Kent State @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2006 ) Minnesota 44, Kent State 0

Minnesota coach Jerry Kill has already seen enough in regard to his offense’s slow starts, but believes he may be on to something after watching it deliver late in his team’s first win of the season. Following last weekend’s overtime victory at Colorado State, the Golden Gophers' return home on Saturday to square off against Kent State in the second meeting between the schools.

After Minnesota was unable to record a single first down in its first six drives, the Gophers turned to the no-huddle to spark the offense with much success, perhaps convincing the fifth-year coach to pick up the pace a bit more often. “Maybe we need to go no-huddle right off the bat; I don’t want to be a no-huddle team all the way because when you play Ohio State, you don’t want to be no-huddle all the way. … So it’s kind of a cat-and-mouse, we’ve got to get it figured out because we’re not starting games very (well). (But) when we get going, we look really, really good,” Kill told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Ultimately, the same Gophers’ defense that limited a high-powered TCU offense to 23 points in a season-opening loss saved the day against the Rams, forcing a fumble on the first play of the extra period en route to a 23-20 win. The Golden Flashes rebounded from a 52-3 dismantling at Illinois in their opener, holding Delaware State to minus-33 total yards in a 45-13 home victory last weekend.
TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Minnesota -24

ABOUT KENT STATE (1-1): The Golden Flashes rewrote the school’s record books in a few different ways against the Hornets, shattering their previous defensive standard when they held Marshall to 81 total yards in 1967. However, that effort was overshadowed a bit by fifth-year senior kicker April Goss, who became only the second woman – joining New Mexico’s Katie Hnida in 2003 – to score in a major college football game when she converted an extra point in the second quarter. Despite the record-setting performances last weekend, Kent State committed 12 more penalties to boost its season total to 23 – tied for the second-most in FBS.
ABOUT MINNESOTA (1-1): The Gophers added to their growing list of injured offensive players last weekend as receivers KJ Maye (undisclosed) and Brandon Lingen (concussion) as well as guard Jon Christenson (right knee) joined four other receivers or tight ends listed as questionable, doubtful or out for Saturday. Christenson is expected to miss four weeks after arthroscopic surgery, but Kill told reporters early this week he anticipates Maye – the team’s second-leading receiver – to play despite a questionable tag. Drew Wolitarsky took advantage of Maye’s absence versus Colorado State, setting career highs with nine receptions and 114 receiving yards.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Minnesota QB Mitch Leidner has thrown 153 consecutive passes without throwing an interception – the third-longest such streak in the country.
2. Kent State has been outscored 268-6 in its last six matchups with Big Ten foes.
3. The Gophers have been limited to three field goals in the first half of their first two games, scoring 31 of their 40 points after the break.

PREDICTION: Minnesota 38, Kent State 3