5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, M

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is back from an earlier-than-usual bye week, aiming to keep the passing attack on a productive track.After feasting on FCS foe Indiana State, Mitch Leidner and the Gophers had extra rest for their final nonconference game against Colorado State. Under new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, with a fully healthy left foot that hampered him for much of last season, Leidner has begun to look and feel like a fifth-year senior quarterback ought to.Im on a really good page with the receivers as well as the running backs and everybody on the offensive side of the football, Leidner said. Were a tight-knit group, and we really practice and work hard.The Gophers (2-0) will again be without tight end Brandon Lingen and wide receiver Rashad Still again on Saturday against the Rams (2-1) because of injuries, but freshman Tyler Johnson and junior Brian Smith have been helpful down-field complements to Drew Wolitarsky.Wolitarsky, who has 12 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, has emerged as the go-to wide receiver the Gophers and Leidner need. The senior connection was in midseason form two weeks ago against Indiana State .Im seeing a different Mitch off the field and on the field as well, Wolitarsky said. The work this guy has put in is amazing and is definitely something I look up to and I know a lot of guys look up to.Here are some key things to know about the game:THE REMATCHThe Gophers used three field goals by Ryan Santoso, including an 18-yarder in overtime to beat the Rams in Fort Collins, Colorado last year. That snapped a program-record 10-game home winning streak for the Rams.The Rams returned 13 starters from a 7-6 team that finished 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference and lost to Nevada in the Arizona Bowl in coach Mike Bobos first season. This will be Colorado States first trip to a Big Ten stadium since playing at the Metrodome in 2005, a 56-24 victory by Minnesota.CLIMBING THE HILLCSU True freshman Collin Hill, in his first career start, completed 21 of 27 passes for 315 yards and four scores plus a 51-yard touchhown run in a win over FCS opponent Northern Colorado . Fourth-year junior Nick Stevens started the opener, a 44-7 loss to Colorado, but fifth-year senior Faton Bauta took over in the second half. Bauta, a graduate transfer from Georgia, took snaps the following week in a victory over UTSA, until Hill entered in the fourth quarter.There was a confidence level going up, like, `OK, were going to be able to complete some passes, Bobo said, adding: We said theres going to be some growing pains, but we thought the upside was too promising.THREE-WAY THREATShannon Brooks has been cleared to return from a broken foot, giving the Gophers their leading rusher from last season to join Rodney Smith and Kobe McCrary in a deep backfield. Smith and McCrary combined for 387 yards and five touchdowns rushing over the first two games.Weve got ways to get at least two of them on the field at the same time, coach Tracy Claeys said. You always want your best people on the field all the time.FRONT LINESThe Gophers, given a boost by two junior-college transfers in the starting lineup in right guard Vincent Calhoun and left tackle Garrison Wright and the arrival of new offensive line coach Bart Miller, have not allowed a sack yet. The Rams, who have switched their base defense to a 3-4 alignment, lost their entire starting defensive line from last season to graduation.Its one of those games youve got dig your cleats in the turf, Bobo said.CALL THE CARPENTERSantoso, a junior, preferred to switch to punter this season. Hes averaging 41.9 yards per attempt. Sophomore Emmit Carpenter has taken over as the kicker, and he hasnt missed yet on 10 extra points and four field goals.Hes just building confidence in himself to go out there and just be automatic every time, linebacker Jack Lynn said. So were 100 percent confident in his capabilities. Custom Hornets Jerseys . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Muggsy Bogues Jersey Large . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. http://www.customhornetsjersey.com/ . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. Cheap Hornets Jerseys .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Custom Hornets T-shirts . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. The Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) has warned its members not to allow players to sign with a proposed T20 league called the Indian Champions League (ICL), tentatively due to launch in December, since it has not been approved by the appropriate authority.FICA has been advised that the proposed Indian Champions League event scheduled to take place in December 2016 is not yet sanctioned. Accordingly, players are advised that playing in this event could have negative implications on their careers. The event is currently deemed to be disapproved cricket under ICC Regulations.FICA is the global players representative body and includes player associations from individual countries, though India, Zimbabwe and Pakistan are not members.ESPNcricinfo understands an India-based company, the Magpie Group, is attempting to organise the tournament between December 25 and January 25 in Dubai. Details are sketchy but a Facebook page, purportedly for the ICL, claims there will be eight teams - Delhi Badshah, Indore Rockets, Mumbai Star, Chennai Warriors, Hyderabad Riders, Bangalore Tigers, Lucknow Superstar and Chandigarh Heroes - and ESPNcricinfo has seen copies of registration papers made available for players.According to Manish Kumar Choudhary, who claimed to be one of four partners in Magpie Group when contacted by ESPNcricinfo, 47 matches would be played among the eight teams.The Facebook page listed a number of players, with signing-on fees mentioned in Indian Rupees, including current first-class and international cricketers such as Ravi Bopara, Ryan ten Doeschate, Sean Williams and Wayne Parnell, and retired players such as Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas. Choudhary also said the former Pakistan opener and captain Salman Butt, fresh from serving a ban for the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, had agreed to participate in the tournament.At this stage, it is unclear if any of the players have confirmed their participation in the tournament.The page also listed the former Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria, who is currently serving a life ban for spot-fixing in cricket. When asked by ESPNcricinfo, however, Kaneria denied any link with the league.A number of other players and player representtatives, when contacted by ESPNcricinfo, said they would not participate in the tournament if it was not approved by the ICC.ddddddddddddChoudhary, who did not want to disclose who the three other partners in Magpie Group were, said the organisers were going to meet the ICC soon to get an approval. We have got our contract papers finalised and would be sending them to the players with the terms and conditions. We are also going to Dubai to meet the ICC.There was no confirmation from the ICC about the meeting. According to regulations that deal with approved/disapproved cricket, however, a Full Member board (Test-playing countries) has the sole authority to decide whether or not a match or event is approved within its territory. In case of the Associates (non-Test playing countries), though, once the home board has approved a tournament, the ICC will then decide whether or not a match or event is approved. This process was followed recently for two other T20 tournaments - the Cricket All Stars Series, held last year in the USA, and the Masters Champions League, played in the UAE earlier this year.Considering the organisers intend to host the ICL in Dubai, the Emirates Cricket Board would be the home board. The head of the ECB, David East, said he had not yet heard from the organisers. I have had not approach whatsoever, East said. We have heard that players have been approached, but no one has come to see me.Dean Ahmed, a UK-based player agent, said he was not convinced about the ICL based on his interactions with the organisers and the promotional activity carried out so far. We are always very skeptical about this sort of a league where it does seem very, very unprofessional, Ahmed, who runs player management agency FineEdgeCricket, said. The only sort of advertising is on their Facebook page.They have got some decent names there. At the moment none of them are tied down. Our stance is very clear: at the end of the day if they dont get ICC sanction none of our boys would be playing. They have said to me quite firmly they are in the final (stages of) talks with the ICC about sanctioning the league. ' ' '