Amidst the speculation surrounding Minnesota’s bowl projection, the minor buzz created by the last game in the Metrodome, and the heat of the rivalry between the Gophers and the Hawkeyes, head coach Tim Brewster keeps his thoughts simple.

“I know this: If we beat Iowa, good things happen for Minnesota. That’s all I care about,” he said.

A sellout crowd is expected to be on hand to witness the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Gophers are already bowl eligible, but playing Iowa (7-4 overall, 4-3 Big Ten) at home in the season finale stirred up memories this week for Minnesota players that were around the last time the teams faced off at the Metrodome.

When the Hawkeyes visited Minneapolis on Nov. 18, 2006, the Gophers were a win away from bowl eligibility. The raucous crowd of 64,140 witnessed one of Minnesota’s better moments in the Dome, a 34-24 win that propelled them to the Insight Bowl and returned the Pig to the Gophers.

“That was probably one of the most fun times in the Metrodome that I’ve had,” senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg said.

Needless to say, Minnesota would love to replicate that fun, and senior tight end Jack Simmons said he expects a crowd just as loud as the one the Gophers (7-4, 3-4) played in front of two years ago.

“I’m excited for this football game and what it could mean for this University,” he said.

Minnesota will have to stop arguably the Big Ten’s best running back in Iowa’s Shonn Greene. He’s rushed for more than 100 yards in every game this season.

“Shonn Greene is as good of a back as there is in the country right now,” Brewster said. “If we’re to have a chance in the game, we’re going to have to swarm and have multiple tacklers … getting after him on every snap.”

That could prove difficult; junior linebacker Lee Campbell and sophomore safety Kyle Theret are both nursing ankle sprains and are still questionable for Saturday’s game.

“Right now, I feel like I’ll be good to go,” Theret said Wednesday evening.

Campbell is less likely to play, according to Brewster.

“I think Kyle’s further than Lee at this point,” Brewster said.

But helping the Gophers on the other side of the ball will be junior wide receiver Eric Decker , who missed last week’s game at Wisconsin.

“[He went] full speed,” Brewster said Wednesday after practice. “Looked really good.”