Earlier this week, I was trying to figure out the last time Northwestern-Minnesota meant as much as it will on Saturday. That isn’t to say these teams are much above mediocre — far from it. Rather, this game has the potential to be one of the deciding games in the Big Ten West. Considering that less than a month ago Northwestern was 0-2 and Minnesota was coming off a blowout loss to TCU, that’s pretty amazing.
How to watch Northwestern vs. Minnesota: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
This game means more than we thought it would in the preseason.
But since that time, both teams have provided reason for optimism. Minnesota won convincingly against Michigan at the Big House, and although the Wolverines have clear issues, it was still a big win for the Gophers, who finally took back the Little Brown Jug.
Northwestern’s turnaround has been even more impressive. The Wildcats went from 0-2 and in danger of missing out on a bowl game for a second straight year to winning consecutive games over Penn State and Wisconsin and becoming a division contender. Suddenly, this otherwise boring matchup in Minneapolis just got a lot more interesting.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: Noon ET
TV: BTN
Radio: Gopher Radio Network, Northwestern: 87.7 FM The Game or 720 AM WGN in Chicagoland
Online streaming: BTN2Go
The numbers
Rankings and records: Minnesota is 4-1, while Northwestern is 3-2. Neither team is ranked.
Vegas: The line opened with an even spread, but Minnesota is now a 4-point favorite.
Weather forecast: Sunny with a high of 58 and a low of 39.
Two things at stake
Is Northwestern really the Big Ten West favorite? As of now, it looks like the Wildcats might be in the driver’s seat. Lose to Minnesota and NU’s division chances take a bit of a hit.
Of course, Minnesota has a chance to claim the division, as well. If the Gophers are for real, they can’t lose this game.
One big matchup
Northwestern offense vs. Minnesota defense: This game isn’t going to be very high-scoring, as both teams have good defenses and struggling offenses. However, this matchup provides some intrigue. The Wildcats’ offense has improved in recent weeks ever since they changed up their scheme a bit, and they had far more success against Wisconsin than they did in previous weeks — in fact, they ran far better on the Badgers than anyone else has this year. Will NU’s offensive improvement continue this week? If it does, you have to like the Wildcats’ chances. If not, it’s anyone’s game.
Further reading
Read InsideNU for more on Northwestern and The Daily Gopher for more on Minnesota.
See More:
