Gophers seek to end skid against Iowa

Good afternoon from Kinnick Stadium, where the Gophers will take on No. 20 Iowa (2:30 p.m., BTN) on a brisk day in a matchup of two of the four teams tied for first in the Big Ten's West Division. It's 36 and breezy at the stadium, just as expected in mid-November in Big Ten country.

The Gophers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) will try to beat the Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) for the first time since 2014 and the first time in Iowa City since 1999. To do so, Minnesota will have to solve a stout Iowa defense, which ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (15.7 points per game), seventh in rush defense (98.7 yards allowed per game) and 10^th in total defense (304.7). Rebounding from last week's 14-6 loss to Illinois will be key for the Gophers offense, which generated only a fourth-quarter touchdown and 89 rushing yards.

Minnesota's defense has been solid for the most part, ranking seventh nationally in total defense (298.9), 14^th in rushing defense (103.1) and 15^th in scoring defense (18.3). It will need to get off to a better start than it did against Illinois, when the Fighting Illini had touchdown drives of 49 and 86 by the first play of the second quarter. The Gophers will be facing a Hawkeyes quarterback making his first start in sophomore Alex Padilla, who's replacing the injured Spencer Petras.

Iowa has dominated the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry of late by taking early leads and making the Gophers play from behind. The Hawkeyes have scored first in the past 11 meetings, going 9-1 in that span. They also have not trailed the Gophers since the fourth quarter in 2016 for a stretch of 245 minutes, 28 seconds.

In the injury front, Gophers wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell, who took a hit to the head while trying to make a catch along the sideline in the third quarter against Illinois and did not return to the game, took part in warmups and is expected to play. Gophers kickoff specialist Dragan Kesich was back on the field during warmups after missing last week because of undisclosed reasons.