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University of Minnesota Athletics
Game 10: Minnesota at Nebraska
11/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
| Minnesota (7-2; 4-2) at No. 21 Nebraska (7-2; 4-2) | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 12 |
| Time | 6:30 p.m. Central |
| Location | Memorial Stadium (90,000 capacity) |
| Television | BTN l BTN2Go |
| Radio | 100.3 KFAN | Gopher Radio Network |
| Internet | Listen Live | I Heart Radio App |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes / Stats | Minnesota: Notes / Stats | Nebraska: Notes / Stats |
| Player Audio | Mitch Leidner | Hendrick Ekpe l Emmit Carpenter |
| Social Media | @GopherFootball | Facebook | Instagram |
FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Minnesota travels to Nebraska on Saturday for a matchup with the No. 21 Huskers. Saturday's game will be Minnesota's first this season against a ranked opponent and its first since it played three straight against No. 15 Michigan (Oct. 31), No. 1 Ohio State (Nov. 7) and No. 8 Iowa (Nov. 15) last season. Minnesota has lost seven straight games against ranked opponents dating back to the 2014 season. Minnesota's last win against a ranked opponent was a 28-24 victory at No. 21 Nebraska on Nov. 22, 2014. The Gophers were trailing 21-7 at the half, but quarterback Mitch Leidner led the Gophers on a 10-play, 80-yard game-winning touchdown drive with 3:25 left in the game. Leidner rushed 22 times for 111 yards and two scores and Minnesota also receiving rushing scores from David Cobb and Rodrick Williams. Briean Boddy-Calhoun preserved the win when he forced and recovered a fumble with 1:19 left in the game.
2. Minnesota started the Big Ten schedule 0-2, but has rattled off four straight conference wins in beating Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Purdue. The Gophers last won four straight Big Ten games in 2013, when they beat Northwestern, Nebraska, Indiana and Penn State. Head coach Tracy Claeys was the acting head coach in 2013 when Minnesota won those four games, as then-head coach Jerry Kill was dealing with health issues. Prior to 2013, the last time Minnesota won four straight Big Ten games was in 1973 when it beat Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois and Wisconsin. The Gophers' most recent five-game conference win streak in the same season came in 1962 when they beat Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Purdue. Minnesota also won five straight league games spanning the 1969 and 1970 seasons. Minnesota ended 1969 Big Ten play with wins against Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan State and Wisconsin before shutting out Indiana to begin league play in 1970.
3. Minnesota is 7-2 overall (third time in four seasons) and 4-2 in the Big Ten. The Gophers have now won at least seven games in a season 32 times in school history and 16 times since 1950. Minnesota has won at least seven games in three of the last four seasons (8 wins in 2013 and 2014 and 7 wins in 2016), which is a feat it last accomplished in 2003 (10 wins), 2004 (7 wins) and 2005 (7 wins). Minnesota has never won eight games three times in a four-year span, which the Gophers could accomplish on Saturday. Minnesota will play in its fifth straight (19th overall) bowl game this year. Minnesota's streak of five consecutive bowls is tied for the longest streak in program history (2002-2006). Minnesota ended a seven-game bowl losing streak last year with a win in the Quick Lane Bowl.
4. This year's senior class (2013-16) has won 29 games (8 in 2013, 8 in 2014, 6 in 2015 and 7 in 2016), which is the most by a senior class since 2006. That class (2003-06) won 30 games (10 in 2003, 7 in 2004, 7 in 2005 and 6 in 2006).
5. Minnesota leads the Big Ten (third in the nation) in turnover margin at +12. The Gophers have made eight interceptions and recovered 13 fumbles (most in the nation), while throwing six interceptions and losing three fumbles. The Gophers have scored 90 points off of turnovers, while allowing only 23. Last season, Minnesota scored only 37 points off of turnovers, while allowing 72.
