The recap: Northwestern rolled to a 25-point second quarter on the strength of a punishing rushing game led by senior running back Justin Jackson, who carried 31 times for 166 yards. The Gophers mustered little in the passing game, with quarterback Demry Croft completing only two of 11 passes for 43 yards and throwing three interceptions — part of five Minnesota turnovers on the day. Northwestern took advantage of great field position created by the turnovers, including an interception on the Gophers 15-yard-line. "When you turn the ball over in your own zone as many times as we did, that team is going to score every time,'' Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said. The loss was the fourth in five games for the Gophers (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten).

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Injuries on the line

Gophers offensive lineman Conner Olson, who has moved back and forth between guard and center this year because of injuries, suffered an injury to his lower left leg in the fourth quarter Saturday but returned to the game. Guard Garrison Wright, who was playing with a hand injury, left the game in the third quarter. Fleck on WCCO Radio on Sunday said that "guys like [center] Bronson Dovich and [guard] Quinn Oseland are going to have to get in there and start.''

Long odds for bowl

The Gophers still are seeking a sixth win needed for bowl eligibility and would have to defeat unbeaten Wisconsin on Saturday to do so. There is an outside chance the Gophers could reach a bowl at 5-7 on the strength of their Academic Progress Ranking, as they did in 2015, but that would require that there aren't enough six-win teams to fill all 78 bowl spots. CBSSports.com analyst Jerry Palm last week had the Gophers going to the Foster Farms Bowl at 5-7 but in Sunday's projections did not have them in a bowl. That's an indication there will be enough six-win teams to fill.

Game time set

The Big Ten announced times for this week's games on Sunday, and the Gophers and Wisconsin will get a national stage. Saturday's game at will be a 2:30 p.m. start and air on Ch. 5.

Up next: No. 5 Wisconsin
2:30 p.m. Saturday, TCF Bank Stadium. TV: Ch. 5 (100.3-FM)

The skinny: The Badgers train kept rolling on Saturday, with a hard-fought, physical 24-10 victory over Michigan. Wisconsin improved to 11-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten, and its College Football Playoff hopes received a boost. If the Badgers, No. 5 in the CPF rankings, beat the Gophers and Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, they'll almost certainly be in the four-team playoff field. Two teams ahead of them in the rankings, Miami and Clemson, play each other in the ACC title game.

On Saturday, Wisconsin's defense held Michigan to 58 rushing yards on 37 carries. Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor rushed 19 times for 132 yards, including 87 in the second half when the Badgers wore down the Wolverines.

Randy Johnson