Up next: Penn State Nittany Lions

The Gophers demolished Louisiana-Lafayette 48-14 Saturday to finish 4-0 in the non-conference season. They open the Big Ten season Saturday at Penn State. Here is a look at what is going on with the Nittany Lions heading into the conference opener for both teams.

Minnesota opens Big Ten play Saturday at Penn State. The Nittany Lions improved to 2-2 with a 32-10 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes Saturday at State College, Pa.

Freshman Austin Scott, a Pennsylvania scholastic record-setter from Allentown and the hometown favorite of most Nittany Lion fans, rushed 21 times for 100 yards and three touchdowns (1, 4, 11) in the win.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno has been reluctant to play the school-boy legend - or any freshman for that matter in the past, but with the Nittany Lions off to a slow start offensively this season, Paterno turned to the freshman against the Golden Flashes, and he got what he wanted.

When asked about Scott, Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson raved to media outlets – and this is one season after playing with All-American Larry Johnson, now with the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Oh man, he’s special,” Robinson said of Scott.

The Nittany Lions need something to spark the offense because the passing attack has been less than prolific this season. Robinson and Zack Mills have rotated at the quarterback spot, neither with much luck. Saturday, Mills was 10 for 20 for 99 yards, while Robinson was 2 for 9 for 29 yards. Neither threw a touchdown pass, and Penn State has only one touchdown pass in four games this season. The Nittany Lions quarterbacks have completed only 43 percent of their passes in four games. It didn’t help that Penn State receivers dropped six passes, including one that was dropped in the end zone by Gerald Smith that would have been a sure touchdown from Mills.

ESPN to televise Saturday’s game

The University of Minnesota-Penn State football game in University Park, Pa., scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27 will be televised by ESPN at 11 a.m. (CST). The Gophers will also appear on ESPN later this season when they travel to Champaign, Ill., for an 11 a.m. (CST) kickoff against Illinois on Oct. 25.

One MILLION Dollars To Stadium

It was announced before Minnesota’s win over Louisiana-Lafayette that the U of M’s Alumni Association would donate another $1 million to the proposed football stadium complex, which is contingent on the university’s board of regents approving it. That brings the total monies donated to a stadium to $37 million. Gopher alum and South Dakota banker T. Denny Sanford has pledged $35 million, and another $1 million has been pledged by Dennis Mathisen, who owns Marshall Financial Group of Minneapolis.

Conference call Tuesday

Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi said a conference call of all the Big Ten ADs and league commissioner Jim Delaney is set for Tuesday to settle the Gophers-Twins scheduling conflict. The Twins won again Sunday, and combined with Chicago’s loss have virtually locked up the American League Central Division title. Maturi did not speculate to media outlets what he thinks will develop. There will be 11 athletics directors in the conference call.

Gophers soccer team wins

The University of Minnesota women's soccer team defeated Indiana, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon in St. Paul. The Golden Gophers improve to 4-2-1 on the season and even their mark in the Big Ten at 1-1-0.