Crawford: Big Ten win total projections for 2019 season (Minnesota Over/Under: 6)

Donate To GopherHole
BleedGopher

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
62,847
Reaction score
20,335
Points
113
per Crawford:

Minnesota
2019 projected win total (over-under): 6

247Sports take: Coming off a 7-6 season and bowl victory, the Gophers look to take the next step during P.J. Fleck's third campaign. Minnesota's over-under win total projection is one of the most difficult in the conference considering November is littered with matchups against teams likely ranked inside the Top 25. This could be a hot start, late fizzle scenario for the Gophers this fall.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...-Ohio-State-Penn-State-129765477/#129765477_2

Go Gophers!!
 

From an outside perspective, I sort of get this, but it still seems like 7 would be the over/under (or 6.5). I mean, if you don't do the research into the DC situation and how that changed the team, they just look like an inconsistent team that any given week could beat the best teams and/or lose to the worst teams. But seeing how that changed the defense, knowing the amount of players that are coming back, I would think you would assume they should improve on last year's record, meaning at least 7 (this does not include Bowl games).

As someone maybe more knowledgeable on the Gophers, I think I'd set it at 8 wins. I think you can easily see scenarios that more or less than 8 happens.

I am not sure the Gophers are the toughest to pick to me. Nebraska, Purdue, MI State and Wisconsin I think are all tough to pick this year.
 

Gophers are perpetually a 6.... until they prove otherwise.
 


Going to say it all year, leading up to the season: I'll take 7-5, as a baby step improvement, on the way to bigger and better things.
 


If the Gophers open at 6 wins (season), I'll need the Venmo info of anyone going to Vegas. Please.
 



PMWinSTP said:
This is conference win prediction.
Click to expand...

If the Gophers win 6 conference games this year and finish 9-3 you can expect PJ Fleck's phone will be ringing.
One of the big boys will be calling - guaranteed.

What we need is a good coach who will stick around and build this program, one who wants to stay and will say no when the big boys call. This is how Barry Alvarez built the Wisconsin program and how Hayden Fry/Kirk Ferentz built the Iowa program.

Is PJ Fleck going to be that guy here? Maybe. For one he has to achieve that initial burst of success to draw the attention but that just might happen in the next few years, possibly even after this one. He seems happy here and is in a good spot but I can imagine if Georgia, Texas or USC call with an outrageous package it might be tough to say no.

Hopefully he is successful here and sticks around for a long time - he has a good shot at being very successful here if he chooses to stay.
 



Gophers_4life said:
Going to say it all year, leading up to the season: I'll take 7-5, as a baby step improvement, on the way to bigger and better things.
Click to expand...

Not with this schedule. If we can’t win 8 with this cake walk we are not winning 8+ in 2020 or beyond even with great improvement.
 

Gold Rush said:
If the Gophers win 6 conference games this year and finish 9-3 you can expect PJ Fleck's phone will be ringing.
One of the big boys will be calling - guaranteed.

What we need is a good coach who will stick around and build this program, one who wants to stay and will say no when the big boys call. This is how Barry Alvarez built the Wisconsin program and how Hayden Fry/Kirk Ferentz built the Iowa program.

Is PJ Fleck going to be that guy here? Maybe. For one he has to achieve that initial burst of success to draw the attention but that just might happen in the next few years, possibly even after this one. He seems happy here and is in a good spot but I can imagine if Georgia, Texas or USC call with an outrageous package it might be tough to say no.

Hopefully he is successful here and sticks around for a long time - he has a good shot at being very successful here if he chooses to stay.
Click to expand...

As Fleck himself has said, he's not for everyone and that includes most helmet schools IMHO. Can't see Irish pursuing him. We've had numerous threads on this very topic. It is pretty rare to have a sitting B1G FB HC proactively move on to another P5 HC gig. What big time program could be looking after 2019?

I see it as pretty remote possibility but also think if that happens Fleck gives Coyle the chance to lock him up here, and guaranteed the U backs up the Brinks truck. I think U does it regardless of potential suitors coming for Fleck if Gophs go 9-3.
 

GoGoGopher12 said:
If the Gophers open at 6 wins (season), I'll need the Venmo info of anyone going to Vegas. Please.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if I can get Vegas to let me be this at 6, I'm going all in. While the Gophers certainly may fall short of having a breakthrough season, it's difficult to see things getting worse in 2019.
 







RememberMurray said:
I wish you were right, but I think (unfortunately) you're wrong.

Pretty tough for Ohio State to win 10 conference games when they only play 9.
Click to expand...

Yep...I do think the Gophs can win 6 in the conference and expect them to win 5.
 


Studwell55 said:
6 conference wins would be amazing.
Click to expand...

Well, let's look at that. Here's the conference schedule, with last season's records:

@ Purdue (6-7)

Illinois (4-8)

Nebraska (4-8)

@ Rutgers (1-11)

Maryland (5-7)

BYE

Penn State (9-4)

@ Iowa (9-4)

@ Northwestern (9-5)

Wisconsin (8-5)

--------

I don't know. 6 conference wins seem pretty doable to my eyes. I mean, it is really as favorable a schedule as you are likely to get playing in the B1G. Heck, if the advance betting lines were set right now I think we'd be likely favorites in the first 5 games! Then win one of the last 4, and, there you are with 6 conference wins.

I know, I know... we haven't won 6 conference games in a long time. Blah, blah, blah.

But we say we want to be elite. We say we shouldn't be afraid to be legends. Okay, then; if those are the goals, then at some point, eventually, you have to actually step up and seize the day! This schedule is a golden opportunity to do just that.

Are we going to do that? It would be a shame not to, in my opinion.
 

I think we sweep non conference and win 4 big ten games minimum. Would be ecstatic with 6 B1G wins
 

West Fargo Gopher Fan said:
I think we sweep non conference and win 4 big ten games minimum. Would be ecstatic with 6 B1G wins
Click to expand...

One of the big criticisms people state when they claim to be unimpressed with Tracy Claeys' 9-4 record in 2016 was that the Gophers didn't win any rivalry-trophy games.

Well, take a look at the 2019 schedule.

If we win the games we're likely to be favored in (the first 5) and then win just one rivalry game (either Penn State, @ Iowa, or Wisconsin) you would have your 6 conference wins!

We'd need just ONE trophy game win.

We were disappointed, or at least not very impressed, in a 9-4 finish back in 2016. It didn't measure up in the eyes of many GopherHolers, partly because we didn't beat anybody in the Top 25 and also because we didn't win any rivalry trophies.

Well... hopefully we haven't lowered our expectations.
 

My expectations this year are bare minimum 8 wins including bowl game. If we end up 7-6 after bowl game I think fans have a right to be upset. I think we win 8 at the very low end but probably should win more
 

Vegas knows, which makes this prediction highly disappointing. I will take the over for a cool ten grand.
 

West Fargo Gopher Fan said:
My expectations this year are bare minimum 8 wins including bowl game. If we end up 7-6 after bowl game I think fans have a right to be upset. I think we win 8 at the very low end but probably should win more
Click to expand...

Agree. Gophs could find a little bit of luck and run the table. Bucky fans I know are already starting the hand wringing with the prospect of an untested QB.
 

The Big Ten games that jump out to me as most challenging are at Purdue early, at Iowa, and Penn State. At Northwestern is sort of a wild card and might be in the mix as well, but they are sort of tough to read year to year. Nebraska is a wild card, and Iowa is due for a loss at TCF.
 
Last edited:

Gold Rush said:
If the Gophers win 6 conference games this year and finish 9-3 you can expect PJ Fleck's phone will be ringing.
<b>One of the big boys will be calling - guaranteed.</b>
Click to expand...

Let them call. PJ isn’t going anywhere. This is his dream job. He said so himself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I’ll take the over with a month’s gross wages please.
 

Spoofin said:
Let them call. PJ isn’t going anywhere. This is his dream job. He said so himself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The good news is if he does leave it will be for a pay cut. We know that, too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Gold Rush said:
If the Gophers win 6 conference games this year and finish 9-3 you can expect PJ Fleck's phone will be ringing.
One of the big boys will be calling - guaranteed.

What we need is a good coach who will stick around and build this program, one who wants to stay and will say no when the big boys call. This is how Barry Alvarez built the Wisconsin program and how Hayden Fry/Kirk Ferentz built the Iowa program.

Is PJ Fleck going to be that guy here? Maybe. For one he has to achieve that initial burst of success to draw the attention but that just might happen in the next few years, possibly even after this one. He seems happy here and is in a good spot but I can imagine if Georgia, Texas or USC call with an outrageous package it might be tough to say no.

Hopefully he is successful here and sticks around for a long time - he has a good shot at being very successful here if he chooses to stay.
Click to expand...

You bring up an interesting subject.

What if the Gophers indeed win the West and become B1G title contenders, even as early as this coming season?

If that happens, yes — P. J. Fleck will be a hot commodity. And he would deserve to be. Returning Minnesota to Golden Glory Days would be a gigantic coaching accomplishment. At that point in time he'd be seen as a young, energetic coach with a record of success at two different head coaching stops. He'd be a very attractive candidate for any school looking to build or rebuild their football program.

But then you go to the other side of the equation in the imagined scenario/process, and it gets a little more complicated.

The question would then be: which school(s) would be both A) looking for a coach, AND B) considered to be a step up for Fleck from a B1G head coaching position at Minnesota? Remember, in this scenario the Gophers are back on a winning track.

The list of possibles might be shorter than we think. It would have to be both a better job than this one, and in need of a rebuild.

Hmmmm...
 

caliGopher said:
The good news is if he does leave it will be for a pay cut. We know that, too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

He did that for the kids. Selfless. Saint-like.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom