Gophers RB Mo Ibrahim returning for 2021 season
Mo Ibrahim had 26 carries for 151 yards in Minnesota's 20-17 overtime loss at Wisconsin on Saturday. ((credit: University of Minnesota Athletics))
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim can now call himself an All-American.
Ibrahim, named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten earlier this month, was named Third Team All-America by the Associated Press on Monday. He’s the first Gophers running back to earn All-America honors since Laurence Maroney in 2005.
He’s the third Gophers player to be named an All-American in the last two seasons, joining Antoine Winfield Jr. and Rashod Bateman last season.
Ibrahim also made it official Monday that he'll be back leading the Minnesota backfield for the 2021 season. He said during the week leading up to facing Wisconsin that he had no plans to leave school early, and wanted to get his college degree before he even thought about an NFL future.
Ibrahim led the Big Ten in rushing attempts (201), yards (1,076), yards per game (153.7), touchdowns (15), scoring (90) and all-purpose yards per game (168.4). That’s despite Minnesota having two of their nine games canceled due to COVID-19 issues.
He finished third in the nation on yards per game, fourth in points per game, fifth in rushing touchdowns, sixth in all-purpose yards and eighth in rushing yards. Ibrahim set a school record by averaging 153.7 yards per game, and tied a school record with four touchdowns in a game against both Maryland and Illinois. Ibrahim also set a school record with eight straight 100-yard games, a streak that started last January in the Outback Bowl.
In 28 career games, Ibrahim has rushed 517 times (12th in school history) for 2,840 yards (ninth in school history) and 31 touchdowns (sixth in school history).
The Gophers’ season ended with a 20-17 loss in overtime at Wisconsin to finish 3-4 on the season.