claeys said of his sophomore tailback tandem, so it doesnt matter which way it ends up.Brooks, the teams leading rusher last season, missed the first two games because of a broken foot. Kobe McCrary, who piled up 176 yards rushing two weeks ago against Indiana State, rushed for 13 yards on four carries.They had fresh legs coming in all the time, Rams safety Jake Schlager said, adding, They definitely used it to their advantage.Factor in quarterback Mitch Leidner, who took off 10 times for 50 yards and a touchdown, and the Gophers (3-0) have their running game going just the way they want it entering Big Ten play.Leidner is looking as spry as ever after suffering foot injuries in each of the last two Septembers that hampered his sophomore and junior years. He made some cuts and jukes for extra yardage that made Brooks and Smith proud.Ive never been healthy coming out of the nonconference so it feels really good, said Leidner, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 174 yards .Freshman Collin Hill, making his second start at quarterback for the Rams (2-2), cut Colorado States deficit to seven points with a 15-yard toss to Michael Gallup with 6:24 remaining. The Gophers followed with a three-and-out, but Hills fourth-down pass at the Minnesota 45 around the 2-minute mark was broken up by Adekunle Ayinde to quash the comeback.The Rams, who started three different quarterbacks over the first three games, have come a long way since a 44-7 loss to Colorado in their opener.I believe were close to becoming a pretty good football team, coach Mike Bobo said.Leidners underthrow toward the sideline was intercepted near midfield by Braylin Scott in the final minute of the first half, but Wyatt Bryan missed a 46-yard field goal as the clock expired to preserve a 17-7 lead for the Gophers.THE TAKEAWAYMinnesota: The Gophers were far from flawless, particularly on defense while giving up 11 gains of 15-plus yards, but they did precisely what they needed to do by entering conference play unscathed.Colorado State: Hill finished 15 for 30 for 182 yards and one touchdown with an interception and a fumble that led to 14 points for Minnesota, after a sharp debut against FCS foe Northern Colorado. The experience playing at a Big Ten stadium ought to help his development.FINISHING STRONGEmmit Carpenter, who has not missed a kick this season, made a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter. Thats the only time in 14 trips inside the 20-yard line the Gophers havent crossed the goal line.Once you get down there, its tough to stop Rodney, Shannon and Kobe, Leidner said. Thats a lot of horsepower coming at you.FEELING THE PRESSURESteven Richardson, who had four of Minnesotas 14 tackles for loss, sacked Hill on the first play from scrimmage. Hill absorbed several hard hits on the afternoon, none more jarring than the sack by Taiyon Devers that knocked the ball loose and his helmet off to give the Gophers possession at the Colorado State 33.Devers, one of four true freshmen who played on defense, has forced a fumble on all three of his sacks just 2 1/2 games into his college career.Collin hadnt played any speed like that, Bobo said.UP NEXTColorado State: The Rams host Wyoming in their Mountain West opener for the Bronze Boot, the trophy that has gone to CSU for three straight years. This game is the only trip for the Rams outside of Colorado for the first six weeks of the season.Minnesota: The Gophers play their first Big Ten game at Penn State. Minnesota is 2-4 there all time, having last visited in 2009 and last won in 2003.China Shoes 2020 . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. 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Discount Shoes For Sale . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.Andy Murray has been placed in Rafa Nadals half of the draw for the Madrid Open, with the Spaniard keen to continue his superb return to form.Defending champion Murray comes to Madrid of the back of a much improved showing in Monte Carlo where he reached the semi-final, only to run into a Nadal beginning to show signs that he is back to his very best. Sky Live: Madrid Masters How to follow the Madrid Masters on Sky Sports Murray beat Nadal to win in Madrid last year while Nadal saw off Murray in three sets on his way to the title in the principality before going on to win in Barcelona and a victory in Madrid this week would set him up perfectly for a run at the French Open later this month where he is aiming to win an unprecedented 10th title at Roland Garros. Murray and Nadal are joined by Roger Federer and world No 1 Novak Djokovic in an A-list cast in Madrid and after a couple of years on inconsistency it is the Spaniard who arrives as the form player. Rafa Nadal beat Andy Murray in Monte Carlo Ive been playing well for a while, Nadal said at a promotional event this week. But you need the results to come along with that.Murrays win in Madrid last year gave him his first ever Masters title on clay and the world No 2 practiced with Nadal at the Spaniards tennis academy in Manacor in the lead up to the tournament. Andy Murray claimed his first clay court Masters with vcitory in Madrid last year And Murray, whose season has been disjointed after some time off following the birth of his first child, is well aware of Nadals capabilities Every player goes through periods where they dont necessarily play as well as they have done previously, Murray said.Rafa is still one of the best players on the surface and he still works as hard as he can on and off the court. I am sure he has gone away and worked at things since last year, so its hard to say if hell ever be back up to where he was, I guess we will have to wait and see. Watch highlights as Andy Murray mastered Rafa Nadal in Madrid last year In terms of the defence of his title Murray admits last year he was in top condition before claiming a memorable success over the home favourite.ddddddddddddMy preparation last year was probably the best its ever been for the clay, said the the Scot.I prepared for the event more thoroughly than I had done in previous years. When you have done everything you can do to ensure that youre ready for the surface, it gives you confidence. Roger Federer has added the Madrid Open to his schedule Federer, a winner in Madrid in 2012, added Madrid to his schedule in the last week as he steps up prepertions for the French Open and he is in the same half of the draw as Murray and Nadal - if the draw pans out he could play the Spaniard in the quarter finals.The Swiss while play either Nicholas Mahut or Joao Sousa, Murray will face either Vasek Pospisil or a qualifier while Nadal faces either Viktor Troicki or Andrey Kuznetsov. Novak Djokovic will be keen to make amends for a shock defeat to Jiri Vesely in his last outing In the other half of the draw, Djokovic will be looking for a third Masters title of the year but after success in Indian Wells and Miami he faces a particularly tricky assignment with clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro or talented teenager Borna Coric his second round opponent.Djokovics only Madrid title came in 2011 and he will be keen to make amends for a shock second round defeat to Jiri Vesely in Monte Carlo. Masters of their trade Nadal and Djokovic tied on total Masters crowns You can follow all the action on Sky Sports this week with the action getting underway at 11am on Sky Sports 3 on Monday.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices.Also See:Sky Live: Madrid MastersMasters of their tradeATP scheduleTennis on Sky ' ' '