BleedGopher
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per Judd:
The fact the Gophers closed last season with three wins in their final four games, including one at Wisconsin and another over Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl, did little to change the perception of P.J. Fleck’s team in the minds of 34 sportswriters who participated in the annual Big Ten predictions done last month by Cleveland.com.
The Gophers were predicted to finish next to last in the Big Ten West with 100 votes ahead of only Illinois (34 votes). Nebraska (198 points, 14 first-place votes); Iowa (194.5, 14); Wisconsin (172.5, 4); Northwestern (142.5, 1); and Purdue (110.5) were picked to finish ahead of the Gophers. Despite the overall lack of confidence, one voter picked the Gophers to finish first and predicted they would lose to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.
That might be a bit on the optimistic side, but picking the Gophers to finish in sixth place is overly pessimistic and likely misguided. That’s right Gophers fans you read that right: As Minnesota gets set to open the season on Thursday night against South Dakota State at TCF Bank Stadium there are real reasons for optimism. That means there is pressure on Fleck for the first time since he left Western Michigan to take the Gophers job in 2017, and there’s pressure to sell tickets in a stadium that has had far too many empty seats in recent years.
https://www.skornorth.com/gophers-2...tions-should-be-raised-for-gophers-p-j-fleck/
Go Gophers!!
The fact the Gophers closed last season with three wins in their final four games, including one at Wisconsin and another over Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl, did little to change the perception of P.J. Fleck’s team in the minds of 34 sportswriters who participated in the annual Big Ten predictions done last month by Cleveland.com.
The Gophers were predicted to finish next to last in the Big Ten West with 100 votes ahead of only Illinois (34 votes). Nebraska (198 points, 14 first-place votes); Iowa (194.5, 14); Wisconsin (172.5, 4); Northwestern (142.5, 1); and Purdue (110.5) were picked to finish ahead of the Gophers. Despite the overall lack of confidence, one voter picked the Gophers to finish first and predicted they would lose to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.
That might be a bit on the optimistic side, but picking the Gophers to finish in sixth place is overly pessimistic and likely misguided. That’s right Gophers fans you read that right: As Minnesota gets set to open the season on Thursday night against South Dakota State at TCF Bank Stadium there are real reasons for optimism. That means there is pressure on Fleck for the first time since he left Western Michigan to take the Gophers job in 2017, and there’s pressure to sell tickets in a stadium that has had far too many empty seats in recent years.
https://www.skornorth.com/gophers-2...tions-should-be-raised-for-gophers-p-j-fleck/
Go Gophers!!