Minnesota @ Northwestern preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2014 ) Northwestern 17, Minnesota 24

Northwestern and Minnesota each concluded non-conference play in similar yet uncharacteristic fashion, finding a way to win over MAC opponents when their usually-reliable defenses came up short. The 17th-ranked Wildcats eye their first victory over the Golden Gophers in three tries and first 5-0 start since 2012 when they host Minnesota in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

After yielding a total of 16 points over its first three outings, Northwestern – the nation’s top scoring defense – surrendered 19 to Ball State in a five-point win last weekend, instead relying on a season-high 546 yards of total offense. "Last year or the year before that, we might not have won a game like this. So we're finding ways to win, which you need to do in Big Ten play. Every game is going to be hard,” Wildcats superback Dan Vitale said. Minnesota trailed twice in the fourth quarter and allowed a season-high 24 points against Ohio, but rolled up a season-high 468 total yards and secured its third straight three-point win when Shannon Brooks scored the go-ahead touchdown with 30 seconds remaining. All four of the Gophers’ games this season – including their season-opening 23-17 loss to No. 3 TCU – have been decided by six points or fewer, while their victories in this series over the last two years have come by a total of 10 points.
TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Northwestern -4

ABOUT MINNESOTA (3-1): Coach Jerry Kill fielded questions all week regarding Mitch Leidner’s status as the starting quarterback, but his junior signal-caller responded with a career-high 264 yards passing to keep freshman Demry Croft on the sidelines for at least another week. The Gophers lost four defensive backs to injury against the Bobcats and none of them are listed better than questionable for Northwestern, including star cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun (knee). On the plus side, five freshmen - including running backs Rodney Smith (94 rushing yards, 58 receiving) and Brooks (82 rushing) – accounted for 63 percent of the team’s offense against the Bobcats.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (4-0): Justin Jackson, who leads the country with 118 carries, ranks second in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation with 516 rushing yards after piling up a career-high 184 on 33 attempts against Ball State. Vitale finished with five catches for 108 yards and a career-high two touchdowns; his nine career touchdown receptions leave him two scores shy of forging a four-way tie for 10th place in school history. The Wildcats also sustained their fair share of defensive injuries last week as well, losing safety Godwin Igwebuike and defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo; Igwebuike (upper body injury) is listed as questionable for this weekend.

EXTRA POINTS
1. The Gophers, who are 1-15 in their last 16 road games against ranked league opponents, last won two straight games at Ryan Field in 1989 and 1993.
2. The Wildcats have allowed 35 points – their lowest total through four games since they yielded 27 in 1961.
3. With a victory on Saturday, Minnesota would improve to 10-5 over its last 15 Big Ten contests – matching the school’s best 15-game league stretch since Nov. 11, 1972-Oct. 26, 1974.

PREDICTION: Northwestern 17, Minnesota 13