This game is HUGE for both teams' bowl hopes.
First Nebraska:
Due to their tough schedule and head-scratching early loss to Illinois the Cornhuskers are 3-4 and will have to go at least 3-2 in their last five to make a bowl. If they can beat Minnesota (in Minneapolis this weekend) and Purdue (at home next game, Halloween weekend) then they'll just need one upset in their last three games (vstOSU, @UW, vsIA) to go bowling. That seems possible but if they drop one of these next two then they'd need to go 2-1 against tOSU/UW/IA and I just don't see that happening.
Minnesota:
The Gophers appear to be in much better shape at 3-2. They "only" need to go 3-4 in their last seven to make a bowl and they do have the B1G's two worst teams (the ones from Illinois) left on the schedule. That said, these Gophers are capable of playing just flat awful football. They barely beat Miami, OH and lost to a BGSU squad that is 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the MAC.