Edwin Baker rushed for 179 yards and four touchdowns as No. 15 Michigan State jumped out fast and dominated hapless Minnesota, 31-8, on Saturday.

The Spartans held the Golden Gophers to 76 yards on the ground on 31 carries and bounced back from their first loss of the season last week. Michigan State (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten) kept its Big Ten championship hopes alive with the victory.

Baker did most of his damage before the break, rushing for 118 yards and three scores in the first half as Michigan State took a 21-0 lead into the break. Dan Conroy added a 24-yard field goal in the third to make it 24-0 and Minnesota (1-9, 0-6) finally got on the board early in the fourth when Adam Weber passed to MarQueis Gray for a 9-yard score.

But Baker got that score back less than six minutes later, breaking through the line for a 1-yard score with 5:41 left in the game.