PISCATAWAY, N.J. – P.J. Fleck already has Minnesota off to its best start since 2003, but he is about to reach rarefied air if his team can simply take care of business over the next two games. The 20th-ranked Golden Gophers attempt to move to 7-0 for the first time since 1960 on Saturday when they pay a visit to Rutgers for the first time in program history.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Minnesota -28.5.
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Minnesota extended the nation's fourth-longest active winning streak to eight games with last weekend's 34-7 rout of Nebraska, rolling up 322 yards on the ground for the second straight game after averaging 115.8 over the first four contests. The Gophers took advantage of having each of their top three running backs being healthy for the first time this year, as Rodney Smith (139 yards, one touchdown), Shannon Brooks (99 yards) and Mohamed Ibrahim (84 yards, three TDs) led a dominant rushing attack. Minnesota is tied with Wisconsin atop the Big Ten West and will square off against the only two programs in the East Division with non-winning record over the next two weeks, including a Rutgers team that has been outscored 165-7 in its four Big Ten games this season. The Scarlet Knights threw for one net yard and were outgained 557-75 overall in last weekend's 35-0 loss at Indiana - the third time they have been shut out in six games this season.
ABOUT MINNESOTA (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten)
Sophomore Tanner Morgan has taken a back seat to the running game over the last two games but still ranks third in the league in passing (229.7 yards per game) while sporting conference-best marks with a 195.1 passer rating and 11.1 yards per attempt. Tyler Johnson (33 catches, 459 yards and five TDs) and Rashod Bateman (24, 533 and four) were both held out of the end zone for the first time this season against Nebraska; however, no Big Ten wide receiver duo has more receiving touchdowns. Linebacker Kamal Martin was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after recording a career-high 15 tackles, and the senior leads the team with 41 stops despite missing two games prior to the start of conference play.
ABOUT RUTGERS (1-5, 0-4)
Redshirt freshman Johnny Langan has been unable to spark the offense since becoming the starter two games ago, taking nine sacks while completing only 18-of-38 passes and leading his team to a total of 17 first downs over that span. Sophomore running back Isaih Pacheco has been a bit of a bright spot on the nation's 128th-ranked offense with a team-high 384 yards rushing, although 156 of those yards came in a season-opening win over UMass. Junior linebackers Tyshon Fogg (9.5) and Olakunle Fatukasi (7.0) rank fourth and 15th, respectively, in the conference in tackles, while Adam Korsak has already been named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week twice this year.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Minnesota has scored at least 28 points in each of its first six contests for the first time since 1905.
2. The Scarlet Knights have dropped 16 consecutive conference games and scored seven or fewer points in 11 of them.
3. The Gophers are attempting to go 4-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1967.
PREDICTION: Minnesota 38, Rutgers 3