Where: TCF Bank Stadium (50,805), Minneapolis, Minn.
Coaches: Miami Chuck Martin, fifth season, 90-42 overall, 16-35 at Miami; Minnesota P.J. Fleck, second season, 37-39 overall, 7-7 at Minnesota.
»RELATED: Miami seeks first road win over FBS school since 2003
Last time: Zac Dysert's pass to wide receiver Chris Givens in the end zone in the waning seconds was broken up by the Golden Gophers, preserving Minnesota's 29-23 win on Sept. 17, 2011, at TCF Bank Stadium.
Series notes: Minnesota leads the series, 3-0, all in Minnesota. The Golden Gophers won the first game handily, 35-3, in 1988, but Miami pushed them to three overtimes before succumbing, 41-35, in 2007.
Stat pack: Miami RB Kenny Young 10 carries, 44 yards, 4.4 avg.; QB Gus Ragland 47-of-87 passing, 496 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int.; Young 15 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD; LB Junior McMullen, 19 tackles, 9 solo.
Minnesota RB Rodney Smith 25 carries, 154 yards, 6.2 avg.; QB Zack Annexstad 32-of-59 passing, 395 yards, 2 TDs, 0 ints; WR Tyler Johnson 11 catches, 150 yards, 2 TDs; LB Blake Cashman 18 tackles, 10 solo.
Local flavor: Fr. DL Alex Reigelsperger, Wayne; Sr. OL Jared Weyler, Centerville.
Tough challenge: Miami has lost 12 consecutive games against seven Big Ten teams since knocking off Northwestern 44-14 in 2003, Ben Roethlisberger's last season with the RedHawks. The average score during the losing streak is 36.25-13.5 and the winners have scored 50 or more points three times – all n the last four games.
Worth noting: Minnesota leads the Big Ten with an average of 41 yards per punt return and a 35:37 average time of possession per game. … Antoine Winfield leads the conference with an average of 39.5 yards per punt return, while teammate Sam Renner is second at 34.0 yards per return. … Terrell Smith leads with an average of 2.5 passes defended per game. … Winfield was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after his end zone interception sealed Minnesota's 31-24 win over Fresno State. … He was named the conference Special Teams Player of the Week the week before after an electrifying 76-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 48-10 win over New Mexico State. … He is the first Minnesota player to be named Player of the Week in two different categories in the same season. … Golden Gophers kicker Emmit Carpenter inherited the Special Teams Player of the Week Award after connecting on field goals of 50 and 53 yards.
Quotes: Fleck, in his postgame media session, on the contributions of young players to the come-from-behind win over Fresno State: "You look out there at one point, and every one of your playmakers besides (junior receiver) Ty Johnson is a freshman. They've never been in a situation like that before, and you don't know how they're going to react."
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