Gophers embrace cold game against Huskers

MINNEAPOLIS» The weather in Minnesota this weekend is forecast to turn wintry.

These Gophers are more than ready for that.

With the game on Saturday against Nebraska on track for the coldest night-time kickoff temperature since TCF Bank Stadium opened in 2009, the unbeaten Gophers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) have prepared all week for the likelihood of a less-thanfirm grip on the ball with a variety of exercises. Plus, there’s no better remedy for such conditions than their seasoned running back duo of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks that combined for 322 rushing yards last week against Illinois.

“We love the cold,” defensive end Carter Coughlin said. “You come up to Minneapolis, and it’s our weather, you better be ready to play in it, because we’re going to be.”

The skill position players were directed to dip their hands in ice buckets between every series in practice this week, the footballs used were frozen and wet, and the thermostat in the indoor facility was turned down to the upper 50s.

“You wouldn’t want to look back and say, ‘I wish I would’ve done something to prepare for that,’“Coughlin said. “We’re doing everything we can.”

When Minnesota hosted Michigan State on Oct. 31, 2009, the kickoff temperature was 39 degrees (3.9 Celsius). The forecast is calling for slightly colder than that, with a chance of snow. The coldest pre-November game ever held at TCF Bank Stadium was against Purdue on Oct. 10, 2009, at 31 degrees (minus 0.5 Celsius).

The Huskers (4-2, 2-1) aren’t about to be psyched out by the chill. They’ve played in these conditions before.

Hey, their coach’s name is Scott Frost, after all.