Minnesota vs. Indiana football preview

Gophers look for a Big Ten win over Hoosiers

Even Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber knows how big Saturday’s home Big Ten opener against Indiana is.

The sophomore is calling this game the biggest of the season. It’s really not an exaggeration either. With three of the first four conference games on the road, the Gophers know they have to protect the Metrodome and find a way to pick up their first-ever conference victory in the Tim Brewster era.

“This game is huge,’’ Weber said. “This might be the most important game for us. It’s big because we have a long journey in front of us. We had a good start in nonconference, but this season will be a success or a failure depending on how we do in the Big Ten.’’

As expected, the Gophers learned that they have a ways to go to compete against the elite in the Big Ten. They committed three turnovers in a 34-21 loss at Ohio State. The Buckeyes led 34-6 in the fourth quarter before the Gophers made it respectable.

When a young program is under new leadership learning how to win the tougher games is one of the last attributes it attains. There is a learning curve. It happened under Glen Mason. Even though Mason didn’t win a conference championship, his teams did win on the road at Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan.

So the Gophers now need to prove themselves all over again. Unlike last week when they were not expected to win, they are this week. Minnesota is favored.

“It has to do with confidence,’’ Brewster said. “Winning breeds winning and losing breeds losing…It’s big and it’s a game where we will put an emphasis on the conference aspect. I really think there’s some significance there.’’

The Minnesota defense will be tested because it faces another run-pass threat in Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis. Lewis has been a one-man show because not only has been running the offense, he’s also been at wide receiver and running back. He has 1,024 total offensive yards between passing, rushing and receiving.

Lewis may not be as talented as Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor, but he is more experienced. Lewis threw for 244 yards and rushed for 77 in the Hoosier’s victory over the Gophers last year.

Led by senior Deon Hightower, it will be incumbent upon the Gopher linebackers to be present so they can attempt to make Lewis one-dimensional.

Conversely, the Minnesota offense is going to have to bring more people to the party. As was written in this space recently, the Gophers need to find a solid No. 2 receiver behind Eric Decker. They haven’t done that yet. While Decker had five catches against Ohio State, Weber could not really lock on to another target.

But Brewster is stressing that his team has to stretch the field and make some big plays. Whether that comes from Weber, Decker or running back DeLeon Eskridge, it doesn’t matter. The Gophers are OK moving the chains but they have to dictate the action.

The Hoosiers are banged up because senior captain Chris Phillips is out for the season and Jerimy Finch may not play because of a leg injury.

A game like this could really define the Brewster era at Minnesota. These are the games where the Gophers are good enough to win them. Now, they have to show it.

Prediction: Minnesota 34 - Indiana 26

Notable

• Indiana has not won in Minneapolis since 1993.
• Gopher cornerback Traye Simmons now leads the country in passes defended (interceptions and passes broken up) with 11. He has two interceptions and nine pass break.
• Freshman cornerback Troy Stoudemire is already a special player on kickoff returns. He 28.8 average is 16 th nationally and second in the Big Ten.
• Freshman running back DeLeon Eskridge’s 5 touchdowns are halfway to the freshman record of 10 set by Laurence Maroney in 2003.

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