Getting this up a little late today, please forgive, it's Saturday and drinks were numerous last evening.

Today is obviously about how good the Gophers can be in 2008. A win against Bowling Green could mean Minnesota will have a good chance to go 4-0 in the non-conference slate. And should that happen, a Glen Mason-level bowl game is a possibility. A loss today, or even worse a bad loss, and we'll undoubetdly see a Patrick Reusse column in the morning (strike that, we'll see that column next week. Vikings coverage will take precedence in the morning.)

Tonight's game is on ESPN U at 6:30 central time. We'll be launching a liveblog here shortly before the game starts. So, if you have ESPNU, we invite you to watch the game with your laptop at your side. If you don't have ESPNU, well, we'll provide up to date commentary and analysis.

• The Star Tribune reports that Tim Brewster thinks this team is improved, but is  watching intently like the rest of us. Interesting note I didn't know: Minnesota is the first Big Ten team since 1966 to play at Bowling Green.
• Minnesota blogger Buck Bravo previews the tilt with BGSU.
• Michigan Sports Center writes that this might be one of the most boring Saturdays of Big Ten football we've had in some time. Can't say I disagree. Marshall at Wisconsin? Blah. Eastern Illinois at Illinois? No thanks. Northern Colorado at Purdue? Eastern Michigan at Michigan State? Florida Int'l at Iowa? I'm sensing upset here!. Oregon State at Penn State? Could be competitive, but doubt it. Murrary State at Indiana? Fun! Northwestern at Duke? Blah. Ohio at OSU? Boring.
• BGNewsSports Blog has a preview of the Falcons' home opener against the maroon and gold.
• More previews!! This time from the Associated Press.
• "It's a game worth attending," writes Chris Voloschuk of The BG News. In the article he refers to Minnesota as the Land of 1,000 lakes. Does anyone else get annoyed when people forget about 9,000 of our natural wonders?
• LimaOhio.com quotes Tim Brewster as saying Bowling Green's win over Pittsburg was "very impressive." That was, of course, much more impressive than Bowling Green's GMAC Bowl loss to Tulsa to end last season. The score? 63-7. OUCH.
• The Minnesota Daily knows what the task is. The defense needs to show up. The Daily also confirms earlier reports that the newbie wide receivers will play. That includes David Pittman, Brandon Green and Broderick Smith.