Big Ten Football: Week 3 Power Rankings

9. Minnesota (9)

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Last Week: 30-7 loss to TCU

A couple of the remaining unbeaten Big Ten teams lost in dramatic fashion this past Saturday. Minnesota was not one of those teams.

At some point, the lack of a passing game was going to get Jerry Kill’s boys in trouble.

Not surprisingly, it bit the Golden Gophers in the rear versus a Big 12 team as they were destroyed by the TCU Horned Frogs.

TCU was able to shut down Minnesota’s run game (David Cobb led the Gophers with 41 yards on 15 carries), thus forcing them to take to the air, for better or worse.

As has been the case over the past couple of seasons, the Gophers were unable to get a passing game going, as Mitch Leidner threw three interceptions.

Minnesota will be a tough team to beat if they can get the run game going, but TCU showed its remaining opponents exactly how to beat them.

Stack that box and stop the run, then you have the Gophers cornered!

This Week: San Jose State (Sept 20 – 3 p.m. on BTN)

My Prediction: Minnesota 24-14