Minnesota 17, Syracuse 10: Donnell Kirkwood rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns as host Minnesota defeated Syracuse for its first 4-0 start since 2008.

Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib hit Marcus Sales for a 14-yard score with 46 seconds left, but Minnesota recovered Ross Krautman’s onside kick to seal the victory and advance into Big Ten play undefeated.

The Golden Gophers' defense forced Syracuse (1-3) into four turnovers and recorded three sacks. Max Shortell, filling in for the injured MarQueis Gray (ankle), completed 16 of 30 passes for 231 yards.

Kirkwood put Minnesota on the board with a 2-yard run five minutes into the game. Following a 33-yard field goal from Krautman, Kirkwood powered in from 1 yard out early in the third to give the Gophers a 14-3 lead.

Jordan Wettstein added a 43-yard field goal with 3:20 left in regulation before Nassib found Sales to finish the scoring.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wettstein missed his other two field goal attempts. … Syracuse receiver Alec Lemon caught nine passes for 106 yards and moved into first place on the school's all-time receptions list with 145. Lemon passed Scott Schwedes (1983-86) and Shelby Hill (1990-93), who each had 139. … Sales finished with just two receptions for 32 yards after recording at least 100 yards and one touchdown in each of his last four games.