2020 Gopher Football Prediction Article

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I feel like Nebraska is the Texas of the B1G: a perennially overrated program that hasn’t actually been a national title contender in some time. Them being ranked as a harder matchup than Iowa is definitely questionable.
 

mjfelton15 said:

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Worst case scenario 6-6, best case scenario 10-2. I guess I can live with that. But don't count out that offense to give them a legitimate shot at winning any game they play. It's the defense that will have to step up and become elite for them to get to the next level. I don't think they are quite there yet.
 


PitinoFan said:
Best case scenario...12-0, worst case scenario 0-12.

It seems to me the offense was the bigger problem in the two games we lost. Against Iowa, we couldn’t convert in the red zone, and against Wisconsin, we couldn’t block anyone.
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I agree with this. In addition, PJ made an error by handcuffing his offense in the IOAW game by punting form Iowa's 35 or 40.... Seriously didn't put faith in his offense there... and it affected the rest of the game.

He learned his lesson and went for it a couple of times against Auburn. Got one and missed one, bt the feel was so much more positive and supportive!
 


As has been addressed elsewhere, the defense is going to be the key to 2020. Lots of new starters and rotation players will need to be integrated into the defense. I would not be surprised to see the defense take some time to gel. That in turn puts the onus on the offense to carry the load early on.

with Iowa in week #3, that could be a pivotal game. Gophs may have to win one of those 35-30 type of games.

So, bottom line, the quicker the defense sorts things out, the better the outlook for the Gophers. They could potentially drop a game early, but show a lot of improvement as the season goes on.
 

Mitu said:
I feel like Nebraska is the Texas of the B1G: a perennially overrated program that hasn’t actually been a national title contender in some time. Them being ranked as a harder matchup than Iowa is definitely questionable.
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Doesn’t Michigan own the “Texas of the B1G” title?
 

A lot will depend on how the defense pans out after losing 7 starters. IF the defense holds steady or improves, 11-1 is possible but unlikely. 12-0 is a far-out unlikely outcome but it is possible if the D comes around
 

Spoofin said:
Doesn’t Michigan own the “Texas of the B1G” title?
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I think it's closer to Nebraska, but who knows


Michigan is a good team that just doesn't recruit enough top guys to get over the hump
 



salzie said:
I think it's closer to Nebraska, but who knows


Michigan is a good team that just doesn't recruit enough top guys to get over the hump
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Maybe I am missing the sarcasm but Michigan's classes are always ranked near the top of the Big Ten and the entire country. Talent should not be a problem.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Maybe I am missing the sarcasm but Michigan's classes are always ranked near the top of the Big Ten and the entire country. Talent should not be a problem.
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They recruit for well, tOHSU recruits much higher level in those regards. tOHSU gets far more top 100 guys.

Michigan is really good team that wants to be great and sometimes is talked as a great, but falls short.
 

Spoofin said:
Doesn’t Michigan own the “Texas of the B1G” title?
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For "funsies", I looked it up going back to when Nebraska joined the B1G (2011...9 seasons).

Records
Nebraska 65-50
Texas 66-50
Michigan 78-38

Rankings AP
Nebraska 6 times (high of 7 ('16)...low 24) . 10+ wins once
Texas 3 times (high of 9 ('18)...low 25) . 10+ wins once
Michigan 6 times (high of 10 ('16)...low of 24). 10+ wins 4 times
 

Mitu said:
I feel like Nebraska is the Texas of the B1G: a perennially overrated program that hasn’t actually been a national title contender in some time. Them being ranked as a harder matchup than Iowa is definitely questionable.
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They've got a brutal schedule next year and have proven to be pretty mentally ... weak / if you hit them hard they will fold.

They might be kinda done by the time we see them.
 



Mitu said:
I feel like Nebraska is the Texas of the B1G: a perennially overrated program that hasn’t actually been a national title contender in some time. Them being ranked as a harder matchup than Iowa is definitely questionable.
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The author may be taking the timing of the game into consideration... Black Friday, but I agree with you.
 

OddStack said:
For "funsies", I looked it up going back to when Nebraska joined the B1G (2011...9 seasons).

Records
Nebraska 65-50
Texas 66-50
Michigan 78-38

Rankings AP
Nebraska 6 times (high of 7 ('16)...low 24) . 10+ wins once
Texas 3 times (high of 9 ('18)...low 25) . 10+ wins once
Michigan 6 times (high of 10 ('16)...low of 24). 10+ wins 4 times
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Wow, I have to say, I wasn't expecting it to be that close
 

There is an aura surrounding Nebraska football. In predicting next year's Heisman winner one of the unexpected was Adrian Martinez. Okay except for one little matter, the author never mentioned Tanner Morgan. Either the writer is stupid or lazy.
 

BroncoRedux said:
There is an aura surrounding Nebraska football. In predicting next year's Heisman winner one of the unexpected was Adrian Martinez. Okay except for one little matter, the author never mentioned Tanner Morgan. Either the writer is stupid or lazy.
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I think the writer is a dink.
 


BroncoRedux said:
There is an aura surrounding Nebraska football. In predicting next year's Heisman winner one of the unexpected was Adrian Martinez. Okay except for one little matter, the author never mentioned Tanner Morgan. Either the writer is stupid or lazy.
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Or both
 

Tanner Morgan is not a sexy pick for some prog-nausea-cators for Heisman watch over Adrian Martinez. TM is silent but deadly.
 

Gold Rush said:
Worst case scenario 6-6, best case scenario 10-2.
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Barring major injuries (both in number and significance), I don't see how this team could fall to 6-6 next year. A lot has been said about our defensive losses, but if you look at the 2-deep rosters of Iowa and Wisconsin, they are losing significant players on defense as well and their offensive losses, especially Iowa, are greater. I would imagine that most of our other competitors have their own personnel loss issues too.
 

hungan1 said:
Tanner Morgan is not a sexy pick for some prog-nausea-cators for Heisman watch over Adrian Martinez. TM is silent but deadly.
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I think it has more to do with, as BroncoRedux said, ignorance or laziness. Most of these internet writers don't go far above plagiarizing a general consensus. It wouldn't surprise me if the writer of this piece never watched Tanner Morgan.
 

OddStack said:
For "funsies", I looked it up going back to when Nebraska joined the B1G (2011...9 seasons).

Records
Nebraska 65-50
Texas 66-50
Michigan 78-38

Rankings AP
Nebraska 6 times (high of 7 ('16)...low 24) . 10+ wins once
Texas 3 times (high of 9 ('18)...low 25) . 10+ wins once
Michigan 6 times (high of 10 ('16)...low of 24). 10+ wins 4 times
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I look at the recruiting and talent in 247 Sports of teams like Nebraska or Texas and I scratch my head.

How in the world aren't they winning at a higher level than their counter parts?

Are they not recruiting to fit their system and are collecting stars?
 

Maverick said:
I agree with this. In addition, PJ made an error by handcuffing his offense in the IOAW game by punting form Iowa's 35 or 40.... Seriously didn't put faith in his offense there... and it affected the rest of the game.

He learned his lesson and went for it a couple of times against Auburn. Got one and missed one, bt the feel was so much more positive and supportive!
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Give players motivation and hearts of champions and they will run through brick walls like in the Outback Bowl.
 

Minnesota, for the time being, is still a one hit wonder. We have not proved yet that we can reload. So until we have another stellar season of at least 10 wins, most people will assume we now need to rebuild our defense. If we can go without losing anyone on offense early to the NFL or to injury, they may figure us for another decent season in 2021, but they just don't know how our defense will turn out in 2020.
 

hungan1 said:
I look at the recruiting and talent in 247 Sports of teams like Nebraska or Texas and I scratch my head.

How in the world aren't they winning at a higher level than their counter parts?

Are they not recruiting to fit their system and are collecting stars?
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Coaching is the #1 absolute most important aspect when it comes to getting cfb teams to win games vs top notch teams.

Recruiting for me, I do not consider #1, but not because I don't think it's important, but because I think it goes hand in hand with good coaching, but that is just how I see things. It can work better to have a team full of 3 star players who take instruction well, work hard, have good characters, and play well together, and maybe take on roles that weren't what they hoped to, than a group of prima donnas who may not work hard, who may not have good character, who may not take instruction well, who may not work well with others, and who may either refuse to take on a role they don't want to, or may play half heartedly if moved to another position.
 

Those are all good points @KillmeNow.

The seasons may follow PJ's famous Dilbert Zig-Zag chart. One the way up there will be peaks and valleys as you graduate players and the replacements go thru a learning/failing/experience cycle. Hopefully, the program will be at a level where those valleys are very short and abrupt.

A six-win season to winning the Big Ten West? Anything is possible. We have to watch the developments in the Spring and Fall practices.

A lot of it may also depend on how the Big Ten West opponents lock and load. Their programs are undergoing transitions after loosing players to graduation and early draft entry too. Scott Frost' Year Three with the coaching changes and boat loads of his own recruits will be an intriguing watch.

The Gophers as a developmental program have reached the pinnacle of success we have never seen. Success is evident in the PSU and Auburn victories. The spanking by the Badgers not so much.

I suppose that is the reason why NDSU is so successful at the FCS level as a sound developmental program. Wisconsin in the B1GW, and NDSU in the FCS MVC have established cultures and systems that self perpetuate winning even when there is a coaching change.

The Gophers are getting there.
 

The last decade was not kind to Texas football. Sounds like many of you had forgotten that a Colt McCoy led Texas offense fell just short of beating Alabama in the national title game as McCoy was knocked out of the game in the first half. A dude by the name of Vince Young and his Texas teammates did defeat Matt Leidner, Reggie Bush and the rest of that USC Trojan team for a natty in 2005.

So to compare Michigan and Nebraska to Texas in the last ten years is pretty accurate, not so in the last 15 years however.
 

Mitu said:
Wow, I have to say, I wasn't expecting it to be that close
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I would say that Texas's last modern era of being a top 10 level program was the run from 2001-2009 under Mack Brown (he coached there a few more years, but with less success). They won 10 or more games every year for nine years. Five year of winning or tying for the division championship (the South division at the time being the Texas schools, including A&M, and the Oklahoma schools). Three conf championship games, two wins. Those two years they went to the national title game, winning when the game was the Rose Bowl, and losing when the game was at the Rose Bowl but was stand-alone.

Since then, 2018 was the only other season to win 10 or more games. They got 2nd in the divisionless conference, went to the new 1v2 conf championship game, lost the rematch to the Sooners, but won the bowl game to get to 10.
 

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