Big Ten Power Rankings for Week of 11/22

[BleedGopher]

Saturday Tradition is first out of the gate:

8. Minnesota (2-3, beat Purdue 34-31)
The Golden Gophers bounced back from a drubbing at the hands of Iowa to knock off Purdue, despite being outgained 492-394. Mohamed Ibrahim (25 carries, 102 yards, 3 TDs) continues to be one of the most reliable players in the entire conference at any position.

B1G Power rankings after Week 5

The races for the Big Ten division titles became a whole lot clearer this weekend. So did the race for the bottom. Ohio State and Northwestern now occupy the top two spots in our power rankings — the Buckeyes have been No. 1 all season but the Wildcats keep rising up the charts after knocking […]

saturdaytradition.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

Detroit News chimes in:

7. Minnesota (2-3) – It’s tough to say one call can swing a game, but the Golden Gophers sure benefitted from a questionable pass interference call to help beat Purdue. The defense continues to have a hard time stopping anyone, something that will surely be tested the next two weeks with a game at Wisconsin and at home against Northwestern. Last week: 8.

The Detroit News

www.detroitnews.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[stocker08]

Boy....it sure doesn't feel like Minnesota is the seventh or eighth best team in the Big Ten.

 

[Some guy]

Boy....it sure doesn't feel like Minnesota is the seventh or eighth best team in the Big Ten.

Why not?
We have two wins, both against teams with multiple big ten wins.

we have 3 losses, all against teams with multiple big ten wins.

There are 4 teams with 0 or 1 big ten win. The gophers are 0-0

There are 5 teams with 2 big ten wins (the gophers are one of these). The gophers are 2-2.

There are 5 teams with 3 or more big ten wins. The gophers are 0-1.


I would say without a doubt the gophers should be rated somewhere in the 6 to 10 range. So 8 makes a ton of sense. If they had made the two point conversion against Maryland rather than missing an extra point they’d probably be a unanimous number 6.

 

[stocker08]

Why not?
We have two wins, both against teams with multiple big ten wins.

we have 3 losses, all against teams with multiple big ten wins.

There are 4 teams with 0 or 1 big ten win. The gophers are 0-0

There are 5 teams with 2 big ten wins (the gophers are one of these). The gophers are 2-2.

There are 5 teams with 3 or more big ten wins. The gophers are 0-1.


I would say without a doubt the gophers should be rated somewhere in the 6 to 10 range. So 8 makes a ton of sense. If they had made the two point conversion against Maryland rather than missing an extra point they’d probably be a unanimous number 6.

Just saying that it doesn't FEEL like it. Based on the teams ranked below....it absolutely makes sense.

 

[Some guy]

Just saying that it doesn't FEEL like it. Based on the teams ranked below....it absolutely makes sense.

If we were 5-3 (2-3) like we would be in a typical year through 5 big ten games everyone would be feeling a little less negative right now

 

[BleedGopher]

Buckeyes Wire chimes in:

8. Minnesota

Okay, some fans will have a beef with me placing Minnesota behind Purdue because of the last game, but do Gopher fans really believe they should have won that game? P.J. Fleck has the team getting better, but there hasn’t been a game to hang your hat on yet really.

Big Ten football Power Rankings after Week 5

We are now halfway through the Big Ten season and there's a definite pecking order to things. Ohio State and Northwestern appear to be on a collision course for the Big Ten Championship game, while teams like Penn State, Michigan State, and Nebraska continue to struggle.…

buckeyeswire.usatoday.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Some guy]

Buckeyes Wire chimes in:

8. Minnesota

Okay, some fans will have a beef with me placing Minnesota behind Purdue because of the last game, but do Gopher fans really believe they should have won that game? P.J. Fleck has the team getting better, but there hasn’t been a game to hang your hat on yet really.

Big Ten football Power Rankings after Week 5

We are now halfway through the Big Ten season and there's a definite pecking order to things. Ohio State and Northwestern appear to be on a collision course for the Big Ten Championship game, while teams like Penn State, Michigan State, and Nebraska continue to struggle.…

buckeyeswire.usatoday.com

Go Gophers!!

That’s a stupid analysis
I have no problem with gophers being behind Purdue in power rankings because Purdue has fewer losses and a better win...

but it isn’t because Purdue “should have” beaten Minnesota

 

[MGGopher]

If we were 5-3 (2-3) like we would be in a typical year through 5 big ten games everyone would be feeling a little less negative right now

Good point, except it's likely BYU would've beaten MN this year. No way to know for sure, of course, but I'd bet on it. Still, you're right that even 4-4 (2-3) would feel different -- especially consider that stupid Maryland loss that could've (should've) had the team at 5-3 (3-2). With 4 games left, we'd be calculating the odds of getting one or two more wins for a lackluster bowl appearance. Nothing we haven't experienced before around these parts...

 

[FormerFatOL]

This Power Rankings list shows how much of a weird garbage year 2020 is. Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State in the bottom 5 and rightfully so? Anomalous garbage year.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Probably a really stupid post, but I was bored. If you wipe out week #1 here are the standings. Week one was odd in that teams really didn't know a lot about each other.

West
Northwestern 4-0
Iowa 3-1
MN 2-2
Ill 2-2
WI 1-1
Pur 1-2
NE 1-2

EAST
OSU 3-0
MD 2-0
IU 3-1
MSU 1-2
MI 1-3
RUT 0-4
PSU 0-4

 

[Some guy]

Good point, except it's likely BYU would've beaten MN this year. No way to know for sure, of course, but I'd bet on it. Still, you're right that even 4-4 (2-3) would feel different -- especially consider that stupid Maryland loss that could've (should've) had the team at 5-3 (3-2). With 4 games left, we'd be calculating the odds of getting one or two more wins for a lackluster bowl appearance. Nothing we haven't experienced before around these parts...

Agreed on all counts.
And if the team continues to get better and wins 2 of the final 3 (Nebraska plus one upset) and then the crossover.
All of a sudden the team is 5-4 in conference....

The equivalent of Jerry Kill’s best year in a year where we look awful and gave away the Maryland game.



on top of that...we and everyone else is doing this in a year that is pure chaos. We may be installing a gameplan today that is based around guys that won’t be at practice tomorrow or the game on Saturday. And we might not learn they can’t be there until Saturday morning.

the sky is not falling.
It’s just a disappointing year.

 

[Some guy]

This Power Rankings list shows how much of a weird garbage year 2020 is. Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State in the bottom 5 and rightfully so? Anomalous garbage year.

I think this might be the new norm for Michigan state.
Their program the last 40 years is closer to a middling team than a great team if you exclude dantonio years.

I dont think Michigan state made dantonio more than dantonio made Michigan state

 

[BleedGopher]

MLive.com chimes in:

7. MINNESOTA (2-3)
Mohamed Ibrahim was held to 4.1 yards per carry, but still had three rushing touchdowns and 105 yards rushing. But the Gophers’ win over Purdue was about Tanner Morgan finding the touch again, with 242 yards passing on just 15 completions. He had a 42-yarder to Chris Autman-Bell that set up Minnesota’s second TD, and then hit a few others as the game progressed. This was as close as he’s looked to 2019 form. Kudos to the Gophers for the effort and energy, as P.J. Fleck said they were without 22 total players due to COVID-19, contact tracing and injuries. (Last week: 8)

Big Ten power rankings: Cade McNamara gives Michigan some life

McNamara was exactly what the Wolverines needed at QB against Rutgers.

www.mlive.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

Black Heart Gold Pants chimes in:

6. Michigan (2-3)
Do Michigan and Rutgers trade coaches at the end of the year?

7. Some of the other teams
Maryland-Michigan State got canceled. PJ Fleck sent a dozen par-baked pizzas to an officiating crew. Something something Illinois. Wisconsin is powerless when it doesn’t have three future NFL running backs on the roster. I think that’s all of em.

13. Penn State (0-5)
We can harumph Penn State’s imperfect record all we want, but really we need to start worrying if the boosters get an itchy trigger finger and fire James Franklin in favor of someone who’s actually, y’know, a good coach.

Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week Five

Don’t read to me

www.blackheartgoldpants.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[MplsGopher]

@BleedGopher , why did you leave out the best part??? (hmm ... I have a suspicion why, but will keep it to myself out of respect for the awesome job you do here)

14. Nebraska (1-3)

Thanks for bringing Big Ten football back!

When I look at the Nebraska football program, I’m constantly reminded of the adages and fables we were taught as young children. Reap what you sow. Walk softly and carry a big stick. Better to be quiet and thought an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Don’t wear black jerseys when they aren’t in your school’s Pantone wheel to begin with.

All of Nebraska’s problems would be solved if Scott Frost opened up my niece’s chest of children’s books, but then I remembered the adopted state flag of Nebraska:

 

[BleedGopher]

@BleedGopher , why did you leave out the best part??? (hmm ... I have a suspicion why, but will keep it to myself out of respect for the awesome job you do here)

14. Nebraska (1-3)

Thanks for bringing Big Ten football back!

When I look at the Nebraska football program, I’m constantly reminded of the adages and fables we were taught as young children. Reap what you sow. Walk softly and carry a big stick. Better to be quiet and thought an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Don’t wear black jerseys when they aren’t in your school’s Pantone wheel to begin with.

All of Nebraska’s problems would be solved if Scott Frost opened up my niece’s chest of children’s books, but then I remembered the adopted state flag of Nebraska:

That's creative!

I'd love to hear your theory on why I left out Nebraska, but the reality is I don't have time to read in full every article I link...I look for the Gopher ranking and move on. The only reason I didn't in this case is the 7-12 all lumped together...had to provide context before and after.

Go Gophers!!

 

[MplsGopher]

had to provide context before and after.

Ok fine

 

[MGGopher]

Black Heart Gold Pants chimes in:

6. Michigan (2-3)
Do Michigan and Rutgers trade coaches at the end of the year?

7. Some of the other teams
Maryland-Michigan State got canceled. PJ Fleck sent a dozen par-baked pizzas to an officiating crew. Something something Illinois. Wisconsin is powerless when it doesn’t have three future NFL running backs on the roster. I think that’s all of em.

13. Penn State (0-5)
We can harumph Penn State’s imperfect record all we want, but really we need to start worrying if the boosters get an itchy trigger finger and fire James Franklin in favor of someone who’s actually, y’know, a good coach.

Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week Five

Don’t read to me

www.blackheartgoldpants.com

Go Gophers!!

Not that "power rankings" matter, but talk about mailing it in. Michigan at 6? Ummm...has this dude watched anything except Iowa games (and apparently a replay of the pass interference call on PU)? Silly.