ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) – Commissioner Jim Delany insists expansion remains on the Big Ten’s back burner.  While the national landscape continues to change, Delany says his conference is “as happy as could be” with 12 members. He says the Big Ten is “not in an active mode,” and the conference is simply “monitoring” what’s happening.  Nebraska jumped from the Big 12 and started Big Ten play this year, allowing for two six-team divisions and a championship game in football.  Notre Dame is often linked to the Big Ten. Delany says he spoke to athletic director Jack Swarbrick a few months ago about hockey – not expansion.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – It’s been five years since the postseason was even a somewhat reasonable goal at Iowa.  The Hawkeyes finished 11-20 a year ago, but they have nearly everyone back from last year’s team that got progressively better as the season wore on.  The experience earned through a year playing under coach Fran McCaffery should put Iowa in position to be competitive in the Big Ten.  The Hawkeyes haven’t posted a winning season since former coach Steve Alford’s final team went 17-14 in 2006-07. They open the regular season Nov. 11 at home against Chicago State.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says sophomore guard Devyn Marble is being held out of preseason practices with a concussion.  McCaffery said Thursday during Big Ten media day in Chicago that Marble suffered a concussion less than a week into fall practice, which began on Oct. 15.  McCaffery says Marble, who averaged 5.7 points a game last season, looks and feels fine. But McCaffery says Marble still has to pass a variety of tests that “aren’t going as well.”  McCaffery also says center Andrew Brommer hurt his knee on the first day of practice and won’t be ready to play for another three weeks.  Iowa opens its season against Chicago State on Nov. 11.

ST. LOUIS (AP) – David Freese homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals forced the World Series to a Game 7 by rallying from two-run deficits against the Texas Rangers in the 9th and 10th on Thursday night.  Freese hit a two-run triple just over a leaping Nelson Cruz to tie the score 7-7 in the ninth inning against Neftali Feliz. Then, after Josh Hamilton put Texas ahead with a two-run homer in the 10th off Jason Motte, Ryan Theriot hit an RBI groundout in the bottom half and Lance Berkman tied it 9-9 with a single.  Freese’s shot to center came off Mark Lowe.  Game 7 is Friday night.  Texas had built a 7-4 lead in the seventh when Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz hit consecutive home runs off Lance Lynn, and Ian Kinsler added an RBI single off Octavio Dotel.

By The Associated Press
Iowa (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Minnesota (1-6, 0-3) Saturday, 2:42
p.m. (BTN)
Line: Iowa by 16
Series Record: Minnesota leads 60-42-2
Last Meeting: Minnesota won 27-24 in 2010
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The Hawkeyes are looking for payback after being stunned by the
Gophers last season, a defeat that came to symbolize Iowa’s
late-season collapse. Minnesota just needs to prove in can compete
against Big Ten opponents after an ugly 0-3 start in the league.
KEY MATCHUP
Iowa RB Marcus Coker vs. Minnesota’s defense: Coker has rushed
for 120 yards in each of his last two games after a chat with coach
Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes would like to establish the bruising
Coker early, as they did last week in an easy win over Indiana.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Iowa: WR Keenan Davis. He should play after what Ferentz said
was a “tender” ankle, but the junior could be limited.
Minnesota: QB MarQueis Gray: Mobile quarterbacks like Gray have
been known to cause the Hawkeyes trouble in the past.
FACTS & FIGURES
Iowa has taken home “Floyd of Rosedale” eight times in the
past 10 meetings, but the pig has spent 11 months in Minneapolis
after last year’s loss…The Gophers have given up at least 41
points in each of their Big Ten games, while the Hawkeyes have
scored at least 40 in their last two…The Gophers held Iowa to
just 218 yards of offense in 2010.