NORTHWESERN STATE vs. MINNESOTA

When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: KFAN, 100.3 FM
Weather: 55 degrees, partly cloudy, 10 mph southeast wind

Records: The Gophers are 1-0 after a 23-10 win over Buffalo in the season opener on Aug. 28. The Demons are 1-0 after a 20-10 victory over Alcorn State the same day.

Big question: Who are the Gophers playing? No, it’s not Northwestern; that Big Ten team is on the U’s schedule come November at Wrigley Field. This is Northwestern State, an FCS-level school in Natchitoches, La., who suffered through a 20-game losing streak from November 2022 until this season’s opener.

History: This is the first matchup between the two programs. The U blew out another FCS school, Rhode Island, 48-0 in Week 2 last season.

Stats: The Gophers are 62-4 against current FCS teams, with two losses apiece to North Dakota State and South Dakota. In its seven straight wins since 2012, the U has outscored FCS teams by an average of 44-14.

Key matchup: The Gophers vs. themselves. Minnesota shouldn’t have much trouble against the Demons, so they need focus for a crisp start, build a lead and play as many back-ups as possible going into a long road trip to Berkeley, Calif., to play the Cal Golden Bears next Saturday night.

Who has the edge?

Gophers offense vs. Demons defense: The Gophers put up 443 total yards in the opener, but had only 23 points to show for it after only one of seven drives inside the 25 ended with a touchdown. … The U’s most talked-about drive was a 16-play, 58-yarder that sucked the final 9 minutes and 45 seconds off the clock and ended the game. “Can you go take somebody’s soul?” head coach P.J. Fleck said on his radio show about the impact of those types of drives. “Nothing makes me happier.” … After 30 rushes and four receptions in the opener, RB Darius Taylor is on pace for 408 total touches this season. He is U’s most-versatile offensive weapon and he will be vital later on this season, so his amount of touches should be scaled way back for this nonconference tilt. … The Demons’ 3-3-5 defensive look limited Alcorn State to only 78 rushing yards  in Week 1. … DE Clinton Anokwuru, who started his career at Kansas, had five pressures, per Pro Football Focus, and one sack vs. Alcorn State.  … NW State’s starting safeties had sub-60 coverage grades in the season opener. EDGE: Gophers 

Gophers defense vs. Demons offense: On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Danny Collins and two players expressed dissatisfaction over the Buffalo game. The U gave up only 10 points and 151 yards over a measly 44 plays, but they felt they could have been even better. One obvious area for improvement: takeaways. The Gophers had zero against Buffalo, while Northwestern State lost one fumble and had one interception against Alcorn State. “Got to do a way better job,” Collins said. …. Alcorn State’s four giveaways cost them in Week 1. … LB Maverick Baranowski was on PFF’s Big Ten team of the week after posting a U-best 84.0 overall grade vs. the Bulls. He had a team-high 10 tackles, including 1 1/2 for lost yards. … QB Abram Johnston passed for only 85 yards, but added 69 rushing yards in Week 1. The U’s ability to account for him on the ground will be a point of emphasis. His meek passing total was one of the lowest outputs in FCS last week. … The Demons offensive schemes will look to spread out the U defense, with three running backs sharing the workload against Alcorn State. … The Gophers had seven TFLs last week and should be able to set the Demons behind the sticks with regularity on Saturday. EDGE: Gophers

Special teams: New kicker Brady Denaburg was a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals (long of 38) and 5 for 6 for touchbacks on kickoffs against Buffalo. New punter Tom Weston averaged 43 yards and put two of his three inside the 20-yard line. Pretty strong start for both transfers. Koi Perich had one punt return for 18 yards, but was itching for more. … NW State kicker Cooper Evans missed a 51-yarder in the opener, while Zay Davis had a 30-yard kick return. EDGE: Gophers

Prediction: This game didn’t have a betting line midweek, but it’s fair to say the Gophers are enormous favorites. With a road game against a Power Four opponent (Cal) up next, it’s important to build more confidence while staying mostly healthy. Gophers win 44-3.

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