Northwestern locked up the Big Ten West title last week with a win at Iowa and some help from these very Gophers.

The game carries little in terms of meaningful implications for Northwestern, but this is NU’s first game as a ranked team this year, and Minnesota, which needs just one win to become bowl eligible, has been a tough team at home. Plus, momentum is important headed into the Big Ten Championship in a couple weeks.

Here’s what you need to know:

Preview links

-Here are three things to know about Minnesota, and three matchups to watch

-Here’s a look at what might be Pat Fitzgerald’s best coaching job yet at Northwestern

-Here’s what Pat Fitzgerald and several players had to say about the game earlier this week

-Here’s an in-depth look at Isaiah Boswer, Northwestern’s plug-and-play bellcow running back

-Here’s an announcement from the Athletic Department about the number of students making the trip to the Big Ten Championship

-Here’s a film study of Clayton Thorson’s performance against Iowa, when he was often shaky but came up big when needed

-Here’s a behind-enemy-lines preview to learn more about the Gophers

Broadcast Information

Game Time: 11 a.