Athlon: Big Ten Football 2023 Predictions (Big Ten West: 3. Minnesota)

[BleedGopher]

per Athlon:

3. Minnesota
The Golden Gophers will miss running back Mohamed Ibrahim, but quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and a loaded group of playmakers in the receiving corps should keep the offense performing at a high level. Replacing three starters along the line (including All-American center John Michael Schmitz) is the top concern on offense going into the fall. Minnesota's defense held teams to just 13.8 points per game last year, but this unit will be tested with just five returning starters and some turnover at each level. The crossover slate - Michigan and at Ohio State - is not kind to coach P.J. Fleck's squad.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-ten-football-2023-predictions

Go Gophers!!

 

[Some guy]

Fair prediction:

Mine is:
1) Iowa 10-2 (7-2)
2) Minnesota 8-4 (6-3)
3) Illinois 7-5 (5-4)
4) wisconsin 7-5 (5-4)
5) Nebraska 6-6 (3-6)
6) Purdue 4-8 (2-7)
7) northwestern 2-10 (0-9)

Some years people say the west is bad and I defend the west. This year I actually think the west is pretty bad.
3 teams in the East are better than everyone in the west. I think Maryland is better than everyone except Minnesota and Iowa. Rutgers and Michigan state are both better than Purdue and northwestern.
Indiana, Purdue, and northwestern are my clear bottom 3.


My preseason thoughts
1) Ohio state
2) Michigan
3) penn state
4) Iowa
5) Minnesota
6) Maryland
7) Illinois
8) wisconsin - Wisconsin more upside than Illinois and Maryland but also more downside
—teams I am confident will make a bowl above this line—-
9) Rutgers
10) Michigan state
11) Nebraska
—teams I would be don’t make a bowl below this line—
12) Purdue
13) northwestern
14) Indiana

 

[PMWinSTP]

Fair prediction:

Mine is:
1) Iowa 10-2 (7-2)
2) Minnesota 8-4 (6-3)
3) Illinois 7-5 (5-4)
4) wisconsin 7-5 (5-4)
5) Nebraska 6-6 (3-6)
6) Purdue 4-8 (2-7)
7) northwestern 2-10 (0-9)

Some years people say the west is bad and I defend the west. This year I actually think the west is pretty bad.
3 teams in the East are better than everyone in the west. I think Maryland is better than everyone except Minnesota and Iowa. Rutgers and Michigan state are both better than Purdue and northwestern.
Indiana, Purdue, and northwestern are my clear bottom 3.


My preseason thoughts
1) Ohio state
2) Michigan
3) penn state
4) Iowa
5) Minnesota
6) Maryland
7) Illinois
8) wisconsin - Wisconsin more upside than Illinois and Maryland but also more downside
—teams I am confident will make a bowl above this line—-
9) Rutgers
10) Michigan state
11) Nebraska
—teams I would be don’t make a bowl below this line—
12) Purdue
13) northwestern
14) Indiana

Way too much credit for MD. They would be fifth in the West.

 

[Some guy]

Way too much credit for MD. They would be fifth in the West.

Maybe. But having a decent QB come back and consistency of systems makes me think they’re going to be better than Wisconsin/Illinois/Nebraska

This isn’t so much a praise of Maryland. I think the conference isn’t as good this year as it’s been

 

[PMWinSTP]

Maybe. But having a decent QB come back and consistency of systems makes me think they’re going to be better than Wisconsin/Illinois/Nebraska

This isn’t so much a praise of Maryland. I think the conference isn’t as good this year as it’s been

Or in a three way tie for third...