The battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe is back on as the Wisconsin Badgers welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.
Here are significant stats and key Minnesota standouts to know, along with in-depth insight from our Q&A with The Gopher Report's Alex Carlson.
2020 STATS
*Record: 3-3
*Points per game: 29.0
*Opponents points per game: 31.8
*Rushing yards per game: 199.5
*Opponents rushing yards per game: 212.5
*Passing yards per game: 202.3
*Opponents' passing yards per game: 219.0
*Third-down conversions: 49.3%
*Opponents' third-down conversions: 41.7%
*Total turnovers created: 6 (four interceptions, two fumble recoveries)
*Total turnovers given up: 6 (four interceptions, two lost fumbles)
*Sacks: 7
*Sacks allowed: 11
MINNESOTA PLAYERS TO KNOW: OFFENSE
*Running back Mohamed Ibrahim: 175 carries, 925 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, 15 touchdowns
*Running back Cam Wiley: 26 carries, 174 yards, one touchdown
*Quarterback Tanner Morgan: 58.9% completion percentage (93-of-158), 1,214 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions
*Wide receiver Rashod Bateman (opted out for remainder of season): 36 receptions, 472 yards, two touchdowns
*Wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell: 19 receptions, 397 yards, one touchdown
*Wide receiver Daniel Jackson: Eight receptions, 100 yards
MINNESOTA PLAYERS TO KNOW: DEFENSE
*Defensive lineman Boye Mafe: 20 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles
*Defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo: 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries
*Linebacker Moriano Sori-Marin: 47 tackles, three pass breakups, one forced fumble
*Linebacker Thomas Rush: 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery
*Defensive back Tyler Nubin: 36 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble
*Defensive back Jordan Howden: 32 tackles, one pass breakup
*Defensive back Coney Durr: 25 tackles, one tackle for loss, five pass breakups
*Defensive back Justus Harris: 17 tackles, one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry, one fumble recovery
*Defensive back Benjamin St. Juste: 10 tackles, two pass breakups
Minnesota sits at 3-3 heading into Saturday's matchup. In this abbreviated season during the COVID-19 pandemic, what has been the biggest driver(s) of the program sitting at .500 at the moment?
AC: A lack of practice/non-conference games really hurt the team defensively. The team lost three starters on the defensive line, three linebackers (two graduating; rotation linebacker Braelen Oliver out for the season due to injury) and two in the secondary, including All-American Antoine Winfield Jr. Minnesota has had to break in a ton of new faces on the defense, especially defensive line/linebackers and more practice and a few non-conference games would've really helped them get reps and used to the speed of the game, rather than jumping right into Michigan. The defense has improved as the year has gone on, but is still far from dominant.
