Five things we learned from the Gophers' 20-13 victory at Nebraska

1. Given a passing threat, the Gophers showed they can rally

Down 10-0 on the road in front of 86,284 doesn't sound like a winning recipe for the Gophers, but they figured out a way to rally for the win at Nebraska once backup quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis entered the game to start the second half. The Cornhuskers had to respect Kaliakmanis' ability to both pass and run, which created space for running back Mohamed Ibrahim. And don't forget the Minnesota defense, which forced six consecutive three-and-outs to shut down the Huskers. It added up to the Gophers ending a 32-game losing streak in games in which they trailed by double digits.

2. The drops gotta stop

While the Gophers pass-catchers had a productive day compared with past Big Ten games – a combined 12 receptions for 175 yards – dropped passes continued to be a problem. Early in the second quarter, tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, the team's leading receiver, dropped a pass on third-and-13 from the Nebraska 44 that would have given the Gophers the ball at the 30. Instead, they punted. Early in the fourth quarter, wide receiver Mike Brown-Stephens dropped a pass on second-and-8 from the Huskers 31 that would have moved Minnesota to the 20. They settled for Matthew Trickett's 49-yard field goal.

3. The defense must start better

For the third time in six Big Ten games, the Gophers allowed their opponent to march down the field for a touchdown on its first possession. They gave up a 68-yard TD drive to open the 20-10 loss to Purdue and a 75-yard TD drive in the 26-14 loss to Illinois. Saturday, Nebraska went 75 yards in nine plays for a 7-0 lead, but the Gophers were able to overcome it with their second-half rally.

4. The Gophers pass rush took a step forward

The Gophers entered Saturday's game last in the Big Ten with 10 sacks this season and had only four sacks total in five conference games. That changed against Nebraska. The Gophers sacked Huskers QBs four times for 9 yards in losses, a positive step forward in an area that has been lacking. Cody Lindenberg, Mariano Sori-Marin and Lucas Finnessy each had one sack, and Kyler Baugh and Thomas Rush shared one.

5. The Big Ten West race tightens

On Saturday, Illinois lost 23-15 to Michigan State, dropping to 4-2 in conference play but still leading the West Division. Purdue fell 24-3 to Iowa, dropping into a four-way tie for second place at 3-3 among the Gophers, Hawkeyes and Wisconsin. The upcoming weekend should bring some clarity because of two key matchups: Purdue at Illinois, and Wisconsin at Iowa.