Big Ten schedule expectations

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Actually three wins would not be a huge disappointment to me. Michigan, Iowa and Northwestern are improved (especially Michigan). The Iowa game will be a blackout ambush at night and Tommy Armstrong will probably be more than we can handle, so wins over Purdue, Illinois and Wisconsin would get us to a bowl - a big reward for surviving a brutal schedule and loads of injuries.
 

But for a goal line fumble, we would be 4-0 and and finding a way to win. As the OL toughens we will continue to win by 3. We still win the West.
 

Gophers finding it's different animal to deal with actual expectations, but the bottom line is they're still 3-1, exactly where most people thought they'd be. My expectations aren't any different, they can still win the West. West is a free-for-all except for Purdue and Illinois. Could see any of the other 5 winning it.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Gophers finding it's different animal to deal with actual expectations, but the bottom line is they're still 3-1, exactly where most people thought they'd be. My expectations aren't any different, they can still win the West. West is a free-for-all except for Purdue and Illinois. Could see any of the other 5 winning it.
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My expectations are still at least 5 games, but I'd take 4 with the Axe. Agreed on us being right where we thought we would be at 3-1.
 

4-4 wouldn't be a disaster. Anything less would.
 


Gophers go into the Big Ten well seasoned after this non conference schedule. TCU, CSU, and Ohio are all three good to great teams. Kent St was a disappointing game but the Goohers still won. The Big Ten is always tough no matter how good a team is and the Gophers still don't have the offensive talent to be thought of as a great team. With the injuries and the lack of offensive development I am hoping to see 4-4 in Big Ten play. The good news for the Gophers is the rest of the West and most of the Big Ten is in the same spot.
 

I'm still thinking 6-2 with losses at OSU and Iowa. The team will start to get turnovers, the Oline will get on a roll and the rest will take care of itself :)
 

I'm expecting 4-4. Give us Wisconsin or Iowa's schedule? 6 wins would be in the cards, but having crossovers with Ohio State and a newly improved Michigan side will be difficult
 

I expect 3 wins in conference. Purdue, and two others. Illinois and Nebraska feel like the most likely candidates. I hope we can get to five - the three wins above, plus either Northwestern OR Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Crappy part about our schedule is that we don't get that bye until after Nebraska - given it's looking like our third-most-winnable game it would be great to have a chance to heal before it. Alas, not in the cards, and I worry that our injuries will really hold us down during this opening stretch of games before the bye (Northwestern-Purdue-Nebraska) and we'll go 1-2 instead of 2-1 or even (gasp) 3-0.

However, since before the season, I have held this year to one standard only - beat Wisconsin. Do that, and the season is a success in my mind. Lose, and it's a failure. It has been that long and that difficult. Yes, I realize that we could go 10-2 (7-1) and I would still consider it a failure, or that we could go 4-8 (1-7) and I'd consider it a success. Just beat the GD bagders [sic]
 



I don't get where people are thinking 4-4.

I think they should shoot for 3 wins and a bowl. Plus, if we make it, we'd probably have a good chance to win and even be favored if we get guys healthy.
 

The Gopher's defense should keep them in enough games where they can win a few games that (right now) look to be very tough. They will start to force some turnovers and hopefully can continue to shut down offenses.

I am still holding out hope for 5-6 Big Ten wins but won't be disappointed in 4 if they can beat Iowa and Wisconsin.
 

6-2

Northwestern L
Purdue W
Nebraska W
Michigan W
Ohio State L
Iowa W
Illinois W
Wisconsin W
 




GophersInIowa said:
Could be anywhere between 2 and 6 wins. Partly because of the way we've played so far and the injuries and partly because there are so many unknowns in the west. I don't know what to think about most of the teams.
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Seems to be the overwhelming sentiment in this thread, and I agree overall. While many here would be happy with 4 wins, some people would be very disappointed with that result and, for reasons unclear to me, would be disappointed with anything less than 6 wins. News flash: our schedule is VERY difficult.

On the other end of the spectrum many people have evolved into pessimists due to perennially disappointing Minnesota sports teams and expect two wins: Purdue and Illinois.

In summary, I agree with the quoted post above and, in other news, Wisconsin sucks and Iowa fans will forever be a bunch of corn-harvesting, uneducated vermin.
 

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