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MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesotas seniors have encountered plenty of speed bumps during their careers, from the health trouble of former coach Jerry Kill that forced his retirement last season to several late-game lapses that cost the Gophers victories against ranked opponents.These soon-to-depart players wont leave the program without success, though, with 29 victories over the last four years. Thats the most by a senior class since 2006, a group that finished with 30 wins. The 2005 class left with 32 victories, a total that could still be matched this season.When they got here, everything wasnt all rosy and going in the right direction, and the culture had to change, and they were a big part of that, coach Tracy Claeys said, adding: We need to try to finish out the season and reward them.The Gophers (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) host Northwestern (5-5, 4-3) on Saturday, a year after losing 27-0 on the road to the Wildcats. With one more win, the Gophers will reach eight victories for a third time in four seasons.If I could do it all over again, I would come back to Minnesota, said safety Damarius Travis, one of 13 seniors and 10 players in their fifth year in the program who will take the field at TCF Bank Stadium for the final time.Sometimes you lose sight of it with some of the things that go on and having a tough loss last weekend, quarterback Mitch Leidner said, looking back at the 24-17 defeat at Nebraska, but at the same time when you go back and reflect its pretty remarkable what weve been able to do.The Gophers also lost 29-26 at now-No. 9 Penn State in overtime and 14-7 at home to Iowa.Theyre probably one or two plays away, the games they ended up on the short end, of being undefeated, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said.The Wildcats need to win one of their last two games against the Gophers and Illinois to become bowl eligible for a second straight season. Theyve steadied themselves after losing their first two games this year to Western Michigan and Illinois State.Im sure the noise was really negative. The only guys who were going to get it fixed were going to be the guys in the locker room, Fitzgerald said.Here are some key angles to the game:THORSON THRIVINGWildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson is coming off a career-best performance against Purdue last week, when he passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns. That was the sophomores second 300-yard game this season and his fifth with three touchdown passes.Thorson ranks third in the conference in yards passing (2,571), yards per game (257.1) and touchdowns (19), the latter of which has him tied for third on Northwesterns single-season list. He needs three more to set a program record.CARR, THE DRIVERThorsons top target has been Austin Carr, who was named this week one of 10 finalists for the Biletnikoff Award given to the nations best wide receiver. Carr has a touchdown catch in eight of 10 games and leads the Big Ten in every major statistical category for receiving.The Gophers are third-to-last in the league with an average of 231 yards passing allowed per game, and theyre tied with Rutgers with a conference-most 20 touchdown passes surrendered.NEARING RECORDSJustin Jackson became Northwesterns first 1,000-yard rusher in three seasons last week against Purdue, and hes on pace to become the schools all-time leader in rushing and all-purpose yards. The Big Tens active career rushing leader with 3,642 yards, Jackson needs 151 yards to tie Darnell Autry for third on Northwesterns all-time list. With 4,159 all-purpose yards, he is 112 yards shy of Venric Mark for fourth place.Theyve had their years when they really relied on the pass and scrambling around a lot more, and this year, without a doubt, it all starts with the running back, Claeys said. Weve got to take him away.SAFE AT HOMEWith a win, the Gophers would match their best season record at TCF Bank Stadium, where they went 6-1 in 2014. Minnesota is 31-24 at home since the stadium opened on campus in 2009, including 23-11 over the last five years.THIRTY FOR THIRTYLeidner is the only player in Gophers history to reach 30 career touchdowns in both passing and rushing. Hes fifth on the all-time program list with 31 rushing scores and tied for sixth with 33 passing touchdowns.---For more AP college football: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Cheap Air Max 95 Womens . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. 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TROON, Scotland -- The smile spoke louder than anything Dustin Johnson had to say Wednesday at the British Open.His game has never been better. Just one month ago, Johnson was known as golfs best athlete who had won every year he has been on the PGA Tour -- the longest streak since Tiger Woods -- but who had everything go wrong in the majors.Now hes the U.S. Open champion and a favorite at the British Open who can move to No. 1 in the world with a victory.But thats not what brought the biggest smile.It was a question about whether he could think of anything that stressed him out.Anyone who has spent time around the 32-year-old American during his eight years and 11 victories on tour -- and finally, a major -- knows Johnson doesnt get too worked up over anything. Not the two-shot penalty on the final hole of the 2010 PGA Championship for grounding his club in a bunker (I still dont think that was a bunker, he said). Not the three-putt from 12 feet that cost him a shot at the U.S. Open last year.Not even a peculiar decision by the USGA at Oakmont last month in which officials told him he might be penalized one stroke after his round, meaning Johnson had to play the last seven holes not knowing his own score. He played them in even par to win by three.Another question: Has the attention as a major champion been difficult to manage?He smiled.I havent noticed, Johnson said.Johnson is that rare breed of golfer who can manage to entertain without being all that revealing.Even so, his level of comfort was never more evident, particularly when he finished his 20-minute news conference. Walking down from the stage, he plopped his 6-foot-4 frame on the top step and held court with a small group of reporters to talk about his strategy at Royal Troon, his equipment change for a week of links golf (a 2-iron and 3-iron, only three wedges) and how many shots he has to give his future father-in-law, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, when they play.He wont play with me, Johnson said. He only plays if he can be my partner.Who can blame the Great One for that?Coming off victories in the U.S. Open and a World Golf Championship, Johnson has moved past Jordan Spieth to No. 2 in the world, still trailing by a decent margin Jason Day at No.dddddddddddd1. Those are based on numbers. The eye test would suggest Johnson might be the player to beat this week, especially equipped with all that confidence.Johnson was told he was a co-favorite with Day among the bookies. He was asked if he was good with that or if he ever cared.Another smile.Honestly, I dont care, he said. I mean, I like my chances. But I go into every tournament liking my chances.The mystery is Royal Troon, a links Johnson had never seen until he arrived after a weekend in Ireland. He was told the opening three holes are par 4s that measure under 400 yards, and that seemed to intrigue him. Playing the last few days with the prevailing wind at his back, he hit driver on them and could get it near the green on all but the second hole. The objective on that one is to keep it just short of the greenside bunkers.He reached the 555-yard fourth hole with a driver and a 5-iron.Theres not an individual here ... very surprised by whats going on, defending champion Zach Johnson said. Hes a supreme athlete, and it just so happens that his sport -- for all of us, unfortunately -- is golf. Very talented. I mean, we talk about his prowess. Theres not that many guys that can do what he does.Spieth, his partner at the Presidents Cup last year, has been preaching for months that he has the most talent on tour and that winning a major was only a matter of time. Spieth said this again two weeks before the U.S. Open.I think it was just floodgates opening, which Ive said for a long time now, Spieth said. It happened, and it happened again. So its no surprise.Johnsons long strides look more like a swagger when hes playing well. His confidence is obvious. Still, he keeps everything so simple -- his golf included -- that he still recognizes he has to play good golf over 72 holes to have a chance.I dont expect any more from myself, he said. I always expect to come out and perform and to contend. But I mean, its definitely a little bit different coming out and not trying to win that first major. Thats the biggest difference. ' ' '