Tressel: playing in Minnessota's new stadium to be a 'great challenge' Saturday

10/26/2010

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COLUMBUS – On Saturday, No. 11 ranked Ohio State faces a Minnesota team that has lost seven straight games, but Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said in his weekly news conference Tuesday that he anticipates the Golden Gophers will come out energized and prepared.

“It'll be a great challenge for us,” Tressel said as the 7-1 Buckeyes play for the first time in Minnesota's new TCF Bank Stadium.

“They're bringing good pressure and playing loose. They're excited to hit somebody and create turnovers.”

Tressel said he is anxious to see his special teams improve as the Buckeyes move down the stretch run in the Big Ten race. Ohio State (3-1) trails Big Ten leader and unbeaten Michigan State as the Buckeyes pursue a sixth straight conference championship.

“You can't make special teams mistakes and expect to win in someone else's stadium,” Tressel said. “We've played two pretty good teams on the road. I don't think I'd say (I'm) disappointed. Do we need to play better -- absolutely. We need to do better on special teams on the road. I don't think the crowd has gotten to us. We just need to execute better in road games.”