WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Shannon Brooks rushed 17 times for 176 yards as Minnesota scored 41 unanswered points in a 41-13 win over Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday.

The Gophers led 10-6 at halftime but outscored the Boilermakers 28-0 in the third quarter, thanks to a long scoring run by Brooks and a pair of touchdown passes from Mitch Leidner to Brandon Lingen.

Brooks, a freshman, took the second play of the half 71 yards for the score, showing both power and speed. He broke four tackles within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage, cruised down the right sideline then bowled in over two more Purdue defenders at the goal line.

The Gophers scored just 10 points in the first half despite a pair of Boilermaker turnovers that gave Minnesota the ball in Purdue territory. Leidner, a redshirt junior, struggled mightily in the opening half, completing just 6 of 10 passes for 39 yards and an interception.

But Leidner connected with Lingen, his sophomore tight end, on a pair of touchdown strikes in the third quarter -- one on a throwback pass from three yards out and another on a 17-yard pass down the seam.

Gophers junior cornerback Jalen Myrick made a pair of interceptions, including one he returned 27 yards for a touchdown.

Leidner finished the game with just 59 yards through the air but had a pair of touchdowns on 8-of-12 passing. He also had 14 yards and a touchdown on the ground and made a 16-yard reception.

Purdue marched 75 yards on 13 plays in just under five minutes on their initial drive, capped by a 1-yard plunge by sophomore running back D.J. Knox. But senior kicker Paul Griggs missed the extra point off the right upright, perhaps a sign of things to come.

Minnesota sophomore kicker Ryan Santoso connected on a 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter to pull the Gophers to within 6-3 before Leidner's quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line gave his team the lead for good with five minutes to play in the half.