New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill came in saying he wasn't sure he and Gophers coach P.J. Fleck would shake hands Thursday, but they did it twice, with conversations before and after the game.

"I've never said one thing ever negative about Jerry Kill ... I'm a Jerry Kill guy," Fleck said after his team rolled to a 38-0 victory at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Before the game, Fleck walked to the NMSU side and sought out Kill, who was talking with a few assistants. Fleck extended his right hand and put his left arm around Kill's shoulders. The two spoke for about two minutes and had a shorter exchange after the game.

"I'm a professional," Kill said. "I've been a class act my whole life. ... You've got to remember, P.J. worked with me [at Northern Illinois]. ... And sometimes in the heat of the battle ... when you have your best friend [Tracy Claeys] get fired ... I think you react."

"I'm just glad that my wife [Rebecca] was here, my granddaughter was here — it was a surreal moment," Kill added. "I've never been the same since I left Minnesota and never will be. So the people that don't like me or are disgusted with me or whatever – it doesn't change the way I feel about this place."

What did he and Fleck talk about? Kill said they "just visited."

Fleck said he told Kill, "I've always had the upmost respect for you. ... I mean, this is a very passionate profession. I know this. I appreciate Jerry's passion because I know how bad, you know, Jerry loves this place."

Kill said the Gophers are a "very physical football team and a football team we want to be at New Mexico State in time. It takes time. Everywhere I've been it takes a little bit of time. Their running back [Mohamed Ibrahim] is one of the better ones I've seen in a long time.

"They're a Big Ten physical football team, is what they are. ... I figured they would be pretty good from what I've heard, but I think they may be better than what people think."

Ibrahim joins Barbers in history

Returning from an Achilles injury from last season, Ibrahim immediately resembled his old self in Thursday's opener with two rushing touchdowns in the first half.

Ibrahim's first TD since being sidelined in the opener last year tied Gophers great Marion Barber (1977-80) in career scores on the ground in team history. He then followed it up with tying Barber's late son with his 35th rushing touchdown for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

Marion Barber III, who tragically died of heat stroke on June 1, finished his U career from 2001-04 second in rushing TDs behind legend Darrell Thompson's 40.

WR Jackson misses game

Wide receiver Daniel Jackson, whose 25 receptions last year ranked second on the team, was dressed but not expected to play because of a foot injury. Freshman running back Zach Evans was in street clothes with a sleeve on his right leg.

NMSU returns favor

The Aggies reportedly will receive a combined $3 million for playing at Wisconsin and Missouri this season, but they won't be paid for traveling to play the Gophers.

That's because Thursday's meeting was a return game from when Kill's Minnesota squad won 44-21 at Aggie Memorial Stadium in 2013. Kill also lost 28-21 to New Mexico State at home in his second game as Gophers coach in 2011.

Etc.

  • Starting left guard Axel Ruschmeyer left the game during the third quarter because of a leg injury. Nathan Boe took his place.
  • The Gophers wore helmet stickers and Fleck wore a lapel pin celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the federal legislation that increased athletic opportunities for girls and women.

  • The Gophers game Thursday was the fourth-warmest temperature for a game at Huntington Bank Stadium in team history at 83 degrees. It ranks just under the 88 degrees vs. the Aggies in 2011.
  • The Gophers entered Thursday on a two-game losing streak in season openers, losing to No. 18 Michigan in 2020 and No. 4 Ohio State last year.
  • New Mexico State has one Minnesotan on its roster: freshman defensive back Rashad McKinley, who played at Hill-Murray.
  • Tony Brinkhaus, a center who played for the Gophers from 2004-07, gave the speech to the team at Thursday's captains' breakfast.