In the November issue of Sporting News Magazine writer Matt Hayes doesn’t include Wisconsin-Minnesota in his listing of top 10 college football rivalries. No. 1 is Alabama-Auburn with Ohio State-Michigan No. 2.

The late Sandy Stephens, a 2011 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, will be remembered at tomorrow’s game against Wisconsin. A National Football Foundation Hall of Fame salute will recognize the great career of Stephens. He was the first black All-American quarterback and a key contributor to Minnesota’s 1960 national championship and Rose Bowl teams.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi expects a decision “soon” on whether he will continue as Gophers athletic director after his contract ends next June. He said a mutual decision between himself and University president Eric Kaler could come before 2011 ends.

In a mid-season NFL evaluation, the November 7 issue of Sports Illustrated has the 8-0 Packers losing in the 2012 Super Bowl to the Patriots, 31-27. Next Monday the Vikings and Packers meet for the fourth time in seven years in a Monday night game.

Blooming Prairie coach Chad Gimbel earned his 100th career win last Friday night with a 20-14 victory over Southland. His 15 year record is 100-50-0. Blooming Prairie plays Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity tonight in a Class A quarterfinals playoff game.

A busy prep playoff week includes quarterfinal games in classifications ranging from nine-man football to Class AAAAA. Semifinal games will be played at the Metrodome November 18 and 19, with the finals November 25 and 26 in the dome.

MIAC football champion St. Thomas is awaiting a first round Division III opponent for a game on Saturday, November 19. Coach Glenn Caruso’s team has a 10-0 overall record, 8-0 in the MIAC. UST became the first conference team in 48 seasons to have consecutive unbeaten regular seasons, and the first ever to have consecutive 10-0 records. The Tommies allowed 100 points in 10 games, the fewest by an MIAC team since Saint John’s 2003 NCAA championship team gave up 95 during the regular season.

The No. 1 ranked Gophers hockey team, with the National Player of the Month for October in goalie Kent Patterson and the Rookie of the Month in Kyle Rau, plays in Madison tonight and tomorrow night in games televised respectively by FSN and the Big Ten Network. Minnesota coach Don Lucia’s team won’t play the Badgers again after this weekend until March 2 and 3 in Minneapolis.