Big 10 title odds: Bet Wisconsin, fade Michigan (Sleeper: Minnesota (+2000))

BleedGopher

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per Alex:

Sleeper: Minnesota (+2000)​

If there's one team to take a pure flier on with a legitimate shot at winning the Big 10, it's Minnesota.

P.J. Fleck can coach in big games, the offensive line will be littered with seniors, quarterback Tanner Morgan is one of the most experienced in the conference, and the Golden Gophers rank among the top 25 overall in returning production.

This team is the definition of value.


Go Gophers!!
 







Might be worth putting some money on with those odds, nothing large, but still...
 

Might be worth putting some money on with those odds, nothing large, but still...
Yup. I try not to bet on MN during the season, but I did just put a $20 spot each on MN winning the B1G and the West (+650, I believe). $40 that rides the whole season and holds the potential for a big payout is kinda fun. I did the same in 2019 and was oh so close to a MUCH bigger payday than this would be...but I obviously lost...as usual, lol.
 

I think there's a very good chance this team is better than the 2019 team. They will be less prolific through the air, but better on the ground, much more Wisconsin/Iowa esque.

This team may have the best, and deepest offensive and defensive lines I've seen since I started following the Gophers in the 90s. Ohio St will be a close game, and the Gophers should be favorites to win the west.
 



I think there's a very good chance this team is better than the 2019 team. They will be less prolific through the air, but better on the ground, much more Wisconsin/Iowa esque.

This team may have the best, and deepest offensive and defensive lines I've seen since I started following the Gophers in the 90s. Ohio St will be a close game, and the Gophers should be favorites to win the west.

I actually think, based on the spring game haha, that we'll have better balance than the 2019 team.

I'm all in on Boyd being freshman WR of the year in the B1G
 

I think there's a very good chance this team is better than the 2019 team. They will be less prolific through the air, but better on the ground, much more Wisconsin/Iowa esque.

This team may have the best, and deepest offensive and defensive lines I've seen since I started following the Gophers in the 90s. Ohio St will be a close game, and the Gophers should be favorites to win the west.
I'm slowly getting more optimistic (and the spring game helped), but I'm still worried about the defense and WR group. The Iowa and Wisconsin comparisons are very apt on offense -- totally agree. The difference is those teams win with defense. 2019 Minnesota had a lot of NFL talent on D, including 3 seniors who were drafted, another drafted a year later, and two more in Mafe and Durr who already looked like they'd have a shot someday. I'm seeing a MUCH improved group in 2021 as compared to 2020, but perhaps not the high-end talent we saw in 2019. Hope I'm wrong and there's some rapid development.
 

So far on Draft kings (Legal in TN) I have placed small wagers on the following:

Minnesota to win the West: +800
Minnesota to win B1G: +1,600
Minnesota to win CFP: +25,000
Tanner to Win Heisman: +15,000
Mo to Win Heisman: +6,600
 

So far on Draft kings (Legal in TN) I have placed small wagers on the following:

Minnesota to win the West: +800
Minnesota to win B1G: +1,600
Minnesota to win CFP: +25,000
Tanner to Win Heisman: +15,000
Mo to Win Heisman: +6,600
What would it take for Mo to win heisman?

Basically I look to non Alabama running backs who have won.


Either be Reggie bush or Ron dayne? (That’s crazy)

win the big ten and run for 2000 yards. That’s what it would take
 



What would it take for Mo to win heisman?

Basically I look to non Alabama running backs who have won.


Either be Reggie bush or Ron dayne? (That’s crazy)

win the big ten and run for 2000 yards. That’s what it would take
Mo rushed for an average 153.7 yards a game in 2020. To hit 2000+ yards over 13 games played (regular season + title game) he has to average 153.85+ yards a game.

So assuming the rest of the team does what it needs, gets to the title game (and wins); Mo basically would just need to repeat last season with a few extra yards here and there (assuming he played all 13 games). While it would be a crazy season, it's also surprisingly in reach as well.
 

Mo rushed for an average 153.7 yards a game in 2020. To hit 2000+ yards over 13 games played (regular season + title game) he has to average 153.85+ yards a game.

So assuming the rest of the team does what it needs, gets to the title game (and wins); Mo basically would just need to repeat last season with a few extra yards here and there (assuming he played all 13 games). While it would be a crazy season, it's also surprisingly in reach as well.
Here's why I think he can get 2000+:

This might be the best O-Line we will see in Maroon and Gold for a very long time and it will be competitive for those boys to stay on the field, and PJ is going to want to run the ball as much as possible.

We will get a couple non conference cupcakes that we didn't have last year in Miami (Ohio) and Bowling Green to hopefully get 175+ in those games.

Mo has great vision and is hard to bring down, he wants to win and putting the ball in his hands is our best bet. Let the man run til he cant run no more!
 


Mo rushed for an average 153.7 yards a game in 2020. To hit 2000+ yards over 13 games played (regular season + title game) he has to average 153.85+ yards a game.

So assuming the rest of the team does what it needs, gets to the title game (and wins); Mo basically would just need to repeat last season with a few extra yards here and there (assuming he played all 13 games). While it would be a crazy season, it's also surprisingly in reach as well.
Mo would have to sustain what he did last year over 13 games and the team would have to be better than 2019
 


So far on Draft kings (Legal in TN) I have placed small wagers on the following:

Minnesota to win the West: +800
Minnesota to win B1G: +1,600
Minnesota to win CFP: +25,000
Tanner to Win Heisman: +15,000
Mo to Win Heisman: +6,600

I think win the West is the best of these even given the odds. Win B1G implies a 50-50 shot against probable Ohio State (bad bet).

I don't think Tanner will get enough volume to even imagine the Heisman, but as others have said Mo could get crazy sustained volume behind a veteran OL this fall, and could put up some absurd numbers if he stays healthy. If the Gophers made a run that could give him the pub and the stats that it could happen.
 

If Mo gets at least 150 yards IN EACH GAME (big if, but doable) 'Phars win Big Ten going away.
 

If Mo gets at least 150 yards IN EACH GAME (big if, but doable) 'Phars win Big Ten going away.
Yup, he needs torch OSU for a buck fifty and three TDS in my opinion and he'll be in the conversation from the jump and so will the Gophers. Some of these voters use press coverage as a filter for what players they're following initially.

I hope the Athletic Dept has spitballed some ideas for a campaign as well and can implement it ASAP, as needed.
 

I think there's a very good chance this team is better than the 2019 team. They will be less prolific through the air, but better on the ground, much more Wisconsin/Iowa esque.

This team may have the best, and deepest offensive and defensive lines I've seen since I started following the Gophers in the 90s. Ohio St will be a close game, and the Gophers should be favorites to win the west.
We had the worst defense in the country through the first 4 games last year. We were better at the end of the year and will likely be better this year, but our defense is still average at best. Huge unknowns in the entire secondary outside of Coney. On offense, the 2019 team had Bateman, Johnson, Rodney and Brooks. This team isn’t nearly as deep or talented at WR or RB.
 

We had the worst defense in the country through the first 4 games last year. We were better at the end of the year and will likely be better this year, but our defense is still average at best. Huge unknowns in the entire secondary outside of Coney. On offense, the 2019 team had Bateman, Johnson, Rodney and Brooks. This team isn’t nearly as deep or talented at WR or RB.

Injuries and Covid played a big role in the defensive struggles last year. The secondary is a question, but stopping the run was a bigger issue. With the transfers along the DL and at LB, players returning from injury, and young players growing up, I think they will be much better at stopping the run this year.

On offense, I don't expect them to pass the ball as much as 2019, and I do think they will throw more to the TE as well. They will be able to run the ball on anyone. Mo is a better running back than Smith or Brooks. I really like Potts behind him, he averaged 6.4 ypc last season, he just needs to stay healthy. Wiley has shown flashes, Williams looked good as a freshman and looked good in the spring game. Plus we have two 4* RBs we haven't even seen yet. This group is much more talented, just lacks experience.

All college teams have unknowns right now. The Gophers have some of the least unknowns in the conference.
 
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So far on Draft kings (Legal in TN) I have placed small wagers on the following:

Minnesota to win the West: +800
Minnesota to win B1G: +1,600
Minnesota to win CFP: +25,000
Tanner to Win Heisman: +15,000
Mo to Win Heisman: +6,600
I wish you great riches ...
 

Injuries and Covid played a big role in the defensive struggles last year. The secondary is a question, but stopping the run was a bigger issue last year. With the transfers along the DL and at LB, players returning from injury, and young players growing up, I think they will be much better at stopping the run this year.

On offense, I don't expect them to pass the ball as much as 2019, and I do think they will throw more to the TE as well. They will be able to run the ball on anyone. Mo is a better running back than Smith or Brooks. I really like Potts behind him, he averaged 6.4 ypc last season, he just needs to stay healthy. Wiley has shown flashes, Williams looked good as a freshman and looked good in the spring game. Plus we have two 4* RBs we haven't even seen yet. This group is much more talented, just lacks experience.

All college teams have unknowns right now. The Gophers have some of the least unknowns in the conference.
In 2019, when we had Tyler, Rashod and CrAB at WR, there was every reason to always throw downfield. We hardly ever threw short. Why would you? I think the 2021 team, overall, could be a little better than the 2019 team. I like our WR group this year; it will be very effective--but not 2019 good. In 2019, Tanner's average yards per completion was very high, because of the magnificent trio at WR. I think this could be a year of more traditional balance in the passing game. There will be more throws to TEs (if they show the ability to hang on to them); there will be throws to RBs in the flat and on wheel routes. And there will be, of course, throws downfield, especially if Dylan Wright (or a youngster like Boyd) show the right stuff. Because we will be mixing in some shorter throws, Tanner's completion rate should approach 70%, but yardage per completion will decline. If we find a way to utilize all the offensive weapons we have (inc. Mo and our experienced OL), giving defenses a lot of scenarios to worry about, this could end up being a better "time of possession" offense than even the 2019 team. If it works this way, it will redound greatly to the benefit of our defense, which has gained and developed some new talent lately. Just hope we have it kind of together for the opener against tOSU. One of the few disappointments I have had with the Fleck regime is how we seem to open the season looking somewhat out-of-sync. With the collective experience we have of this year's squad, this would be the year to change that.
 

...Just hope we have it kind of together for the opener against tOSU. One of the few disappointments I have had with the Fleck regime is how we seem to open the season looking somewhat out-of-sync. With the collective experience we have of this year's squad, this would be the year to change that.
Only have to go back to 2019 to have evidence of that...for about 4 games as I recall...

Still, can't help but be optimistic coming out of the panpocalypse that was last season.
 




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