The No. 20 Wisconsin football team (4-1, 0-1) welcomes its first Big Ten opponent to Camp Randall this season as Minnesota (1-4, 0-1) visits to battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. This will be the 120th meeting between Minnesota and Wisconsin with Minnesota leading the series 59-52-8. UW, which leads the series 29-21-6 in Madison, has won 13 of the last 15 meetings between the teams, including the last six in a row. That ties the Badgers' longest winning streak in the series (they won six straight between 1978-83 and again from 1995-2000). This is the most-played rivalry in the FBS. The series has been played continuously since 1890 (except for 1906).

Base Offense: Multiple
Starters Returning/Lost: 9/2

• The Gophers run a multiple-offense set that is trying to make things more balanced after recent seasons were more pass-heavy. After showcasing a  dominant run game in the mid-2000s, the Gophers averaged just 99.5 rushing yards per game in 2009, finishing 111th in the country. Currently, the Gophers rank 57th in the nation at 166 rushing yards per game.

• Leading the rushing attack is junior Duane Bennett. A knee injury cost him the 2008 season, but he bounced back to lead the team in rushing a year ago. He has already passed him team-leading 376 yards from a year ago, putting up 400 yards in five games in 2010. Bennett opened the season with a bang, rushing for 187 yards on 30 carries in the team's win over Middle Tennessee State. He followed that up with 104 yards on 18 carries against South Dakota. His production has fallen off a bit in the last three contests, but DeLeon Eskridge stepped up his game last week, rushing for 119 yards against Northwestern.

• Under center, Minnesota boasts one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country in Adam Weber. A four-year starter, Weber already owns school records for career pass completions, attempts and yards. He needs just 563 yards to become the fifth player in Big Ten history with at least 10,000 career passing yards. This season, Weber ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 239.8 passing yards per game and fifth with 249.8 yards per game of total offense. He has thrown for 1,199 yards in 2010 with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

• Weber has identified three top targets this season. Leading the pack is sophomore and backup quarterback, MarQueis Gray. He leads the team with 24 receptions for 336 yards and is tied for the team lead with three touchdown receptions. Da'Jon McKnight is tied with Gray in touchdown receptions and ranks second with 20 receptions for 265 yards. Tight end Eric Lair has 17 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns. He earned National Tight End of the Week honors by the College Football Performance Awards after catching three passes for 73 yards with two touchdowns against Northwestern. After those three, no other player on the roster has more than eight catches.

Gophers to Watch  #8 | Adam Weber  Quarterback  Senior | 6-3 | 221  #22 | Duane Bennett  Running Back  Junior | 5-9 | 210 2009: 2582 Yds, 52.0%, 13 TD, 15 Int 2010: 1199 Yds, 62.3%, 9 TD, 4 Int 2009: 98 Att., 376 Yds, 6 TD 2010: 91 Att., 400 Yds, 2 TD

Base Defense: 4-3
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/9

• The Gophers have had to replace nine starters from a defense that ranked 63rd in total defense a year ago. All four defensive linemen, all three linbackers and both cornerbacks. Safety Kim Royston has not played yet in 2010 due to a broken leg, leaving fellow safety Kyle Theret as the only returning starter. As a result, things have taken a step backward in 2010 as the team currently ranks 92nd in total defense, giving up 406.8 yards per game.

• Minnesota has done well to get into the backfield, registering 30 TFL as a team. However, the team has found problems getting to the quarterback. The Gophers have just three sacks through five games ranking 119th in the coutnry. Edwards, D.L. Wilhite and Kendall Gregory-McGhee each have one sack on the season.

• Middle linebacker Gary Tinsley leads the team with 32 tackles and has reached double-digit stops twice this year, posting 10 tackles against Northwestern after posting 10 earlier in the year against USC. Tinsley ranks second on the team with 5.0 tackles for loss.

Gophers to Watch  #4 | Keanon Cooper  Linebacker  Sophomore | 6-0 | 225  #51 | Gary Tinsley  Linebacker  Junior | 6-1 | 225 2009: 43 Tkl, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 SCK 2010: 26 Tkl, 2.5 TFL, 1 PD 2009: 21 Tkl, 2.5 TFL, 1 QBH 2010: 32 Tkl, 5.0 TFL, 1 FF

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