San Jose State @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) San Jose State 24, Minnesota 43

Minnesota will be limping into its non-conference finale Saturday against visiting San Jose State. Starting quarterback Mitch Leidner, who left last week’s loss to Texas Christian with what’s being called a turf-toe injury, is the key health question mark for the Golden Gophers, but it’s far from the only one. Tailback David Cobb and guard Zac Epping are battling ankle sprains and, in all, five players have been lost to season-ending knee injuries.

Leidner, who was already dealing with a MCL sprain, hurt his left foot early in the fourth quarter last week and was replaced by redshirt freshman Chris Streveler, who guided the Gophers to their only score in the 30-7 road loss. Leidner will try to show he’s up to game speed in practice this week, but if he isn’t, Streveler will make his first career start against the Spartans , who are playing in the Twin Cities for the second straight season. “(Leidner will have) to be cleared by the trainer,” Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said in his Tuesday news conference. “I always tell the trainer (to decide if) can he play full speed because this is a full-speed game.”

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Minnesota -8.5

ABOUT SAN JOSE STATE (1-1): With a bye last Saturday, the Spartans have had an extra week to prepare after opening the season with a home win over FCS member North Dakota (42-10) and a road loss to SEC power Auburn (59-13). Compared to its banged-up host, San Jose State is positively healthy, getting last year’s leading rusher, Jarrod Lawson back from a two-game suspension this week along with the return of wide receiver Jabari Carr, who has played sparingly due to a groin injury. Grad student Blake Jurich has taken over for the record-setting David Fales at quarterback and is off to a strong start, completing 38-of-52 for 468 yards and a four TDs to lead the Mountain West Conference in passing efficiency.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (2-1): The Gophers opened the season with home wins over FCS school Eastern Illinois (42-20) and Middle Tennessee (35-24) before seeing their 10-game non-conference win streak snapped last week. Cobb, who rushed for 1,202 yards last season, ripped off a career-high 220 yards against Middle Tennessee but was limited to 44 yards on 13 carries against TCU while dealing with the ankle issue. Defensively, the Gophers have excelled at taking the ball away (5 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries) but have surrendered a combined 359 rushing yards over their last two outings.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Gophers trampled the Spartans 43-24 a year ago in the Twin Cities, rushing for 353 yards, including a combined 276 and six TDs from Cobb and Leidner, who was making his first career start.

2. Minnesota has come away with a touchdowns in each of its seven trips into the red zone.

3. San Jose State is 2-6 all-time versus the Big Ten with its last victory coming in 2002 against Illinois.

PREDICTION: Minnesota 35, San Jose State 24