Minnesota @ Nebraska preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 22, 2011 ) Nebraska 41, Minnesota 14

Nebraska will try to get closer to the Big Ten Division title when it hosts Minnesota on Saturday. The No. 14 Cornhuskers are tied for first with Michigan, but control their own destiny by virtue of their 23-9 victory over the Wolverines on Oct. 27. Nebraska, which finishes its regular season at Iowa on Nov. 23, defeated Penn State 32-23 last week for its fourth straight victory. It was Nebraska's fourth win when trailing by 10 or more points in the second half in its last six games. The Golden Gophers, who won at Illinois 17-3 last week for their first Big Ten road victory in two seasons under coach Jerry Kill, can open the eyes of bowl committees with an upset, although Nebraska has won 15 straight meetings, including 41-14 last season in Minneapolis.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Nebraska -18.5

ABOUT MINNESOTA (6-4, 2-4 Big Ten): It appears the best chance for the Golden Gophers to spring the upset is to keep the ball on the ground and take their chances against the nation's No. 84 rushing defense with their No. 57 running game. Sophomore Donnell Kirkwood is hitting his best stride with 344 yards in his last three games, including a career-high 152 last week. Another big game out of Kirkwood can also help take the pressure off freshman quarterback Philip Nelson, who took over four games ago and has completed 55.6 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Minnesota, though, must find a way to slow down the nation's No. 7 rushing attack.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (8-2, 5-1): The Cornhuskers also have a potential safety net with Michigan finishing at undefeated Ohio State on Nov. 24, but their recent play should allow them to take care of business themselves. Leading the way is junior quarterback Taylor Martinez (309 rushing yards the last two games), who along with sophomore running back Ameer Abdullah share the team lead with eight rushing touchdowns apiece. Abdullah (team-leading 942 yards, four straight 100-yard games) has done an admirable job filling in for Rex Burkhead. The sixth-leading rusher in Nebraska history (3,059 yards) has missed five games - including the last three - and left three others early because of a knee injury suffered in the season opener that he keeps re-aggravating. Burkhead is questionable Saturday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Saturday's game will mark the 500th in which Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne will serve in an official capacity. Osborne won 255 games as coach from 1973-97 after a stint as an assistant from 1962-72. He will retire as athletic director, a post which he has held since 2007, on Jan. 1.

2. Eleven different players have scored touchdowns for Minnesota, tied for seventh in the country (Navy leads with 14). Wide receiver A.J. Barker, who has missed the last two games and is questionable Saturday because of an ankle injury, leads the way with seven.

3. Minnesota leads the series 29-21-2, but hasn't defeated Nebraska since a 26-14 decision Sept. 24, 1960. The Golden Gophers have lost 23 of their last 24 against ranked teams.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 38, Minnesota 13