The Athletic: Which Big Ten West team has best chance of winning division? (Minnesota still has the guts of a divisional competitor.)

Per Scott:

Setting sail: Minnesota​

With a pre-conference schedule that would make Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder blush, Minnesota (4-1, 1-1) rowed past New Mexico State, Western Illinois and Colorado 149-17 before making a statement with a 34-7 victory at Michigan State. But the Gophers capsized at home against Purdue, 20-10, leaving two weeks’ worth of questions for coach P.J. Fleck to answer with an upcoming bye week.

“I believe in life you get what you deserve,” Fleck said. “We didn’t deserve to win. When we’re not playing complementary football, that’s what it looks like.”

Despite the homecoming downer, Minnesota still has the guts of a divisional competitor. Ibrahim missed the Purdue game with an undisclosed injury. Quarterback Tanner Morgan threw three interceptions, but one of them bounced off the chest of wide-open Michael Brown-Stephens in the end zone. A missed 28-yard field goal also spelled doom.

Why it can win the West: With a healthy Ibrahim, Minnesota has a potent rushing attack capable of slashing and smashing through any Big Ten opponent. The defense didn’t allow the Boilermakers to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since the 2018 Music City Bowl.

Why it won’t: Minnesota returns off the break with trips to Illinois and Penn State, both of which will be difficult. It also concludes the season against Iowa and Wisconsin, and the Gophers have not beaten their archrivals in the same season since 1990.


Go Gophers!!

I can't argue with any of that. The facts are the facts.