No rushing attack has been as potent as that of Minnesota in 2003. The Golden Gophers have put together a dominant offensive machine that has moved the ball on the ground more effectively than any other Big Ten team since the 1970s. Minnesota’s 303.9 yards per game is tops in Division 1A. If this success holds up, the Gophers could become the first Big Ten team since 1976 to average 300 yards or more per game in a season.

Iowa’s Kirk Ferenz has spent time this week reviewing the tapes as his Hawkeyes prepare for the Gophers, and he has nothing but praise for Glen Mason’s team.

“Their scheme is excellent, and their personnel does a great job with the scheme,” he said. “A lot of it starts up front. They have just an excellent group of offensive linemen.”

Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez saw firsthand how good the Minnesota running attack was, and he commented on the quality of the two running backs who get the bulk of the carries. “When you play against them you don’t notice which one is in there because they are both very effective,” he said.

Mason noted that there was no single aspect of his team that made them so potent on the ground but noted that the whole group worked very well together. He agreed with the assessment of the strengths of his offensive line and solid running backs but also added that Asad Abdul-Khaliq is an equally important facet.

“Let’s not forget about our quarterback,” he said, “because he’s making good decisions. He understands what we’re doing and he gets us in the right play.”

Graduation rate low among top teams:

A recent report on graduation rates of BCS contenders placed the top teams’ rates between 33 and 62 percent. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said there are many problems with looking at graduation rate as a source of academic success within a program.

“A great majority of college players across the country leave after their fall semester of their last year to go and train and prepare for the NFL combine,” Carr said.

He pointed out that even if these players return to complete their degrees at a later point in time, they still count against a school’s graduation rate.

“I think there [are] a lot of issues with the whole way this graduation rate is tabulated,” he said.

Ohio State’s Jim Tressel agreed that there were many factors for low graduation rates among top football schools, but said it is not for a lack of desire.

“One thing that is very real is that every coach that I’ve ever been around at every school has had a passion for their young people to graduate,” he said.

Gophers claim two Big Ten honors:

The Minnesota Golden Gophers claimed both the offensive player of the week and the special teams’ player of the week awards after their win over Wisconsin. Freshman Laurence Maroney earned his first offensive player of the week award, contributing 231 all-purpose yards despite splitting time at the running back position. He gained 135 yards on just 15 carries, including a 30 yard touchdown run.

Kicker Rhys Lloyd, who was three-for-three on field goals, including a 35-yard game winner, was named the special teams’ player of the week. Lloyd connected on a pair of 34-yard kicks earlier in the game. He also helped Minnesota out by punting the ball three times for 120 yards.

Purdue’s Shaun Phillips was named the Big Ten co-defensive player of the week for the second-straight week. Phillips led the Boilermaker defense by building on his league-leading sack total, recording two more to go along with five solo tackles.

Sophomore defensive end Loren Howard was also named co-defensive player of the week for his efforts helping Northwestern down Penn State. Howard recorded two sacks and also forced a fumble as the Wildcats moved closer to becoming bowl eligible.

Big Ten in the BCS:

The Big Ten has placed six teams in the latest Bowl Championship Series rankings — more than any other conference in the country. Ohio State leads the way, sitting in third place, behind Oklahoma and USC. Michigan, ranked eighth, is the only other Big Ten team in the top 10. Purdue (11th), Iowa (20th), Minnesota (22nd), and Michigan State (24th) also find themselves in the top 25 BCS rankings.