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With Big 10 Looming, Gophers Must Be Ready For Colorado State

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota football team is back from its bye week.

There is no word on if the four players suspended two weeks ago will return this week for their final non-conference game against Colorado State. This Saturday is an important game, because after this, it's nine straight weeks of the Big 10.

They are back after the benefit of an early bye week, a time to refresh.

"Just to watch some more film, get some school work done. Things like that," senior receiver Drew Wolitarsky said. "It was pretty beneficial. I think now having these 10 games just kind of roll through and keep our confidence up. No more brief pauses in the season, so I think that's good."

Next up is Colorado State, a team that took the Gophers to overtime last season. A team hit hard by graduation, a team they should beat.

"But a tough, physical football team, one that's going to hit you in the mouth. I know they're going to be hungry to come and be able to play us again especially after how close it was last year," senior quarterback Mitch Leidner said. "So we've got to be ready to go."

What this is really about is finding out, one more time, what you have in the stable. Because after this week, it's a new nine-game schedule, and that involves only the Big 10.

The non-conference schedule has told them something about their team. Mainly that they are 2-0, and that matters, especially to the head coach.

"We've pretty good in the non-conference so it's still based on winning and there's others who couldn't quite get it done so we've been able to get it done, to win," Gophers coach Tracy Claeys said. "But it's always one at a time and I think that's the challenge for everybody."

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