Gophers to measure progress

Minnesota is 4-0 but hasn’t faced an opponent with Ohio State’s talent.

COLUMBUS (AP) — Sure, unbeaten Minnesota is better. Just how much better might be determined in a three-hour span today.

Grade cards might be issued shortly after the Golden Gophers’ game at No. 14 Ohio State in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Second-year coach Tim Brewster was asked if his team matches up favorably with the Buckeyes (3-1).

“It’s pretty optimistic to say we match up ‘well’ with them,” he said. “We’re starting two redshirt freshmen and three redshirt sophomores on the offensive line — and I think Ohio State might have the best defensive front I’ve seen. They’re extremely active and tough and physical. I’m not ready to say we match up well with Ohio State.”

A year after suffering through an awful 1-11 season, the Gophers have started out 4-0. Granted, the wins haven’t exactly come against BCS powerhouses (Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State, Florida Atlantic), but the fast start has gotten the attention of a lot of other people.

Maybe it’s just pregame back-patting, but Ohio State coach Jim Tressel talks as if he really thinks the Gophers have turned a corner.

“Anytime you have a successful out-of-conference schedule, then the next measuring stick is how do you do in your league?” he said. “They’ve played with great enthusiasm, they’ve improved, they understand the expectations of their [coaching] staff. That’s a normal transitional growth. They’ve done it well.”

The last time the Gophers were unbeaten this late in the season when they played the Buckeyes was 1945.

Ohio State will welcome back tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells, out the past three weeks after injuring his foot in the opener against Youngstown State. A lot has changed in the backfield since he left. Terrelle Pryor, the promising QB recruit of last spring, is now the starting signal-caller, replacing the guy who took the Buckeyes to the national championship game last season, Todd Boeckman.

All Pryor did in his first start last week against Troy was toss four TD passes.

Still, with Wells gone, the offense has looked sluggish most of the time.

Maybe the onset of another goal — the Buckeyes are trying to become the first school to ever win three consecutive outright Big Ten titles in a row — will shake them out of that lethargy.

“It’s the Big Ten. And that’s all they [the coaches] keep saying to us, ‘This is the Big Ten. There’s no more messin’ around,’ ” Ohio State offensive tackle Alex Boone said. “We can’t take games for granted. It just feels like this team is ready to explode.”