Jike Spingleton
Traveling Champ
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 6,509
- Reaction score
- 72
- Points
- 48
A Citrus Bowl victory would give the Gophers a fourth straight season improving their win total under Jerry Kill: from 3-9 in 2011 to 6-7, to 8-5, to 9-4. It would mark the first time Minnesota has improved its win total in four consecutive seasons since 1945-48, when Bernie Bierman's second tenure began by going 4-5, 5-4, 6-3 and 7-2.
Since it will have been so long since the Gophers have accomplished this, I wondered how frequently it occurred elsewhere in college football. Honestly, more than I would've thought. But here's the rundown of Power 5 teams in the last 20 years who have improved their win totals in four straight seasons by more than the six game total Minnesota would own:
10 wins - Iowa (1 win in 1999 to 11 wins in 2002)
9 wins - TCU (1 win in 1997 to 10 wins in 2000) *member of the WAC
8 wins - Michigan (3 wins in 2008 to 11 wins in 2011)
7 wins - Ole Miss (2 wins in 2011 to 9 wins in 2014) *Peach Bowl would be 10th win
Missouri (5 wins in 2004 to 12 wins in 2007)
Stanford (1 win in 2006 to 8 wins in 2009)
USC (5 wins in 2000 to 12 wins in 2003)
Also of note: Stanford improved its win total for a 5th straight season to cap the Jim Harbaugh era, winning 12 games in 2010 for a remarkable 11-win improvement over five seasons. Oregon State had an impressive six straight seasons improving its win total, going from 1-10 in 1995 to 11-1 in 2000 under now-Nebraska head coach Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson.
Since it will have been so long since the Gophers have accomplished this, I wondered how frequently it occurred elsewhere in college football. Honestly, more than I would've thought. But here's the rundown of Power 5 teams in the last 20 years who have improved their win totals in four straight seasons by more than the six game total Minnesota would own:
10 wins - Iowa (1 win in 1999 to 11 wins in 2002)
9 wins - TCU (1 win in 1997 to 10 wins in 2000) *member of the WAC
8 wins - Michigan (3 wins in 2008 to 11 wins in 2011)
7 wins - Ole Miss (2 wins in 2011 to 9 wins in 2014) *Peach Bowl would be 10th win
Missouri (5 wins in 2004 to 12 wins in 2007)
Stanford (1 win in 2006 to 8 wins in 2009)
USC (5 wins in 2000 to 12 wins in 2003)
Also of note: Stanford improved its win total for a 5th straight season to cap the Jim Harbaugh era, winning 12 games in 2010 for a remarkable 11-win improvement over five seasons. Oregon State had an impressive six straight seasons improving its win total, going from 1-10 in 1995 to 11-1 in 2000 under now-Nebraska head coach Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson.
