After winning its fourth-straight game Saturday to improve to 8-2 (4-2 Big Ten), Gophers football is ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Minnesota received 60 votes in the AP Poll, slating them at 27th – just short of being ranked.
The Gophers hadn’t been ranked in either poll since 2008, but are receiving national recognition for head coach Jerry Kill’s swift turnaround after back-to-back three-win seasons in 2010 and 2011.
Below is a breakdown of Big Ten teams that are ranked or have received votes:
AP Poll
#3 Ohio State
#14 Michigan State
#17 Wisconsin
Receiving votes: Minnesota (60) Nebraska (16)
USA Today Coaches’ Poll
#3 Ohio State
#16 Michigan State
#20 Wisconsin
#25 Minnesota
Receiving votes: Nebraska (43)
Mortell honored
For the second-straight time, punter Peter Mortell was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. He had four punts in Minnesota’s win against Penn State and pinned the Nittany Lions in their own five-yard line twice.
Mortell also recorded a 62-yard punt – a career-high.
