Coach: Tim Brewster (2nd year)
Record: 7-4, 3-4 Big Ten
In the polls: Unranked
Who they’ve beaten: Northern Illinois (31-27), Bowling Green (42-17), Montana State (35-23), Florida Atlantic (37-3), Indiana (16-7), Illinois (27-20), Purdue (17-6)
To whom they’ve lost: Ohio State (34-21), Northwestern (24-17), Michigan (29-6), Wisconsin (35-32)
Fact: This will be Minnesota’s final game in the Metrodome. The Gophers have played there since 1982 but will move to TCF Bank Stadium in 2009.
Last time: Iowa 21, Minnesota 16 (Nov. 10, 2007)
Series: Minnesota leads, 59-40-2
Common opponents: Iowa beat Indiana (45-9), Purdue (22-7), Wisconsin (38-16) and lost to Northwestern (22-17) and Illinois (27-24).
On offense
The Gophers average 339.4 yards a game, 224.5 passing and 114.8 rushing. They score 25.5 points a game. Quarterback Adam Weber completes 63 percent of his passes and has thrown for 2,458 yards and 14 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also has rushed for 200 yards and four scores. Freshman DeLeon Eskridge has carried 165 times for 646 yards and seven touchdowns, an average of 3.9 yards a carry. Junior Eric Decker, the Big Ten’s leading receiver, is expected to return from an injury that kept him out last week. He has 74 catches for 892 yards and six scores. After that, junior Ben Kuznia has 30 for 292, and tight end Jack Simmons has 28 for 274. Eskridge has pulled in 25 passes out of the backfield.
On defense
Minnesota allows 368.9 yards, 228.9 passing and 140 rushing, and 20.5 points a game. Lee Campbell leads the defense with 71 tackles, including 5½ for a loss of yardage and four sacks. He also has two interceptions. Traye Simmons leads the team and ranks second in the Big Ten with four interceptions. He also has 55 tackles. Willie VanDeSteeg has made 18½ tackles for a loss, including 9.5 sacks, which ranks third in the Big Ten.
On special teams
Joel Monroe has made 12 of 16 field goals, including 3 of 5 from beyond 40 yards. He has not missed the past two weeks. Justin Kucek averages 41.6 yards a punt and has landed 17 of 61 kicks inside the 20. Marcus Sherels averages 12.4 yards per punt return, and Troy Stoudermire 23.2 yards per kickoff return. Opponents have averaged 8.4 yards per punt return and 18.4 on kickoffs.
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