He has answered the bell for every Gophers football game since Aug. 31, 2017, and on Saturday guard Conner Olson reached a milestone in a fitting way — by being part of an offensive line that took over a game.
Olson, a sixth-year senior from Monticello, started his 52nd consecutive game in the Gophers' 34-16 victory over Maryland at Huntington Bank Stadium, breaking the school record set by long snapper Payton Jordahl from 2015 to '18. Entering Saturday, Olson's streak was the fifth-longest active starting streak in the country.
"It just another game. We've got a handful more,'' Olson said, downplaying his accomplishment. "It's cool to get that record, and I hope I break that record again next week. I'm not going to get too focused on that just yet. It's more so about the team than the individual record.''
The team, with the offensive line setting the tempo, won its third consecutive game and did so with a dominant rushing attack. The Gophers ran the ball 56 times for 326 yards, and in the second half they closed the game with 23 consecutive runs to drain the clock and end any thoughts of a comeback by the Terrapins.
"It's a credit to the entire unit to be able to go out there and finish the game in that fashion,'' Olson said. "Our running backs definitely instill a lot of confidence in the run game, and when you've got [tight end] Ko Kieft on the edge, you always feel pretty good out there. It was a good way to end the game. From and offensive lineman's standpoint, I always prefer to running it to passing it — no offense to Tanner.''
Tanner Morgan, the Gophers quarterback, wasn't offended at all by mainly handing off the ball after intermission.
"It was very dominant, being able to see those guys execute every single play,'' he said.
Saturday's game didn't start perfectly for Olson, who fell on the first play from scrimmage.
