The Gophers are unveiling new alternate uniforms for tonight's game against No. 15 Michigan. The grayish color is called anthracite.

It's been a gray day, but it should be decent football weather for the game.

Not bad for trick or treating, either. My 6-year-old daughter, who's dressed as Dorothy, was incredulous today: "Daddy, how can they play a football game on Halloween?" It's all good. She'll have some peanut butter cups waiting for me when I get home.

It's going to be interesting to see how the Gophers handle the emotions of seeing Jerry Kill retire this week. They'll be charged up early, for sure, and so will the home crowd, but they'll need to maintain that throughout the game.

In today's paper, I wrote about what a stiff challenge Tracy Claeys faces these next three games -- against No. 15 Michigan, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 10 Iowa -- while noting that the Gophers reeled off four straight wins, including three upsets, the last time he took over.

Here's a look at the matchups, and my prediction.

Updates

* Defensive tackle Scott Ekpe was out with an unspecified injury. He also missed the Purdue game earlier in the month.

* Eric Carter, the team's third-leading receiver, also missed the game with an unspecified injury.

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