The Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Golden Gophers will square off at TCF Bank Stadium this Saturday afternoon in what should be a competitive early-season Big Ten battle.
How to watch Iowa vs. Minnesota 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
The Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers will try to pick up an early-season Big Ten win on Saturday.
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sport
Minnesota enters the game with a perfect 4-0 record. But, Jerry Kill’s team has yet to beat anyone with much talent, and while the results are impressive we still don’t know too much about the Gophers. That will change this weekend when Iowa comes to town. The Hawkeyes opened their season up with a bad loss at home, but they’ve won three in a row, including a 59-3 romping of Western Michigan last Saturday.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Neither team is ranked. Regardless of who comes out on top, a win won’t move them into the top 25. When the two schools met last season, Iowa won with ease at home, 31-13.
Vegas: Iowa opened as a 3.5-point favorite, according to Odds Shark.
Weather: There’s a chance of rain in the forecast with temperatures in the low-60s at kickoff.
Three names to know
Jerry Kill: Minnesota’s head coach has done a terrific job turning the program around. His health is a major concern, though, as he continues a battle with epilepsy.
David Cobb: Cobb leads the run-happy Gophers with 332 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Mark Weisman: Iowa's tailback is one of the best in the conference. He's rushed for 468 yards and three touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season. Look for the Hawkeyes to give him the football early and often.
Two things at stake
As is the case each week, every conference game matters in the Big Ten. Both schools are already halfway to becoming bowl eligible, and opening up the conference slate with a win would be big for both programs. The Legends Division looks wide open this season. With Nebraska and Michigan looking vulnerable the past few weeks, an early 1-0 start would send a message to the rest of the division.
How to witness
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 or ABC
Radio: 100.3 KFAN FM and 1130 KTLK-AM are the regional homes of Gophers football. The Hawkeye Radio Network & KRUI Radio will have the coverage across the plains of Iowa.
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Further reading
For more on this game, be sure to check out The Daily Gopher and Black Heart Gold Pants.
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