Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. intercepted a pass in the end zone and Seth Green scored two touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation to help the Golden Gophers down Fresno State, 21-14 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday.

Winfield picked off a pass to spurn the Bulldogs' final drive and end a furious fourth-quarter rally in which Fresno State threatened to come all the way back from a two-touchdown deficit.

The game shifted early when the Gophers lost their top offensive player, senior running back Rodney Smith, to a leg injury. Green, a quarterback who moved to wide receiver this season, was the focus on the offense from there.

Minnesota dominated the game defensively for three quarters.

Up 13-0, Fresno State got on the board with a 1-yard touchdown reception by Jared Rice with 20 seconds left in the third.

Leading by seven thanks to a pair of long field goals and the legs of Green -- who scored his second and third rushing touchdown of the year -- the Golden Gophers allowed Fresno State to drive to the Minnesota 4-yard line. After Fresno State put up touchdowns on consecutive drives, Green had given Minnesota the lead back, 21-14, with just under 3:30 remaining in the game.

Emmitt Carpenter pounded through field goals of 50 and 53 yards in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota, 2-0 for the second consecutive season under P.J. Fleck, hosts Miami (Ohio) next week.

--Field Level Media