Leidner Still A Question Mark For Michigan Game

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner is still struggling with injuries to his knee and toe and remains a question mark for the Golden Gophers as they open practice to prepare for Michigan.

Leidner missed the game last week against San Jose State, and coach Jerry Kill says it's too early to count him out. But it appears that freshman Chris Streveler could get his second straight start.

Streveler completed just one pass in seven tries against the Spartans last week. But he also rushed for 161 of Minnesota's 380 yards on the ground to help the Gophers overpower San Jose State.

Kill says Minnesota will need a more balanced offense to have a chance to beat Michigan in the Big Ten opener.

Big Ten's 12-1 mark last week was best in 6 years

UNDATED (AP) — The Big Ten is coming off its best week of non-conference play in six years with wins in 12 out of 13 games.

It followed the league's worst showing in non-conference play in 22 years, one in which Big Ten teams lost six of nine games and had national college football analysts howling about the conference's lack of strength.

The stunning turnaround didn't result in any chest thumping among the coaches on Tuesday's teleconference with reporters. Nebraska's Bo Pelini said it's "ludicrous" to judge a conference on one weekend, good or bad.

The last time the Big Ten had a winning percentage of .923 or better during a week in which it played more than two non-conference games was Sept. 26, 2008, according to STATS. The league went 11-0.