What? like how Cincy proved it on the field? They didn't beat anyone worthwhile, yet they were ranked before the loss to Louisville. Minnesota, Iowa, & Nebraska, along with PSU and Michigan are all teams that are going to be analyzed in the offseason, what we lose as compared to what we gain and of all of those teams, I believe Minnesota, the way they've played this season, and the way people viewed the coaching staff, have the best feelings and the most positive vibe surrounding them going into the bowl games, so if they win the game, especially if they do it emphatically or impressively, will be seen as a program on the rise, and very easily could end up on the preseason Top 25 rankings for next year.
I saw this back in 2000. Glen Mason came in and turned the Gophers into a contender by his 3rd season, and going into his 4th season there was all kinds of preseason hype about the Gophers. I even remember reading one college football commentator who predicted the Gophers would win the Big Ten in 2000. Many of our players were getting picked for pre-season All-America and/or All-Conf teams, etc.. Granted we finished the 1999 season ranked 17th in the AP poll, but we were probably overrated going into the bowl season and finished with a loss and finished the season with an 8-4 record and we are going into the bowl game probably underrated and with a big win could finish this season with a 9-3 record and maybe not in the Top 25, but we could come close. I think the line of thinking that its almost impossible to break into the Top 25 polls unless you are an established program with lots of success historically is not supported by the facts. Traditional powers like Nebraska and Michigan are struggling, while non-traditional teams like Michigan St and Wisconsin are doing well. Duke and Missouri aren't exactly traditional powers and nor is Baylor. There are 25 spots in the pre-season Top 25 and they usually try to fit 4 to 5 Big Ten teams into the Top 25 every year, even when its a down year for the conf. They've had only 3 in the poll before, but who is to say that Minnesota won't be considered the 3rd best team going into next year in the B1G? A lot will depend on what happens in the bowl games. I believe MSU will be ranked next year simply on the strength of their coaching staff. The press seems to really like Dantonio and his staff and no matter what MSU loses in the offseason, they will get ranked. Same could be said for tOSU. Sure people think they are overrated, but not so much that they'd drop them out of the Top 25. But who will be that 3rd team? Wisconsin? Maybe? Maybe Minnesota? Or maybe they'll have 4 teams ranked, and UMn will come in after Wisconsin? I suppose Iowa has to be thrown into the mix as well. But what are all of these teams bringing back next year?
Sports columnists pay attention to a lot more than you think when they make their preseason picks, because they all want to be the one who knew about the next big story before anyone else did. They want to be the guy who predicted Auburn was going to have a great year, or that Duke was going to surprise everyone or that Baylor was going to win the Big 12, etc.. Few people remember who was wrong, but the guy who was right gets to say "I told you so" at the end of the year and gets to look like a genius. Minnesota is the perfect team in the perfect situation for this to happen, especially if we win the bowl game, and even if we lose it.
