It was an exciting Saturday of college football around the country, and the game in Lincoln was no exception. Facing #19 Nebraska, the Golden Gophers played hard and had a realistic chance to win right up until their last possession. Receiver Drew Wolitarsky had his best game since September, with eight catches for 90 yards. I was elated to see the team take just two penalties all game- a HUGE improvement over earlier in the season. The only thing to strongly dislike about the game, if you’re a Minnesota fan, was the result.
Minnesota versus Northwestern: What The Gophers Need To Do To Beat Northwestern
Up next: Saturday at 3:30 EST on BTN
Northwestern has had a strange year. They started the season with inexplicable losses to Western Michigan and Illinois State. Their other three losses have all been to ranked teams. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wildcats a 52.1% chance to win this game- barely better than a coin flip. They definitely have the edge on offense. Quarterback Clayton Thorson and receiver Justin Jackson have become quite the dynamic duo; with two games remaining, Jackson has already hit the 1,000-yard mark. He also has eight of Thorson’s 19 TD passes; Mitch Leidner, on the other hand, has only thrown six touchdowns. Leading rusher Austin Carr has hit the 1,000-yard plateau as well, and has 12 touchdowns. The Gopher defense has their work cut out for them this week.
On the Minnesota offense, the strides made in the passing game last week need to hold up. Northwestern has been allowing quite a bit of yardage through the air. Redshirt sophomore Melvin Holland, Jr. was listed on the depth chart at receiver this week and could see some targets. The run game, normally a strength for the Gophers, needs to bounce back after Nebraska held it under 100 yards for the first time this season. (Only three other teams- Oregon State, Iowa, and Illinois- have managed to hold the Gophers under 200 yards). Running back Rodney Smith (who hit 1,000 yards last weekend) has had a fantastic season, but I could see Shannon Brooks having a big game this week and/or next week. Brooks missed time with injuries earlier in the season and could have the advantage of less wear and tear at this point.
Special teams continue to be above-average for the Gophers. Emmit Carpenter has made 17 of his 19 field goal attempts and all 37 extra points (knocks on desk). Punter Ryan Santoso had a very good game against Nebraska. Keep an eye on Northwestern as far as kicking; Jack Mitchell has only attempted 10 field goals all season, and missed three.
Bottom Line
ESPN’s predictor looks about right to me- I could see this game going either way. The Wildcats have a better offense, but I like Minnesota’s defense better. Northwestern has more talent; the Gophers have a more experienced quarterback and have been more consistent. To win, Minnesota needs to play disciplined, avoid penalties, and be able to move the ball both passing and running. If they can do that, and Mitch Leidner can avoid the turnover or two he’s prone to, I think they eke out a close victory.
