10-2 - tell me I’m wrong

Buffalo - Lance Leopold ain’t walking through that door.
1-0 and probably by 3 scores

Northwestern state- maybe better than northwestern but awful.
2-0 and by at least 3 scores

@Cal - sneaky sneaky but 3-0 by 10 points on the road

Rutgers - Revenge game at home against Athan K coming off a bye week?
14 points at home - 4-0

@ohio state - too rich for my blood
Loss by 10 that feels like more than 10
4-1

Purdue - get right by playing the worst power 5 team. 5-1

Nebraska - Friday night lights.
The steak continues by 7.
6-1 in a gritty game. I will be intoxicated

@iowa - gophers 2-0 in Iowa city when im not there since 1995 and im not going to be there. You are welcome. 7-1

Michigan state is just below average.
Gophers by 14
8-1

@oregon with a bye week. This would be a good game to go to. If the gophers jump into the playoffs it’s because they beat Nebraska, Iowa, Oregon back to back to back. Oregon doesn’t have a QB. It’s the first time their coach is with his whole team nobody from previous regime.
Oregon by 20
8-2

Northwestern in Chicago. Revenge game from the worst game of the fleck era (IMO) two years ago. 9-2

@wisconsin. I predict vs interim coach. I predict vs interim team.
Gophers by 100000
10-2


Tell me I’m wrong
Wrong is a little strong. I like the optimism but 8-4 would be a huge success. I see 7-5 despite a new untested QB. This is a season where 6-6 would not shock. Very young team.
 

Wrong is a little strong. I like the optimism but 8-4 would be a huge success. I see 7-5 despite a new untested QB. This is a season where 6-6 would not shock. Very young team.
They could lose any game
But the predicted wins that are 50/50 or harder are:
Iowa
Nebraska

Lose both of those plus a random game and you are 7-5
Lose both of those plus two random games and you are 6-6




Young in key spots but I hope we make a run. Schedule super manageable this year. Not sure when our next super manageable schedule is.
 

They could lose any game
But the predicted wins that are 50/50 or harder are:
Iowa
Nebraska

Lose both of those plus a random game and you are 7-5
Lose both of those plus two random games and you are 6-6




Young in key spots but I hope we make a run. Schedule super manageable this year. Not sure when our next super manageable schedule is.

We have no idea how easy or hard this years schedule will be. Everyone expected last years schedule to be hard and it ended up being one of the easier schedules in the conference. No one saw Indiana being in the CFP or USC and Wisconsin being as bad as they were. Michigan was also down.

Even if we think we know who's going to be good, I think playing at Oregon and at Ohio St is much tougher this year than getting Michigan at home and playing at Penn St next year.
 

The OL was not a strength last year.
The WR group's lead WR had 18 catches and 1 TD last year (Brockington).
The QB is a redshirt freshman whose stats are 4/5 50 yards 1TD (4 of those attempts against URI).

I hope the Gophers don't lose a game. But how was I wrong?
 

Not going to speak for SG, but it seems his argument is that he's already excluding @OSU and @Oregon from his prediction, and really just trying to predict the remaining 10 games. Which I think is fair.
 


I'm going to assume that was meant as sarcasm. Neither one of them are straight out of high school. Dante Moore started for UCLA under Chip Kelly in 2023, he spent 2024 learning as a back up to Dillon Gabriel at Oregon. Autstin Novostad, has spent one year as a back up to Bo Nix and one year as an understudy to Dillion Gabriel. Point is both QBs aren't "high school" QBs, they've both been in the system and have had the chance to learn under a couple pretty good college QBs and OC.

Dante probably is the most athletically talented of the two, while I can see Austin making a career in the NFL.
I just think it is amazing you are on a first name basis with both of them. Definitely fun to get insider level info to this degree here on Gopherhole.
 
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I think 10-2 is possible. But, I also think 6-6 is possible. I think both of those seasons are equally likely to happen, with the more likely situation being something in the middle - 7-5 or 8-4.

I will say that IF the Gophers somehow climb to a 10-2 season, it will feature a stunning upset of either Ohio State or Oregon on the road, but also have a loss to someone like Cal or Nebraska in a very frustrating game to watch. There is always a game or two like that. They are college kids and Fleck always seems to uncork a couple stinkers during the season.
 

Seems legit except we can't beat Iowa and they might have a QB this year. And Peej always loses a can't lose game. Buffalo, NWSt, or Purdue will pull the upset. 8-4.
Neither one of those teams have a chance, especially the 1st 2 games.
 

We have no idea how easy or hard this years schedule will be. Everyone expected last years schedule to be hard and it ended up being one of the easier schedules in the conference. No one saw Indiana being in the CFP or USC and Wisconsin being as bad as they were. Michigan was also down.

Even if we think we know who's going to be good, I think playing at Oregon and at Ohio St is much tougher this year than getting Michigan at home and playing at Penn St next year.
Yes we do?
The only way you don’t have any idea is if you don’t have a brain or a memory
 



I think 10-2 is possible. But, I also think 6-6 is possible. I think both of those seasons are equally likely to happen, with the more likely situation being something in the middle - 7-5 or 8-4.

I will say that IF the Gophers somehow climb to a 10-2 season, it will feature a stunning upset of either Ohio State or Oregon on the road, but also have a loss to someone like Cal or Nebraska in a very frustrating game to watch. There is always a game or two like that. They are college kids and Fleck always seems to uncork a couple stinkers during the season.
Agree

Hard for an above average team to play great all year

Gonna play below average a game or three
Need to try to go 3-0 in those games anyways
 

Oregon does have a couple more QBs in the room. One with some name recognition is Akili Smith Jr. Four Star and son of Akili Smith (former Duck and NFL QB)
Great to have Oregon in the Big Ten, welcome!—looking forward to a trip to Eugene. I’ll admit I’m ornery about the Bucky Irving poaching…
 





Buffalo - Lance Leopold ain’t walking through that door.
1-0 and probably by 3 scores

Northwestern state- maybe better than northwestern but awful.
2-0 and by at least 3 scores

@Cal - sneaky sneaky but 3-0 by 10 points on the road

Rutgers - Revenge game at home against Athan K coming off a bye week?
14 points at home - 4-0

@ohio state - too rich for my blood
Loss by 10 that feels like more than 10
4-1

Purdue - get right by playing the worst power 5 team. 5-1

Nebraska - Friday night lights.
The steak continues by 7.
6-1 in a gritty game. I will be intoxicated

@iowa - gophers 2-0 in Iowa city when im not there since 1995 and im not going to be there. You are welcome. 7-1

Michigan state is just below average.
Gophers by 14
8-1

@oregon with a bye week. This would be a good game to go to. If the gophers jump into the playoffs it’s because they beat Nebraska, Iowa, Oregon back to back to back. Oregon doesn’t have a QB. It’s the first time their coach is with his whole team nobody from previous regime.
Oregon by 20
8-2

Northwestern in Chicago. Revenge game from the worst game of the fleck era (IMO) two years ago. 9-2

@wisconsin. I predict vs interim coach. I predict vs interim team.
Gophers by 100000
10-2


Tell me I’m wrong
Bro, I love your enthusiasm. I have sat here in rural Minnesota near New Ulm too shy to post exactly what you wrote. I think 7-5 is worst-case, 8-4 is my minimum, 9-3 is a big grin thinking, finally "we're movin' on up!" and 10-2 is '87 & '91 World Series combined. Injuries are apart of football and if Drake goes down - and I believe in him - for any extended period of time, my season will be re-prioritized to rooting for Martin Luther College, Stout, and any team playing Wisconsin or Iowa.
 



Cal is an interesting one.

Justin Wilcox will be his 9th season as HC! Had them on a nice upward trajectory to 8-5 with a bowl win in 2019, then covid collapsed. Been a slow crawl back since covid. But last two seasons 6-7 making it to low end bowl games.

Probably a make or break year for him? We are the 3rd of 4 non-conf games for them, the other 3 being relatively easy(?). They should be 2-0, although first game against Oregon State is maybe still a quasi-Power team?

Brand new coordinators, including OC Bryan Harsin (long HC run at Boise then bombed out in 2 years as HC at Auburn, nothing since 2022 fired, unless he has been an "analyst" and it wasn't listed) and upgraded couple defensive coaches to be Co-DC.

Tough to win on the road. Could be similar to going to North Carolina.
They lost their whole offense except their O-line which was abysmal last year and by far the worst part of their offense. I think the Gophers won't have a problem if they play turnover free football or at least win or tie the turnover battle.

Their Defense is solid though so our O needs to show up. Agreed though that this is an interesting game and could go either way but I think catching them early in the season should be an advantage. The amount of turnover in both the staff and the players should give the Gophers the edge they need to pull it out.
 

Bro, I love your enthusiasm. I have sat here in rural Minnesota near New Ulm too shy to post exactly what you wrote. I think 7-5 is worst-case, 8-4 is my minimum, 9-3 is a big grin thinking, finally "we're movin' on up!" and 10-2 is '87 & '91 World Series combined. Injuries are apart of football and if Drake goes down - and I believe in him - for any extended period of time, my season will be re-prioritized to rooting for Martin Luther College, Stout, and any team playing Wisconsin or Iowa.
6-6 would surprise me
5-7 would shock me
10-2 would surprise me
11-2 would shock me

6-6 or worse would disappoint me
9-3 would also disappoint me (because it wasn’t 10-2)
 


6-6 would surprise me
5-7 would shock me
10-2 would surprise me
11-2 would shock me

6-6 or worse would disappoint me
9-3 would also disappoint me (because it wasn’t 10-2)

We're kindred spirits, my friend.😁
 

I'm going to assume that was meant as sarcasm. Neither one of them are straight out of high school. Dante Moore started for UCLA under Chip Kelly in 2023, he spent 2024 learning as a back up to Dillon Gabriel at Oregon. Autstin Novostad, has spent one year as a back up to Bo Nix and one year as an understudy to Dillion Gabriel. Point is both QBs aren't "high school" QBs, they've both been in the system and have had the chance to learn under a couple pretty good college QBs and OC.

Dante probably is the most athletically talented of the two, while I can see Austin making a career in the NFL.
Wow! Outstanding! Sounds to me like they have as much experience as our guy.
 

Great to have Oregon in the Big Ten, welcome!—looking forward to a trip to Eugene. I’ll admit I’m ornery about the Bucky Irving poaching…
I certainly don't know much about how "Bucky" got to Eugene, but one local story was that he wanted to be called "Bucky" and something about that school in Madison kept Minnesota from calling him "Bucky". It's a simple thing but we heard it was a factor.

If you're coming to Eugene for the game let me know, I'll try to help with tips that will enhance your visit.
 

I just think it is amazing you are on a first name basis with both of them. Definitely fun to get insider level info to this degree here on Gopherhole.
I'm not on a "first name" basis with both of them, I'm just a typical Duck fan. We're definitely looking forward to Minnesota coming to Eugene. Friday night in Eugene will be interesting.
 

Amazing what money can buy.
Well it's just a case of a University of Oregon student athlete giving back to the university where he competed. It's not just athletics, it's the Knight Library, the Knight Law School, the Jaqua Center for student athlete academics, the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact ($500 million). Additional contributions towards the Phil and Penny Knight Campus are currently pushing the total past $1.7 billion.

Sure, we've got "The Matt" (basketball facility) $227 million, Hayward Field (track and field) $270 million, as well as many other contributions to the football program, and the baseball program.

Let's face it, it's a lot of money resulting in great improvements to the University of Oregon and it's students.
 

I certainly don't know much about how "Bucky" got to Eugene, but one local story was that he wanted to be called "Bucky" and something about that school in Madison kept Minnesota from calling him "Bucky". It's a simple thing but we heard it was a factor.

If you're coming to Eugene for the game let me know, I'll try to help with tips that will enhance your visit.
The Bucky name thing wasn't the reason. That was way overblown. It was $$$.
 

My point was more the ducks are the only team I predicted to beat the gophers by 20+ and somehow the ducks guy is the only one offended
I wasn't offended by the 20 points, I was just trying to clarify that the QBs aren't "fresh out of high school" as was implied. Perhaps I misunderstood.
 

The Bucky name thing wasn't the reason. That was way overblown. It was $$$.
What ever the reason, Duck fans were very thankful that he came to Eugene. I'm sure it was disappointing for Gopher fans.
 

Cal is an interesting one.

Justin Wilcox will be his 9th season as HC! Had them on a nice upward trajectory to 8-5 with a bowl win in 2019, then covid collapsed. Been a slow crawl back since covid. But last two seasons 6-7 making it to low end bowl games.

Probably a make or break year for him? We are the 3rd of 4 non-conf games for them, the other 3 being relatively easy(?). They should be 2-0, although first game against Oregon State is maybe still a quasi-Power team?

Brand new coordinators, including OC Bryan Harsin (long HC run at Boise then bombed out in 2 years as HC at Auburn, nothing since 2022 fired, unless he has been an "analyst" and it wasn't listed) and upgraded couple defensive coaches to be Co-DC.

Tough to win on the road. Could be similar to going to North Carolina.
I've always been a fan of Justin Wilcox, local guy played for the Ducks, his dad was a Duck. He's a very under rated coach in my opinion. His biggest handicap is Cal.
 





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