Thursday's season-opening football game for the Gophers with Middle Tennessee State could be one of the most important contests in the coaching career of Tim Brewster.

It's a game the Gophers have to win to silence all of the critics who don't give the team a chance to compete this year.

The Gophers had been a 4 1/2- point underdogs in the game, according to the Las Vegas line. But when Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher was suspended, the Gophers became a 2 1/2-point favorite.

However, Dasher's replacement, Logan Kilgore, a junior college transfer from Bakersfield College in California, was one of the top recruited players in the country.

John Palermo, Middle Tennessee's defensive line coach and a former assistant at Minnesota and Wisconsin, said he believes the Gophers are too strong.

"We can probably stay with Minnesota for a while, but they're too good for us."

But Middle Tennessee, a favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference, will be no pushover.

Why is the game so important? Well if you can't beat a team like Middle Tennessee, you're unlikely to compete with the likes of Southern California, Wisconsin, Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois and Iowa.

A loss could be devastating to this group of Gophers, who have a lot of confidence in their ability. A victory in this first game would add even more confidence.

Brewster, entering his fourth year as the Gophers coach, admits that this game will provide a tough test. He is a lot higher on his team than the many experts who have picked them to finish 11th in the Big Ten. He is convinced that this unit has more talent than any of the Gophers teams he has coached and will surprise the critics.

"It presents a great opening night challenge for our football team to go into this environment with a young football team," Brewster said. "We have some experience on the offensive side. We're rather inexperienced on defense."

For the Gophers to win, quarterback Adam Weber will have to enjoy a big night throwing the ball. Also they'll have to do something they couldn't do last year: run the ball to keep the young defense off the field.

I can just imagine all of Brewster's critics enjoying themselves if the Gophers don't win this game.

That's another reason a victory is so important.

Contract a factor One factor that might cost Vikings reserve quarterback Sage Rosenfels the opportunity to remain with the team is his contract. It calls for $2.6 million this year, but only $1.6 million of it is guaranteed.

Rosenfels also is under contract for 2011 for $3 million, but none of that is guaranteed.

On the other hand, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is on deck to be paid $1.176 million, but none of that money is guaranteed. So they could release him before the season opens and not lose any money. But that isn't going to happen.

Joe Webb, the rookie quarterback, signed a four-year contract, getting $320,000 his first year with slight increases the next three years. Webb also was paid a $93,000 bonus.

This could be the toughest quarterback decision the Vikings have had in years.

It would dangerous to release or make a deal for Rosenfels because if Brett Favre was injured, then Webb, who has zero experience and is not ready to play in the NFL, would be the only backup at that important position.

Twins by the numbers Some stats on the Twins going into Wednesday's game with the Tigers:

The Twins' 30-14 record since the All-Star break is the best of any major league team. ... The Twins relief corps has the best ERA in the league at 3.24 while striking out the fewest batters (250). They also have allowed only 31 home runs, second to Oakland's 27. ... The starting pitchers in the past 10 games have posted a 2.39 ERA and have held the opposition to a .223 batting average. ... Relief pitcher Jesse Crain has a sensational 0.28 ERA over his past 35 appearances, dating to June 10. In those 35 games, Crain has held the opposition to a .144 batting average with just one extra-base hit while striking out 30. Among major league relievers with at least 25 innings pitched, Crain has the lowest ERA, is second in opponent batting average and is tied for second in fewest hits allowed. ... The Twins hit .221 as a team on the recent 3-4 road trip, and with men on base they hit just .204.

Jottings The Vikings and the Twins never have competed against other on the same night like they will do Thursday. They will do it again on the afternoon of Sept. 19, when the Vikings will play host to Miami and the Twins will be at home against Oakland. The only other time the two came even close to competing was on Oct. 5 and 6 in 1969, when the Vikings had to play the Packers at Memorial Stadium so Met Stadium could be prepared for a Twins-Baltimore playoff game. Thursday will also be the first time the Twins, Vikings and Gophers will be on TV at the same time.

Kevin Love was the leading scorer in Team USA's 88-51 victory over Iran on Wednesday. Love had 13 points to go with six rebounds, one steal and one assist. Despite being ninth in minutes played for Team USA at 10.5 per game, Love is fifth on the team in scoring at 8.3 points per game and first in rebounding, averaging seven per game.

Former Vikings quarterback John David Booty is still battling for the third-string position with the Houston Texans. Booty most likely will play the bulk of the second half against Tampa Bay on Thursday night as a final audition, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Former Gophers linebacker Lee Campbell was cut by the Detroit Lions on Monday. Campbell was replaced by Rocky Boiman, an eight-year veteran.

In his first appearance after the Twins sent him down to Rochester, Glen Perkins gave up four hits in two innings against Pawtucket.

Ben Revere, the Twins 2007 first-round draft choice who missed some time after getting hit in the face by a pitched ball, returned to action for New Britain. After going 0-for-3 Friday, Revere went 4-for-5 with three stolen bases the next game.

Former Gopher Alex Daniels, who did well after transferring to the University of Cincinnati, is being used at fullback with the Oakland Raiders.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • shartman@startribune.com