Oct. 16, 1999

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP)-- Thomas Hamner rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Billy Cockerham added another 100 yards rushing as Minnesota defeated Illinois 37-7 Saturday.

Illinois (3-3, 0-3) lost its third game in a row and its sixth straight homecoming game before a crowd that started to leave in the third quarter after the weather became rainy and the game appeared decided.

Minnesota (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) scored on three straight possessions within eight minutes in the first half _ separated only by three Illinois three-and-outs _ to go up 17-0 early in the second quarter.

The Gopher defense, ranked fourth in the nation entering the game, kept the Illini from closing the gap by breaking up passes, stopping the run, grabbing an interception to halt a lengthy Illinois drive in the second quarter and sacking quarterback Kurt Kittner three times at crucial junctures.

Minnesota, which had possession of the ball nine minutes longer than the Illini, finished with 367 yards rushing while holding Illinois to 145.

Cockerham was 9-of-15 passing for 95 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. Kittner finished 19-of-45 with one interception and one touchdown for 180 yards.

Minnesota had marched 72 yards toward the goal line on its first possession of the game when Cockerham was sacked and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Illini at their own 29 yard line.

But Illinois went three-and-out, and Luke Leverson returned the punt 74 yards to put Minnesota up 7-0.

Illinois went three-and-out again on the next possession, and Hamner had runs of 25, 12 and 2 yards before Cockerham hit Jermaine Mays with a 6-yard TD pass with 1:25 left in the first quarter.

Illinois went three-and-out again, and Minnesota's ensuing nine-play, 50-yard drive ended with a 26-yard field goal by Dan Nystrom to give the Gophers a 17-0 lead with 12 minutes to play in the half.

After its first possession of the game, Illinois did not earn a first down until less than 10 minutes were left in the first half.

The Illini's only score came with 54 seconds left in the half when Kittner found Aaron Moorehead near the right sideline for a 32-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-7 at halftime.

Nystrom kicked a 25-yard field goal with under 10 minutes left in the third quarter, and six minutes later, Hamner ran 19 yards into the endzone to give the Gophers a 27-7 lead.

The final Minnesota scores came in the fourth quarter on 20-yard field goal by Nystrom and a 3-yard touchdown run by Hamner's back-up, Byron Evans, following runs of 21 and 18 yards.