BTN: Does Minnesota have one of nation's toughest 2015 schedules?

[BleedGopher]

per Dienhart:

It’s never too early to look toward 2015 schedules, right? The Minneapolis Star Tribune took a gander at Minnesota’s slate for next season. And, let’s just say that it’s mighty tough–maybe one of the most difficult in the nation.

It opens at home on a Thursday night vs. a TCU team that crushed Minnesota, 30-7, in 2014 and is projected by some to be the preseason No. 1 club. Wait, it gets tougher: There also is a date at defending national champ Ohio State, which also could be a preseason No. 1.

Bottom line: Winning eight games for a third season in a row may be very difficult for Jerry Kill and Co.

http://btn.com/2015/01/14/does-minnesota-have-one-of-nations-toughest-2015-schedules/

Go Gophers!!

 

[John Galt]

My prediction is another 8-4 regular season.

Non-conference: 3-1
@NW, @Purdue, Neb, Michigan: 3-1
OSU: Loss
Illinois: Win
@Iowa, Wisky: 1-1

8-4 overall, 5-3 in B1G.

 

[upnorthkid]

The answer to this question is a simple one: Yes

 

[MinneStoa]

My prediction is another 8-4 regular season.

Non-conference: 3-1
@NW, @Purdue, Neb, Michigan: 3-1
OSU: Loss
Illinois: Win
@Iowa, Wisky: 1-1

8-4 overall, 5-3 in B1G.

Yeah, this seems like a pretty good estimate

 

[mnsportsgeek]

My prediction is another 8-4 regular season.

Non-conference: 3-1
@NW, @Purdue, Neb, Michigan: 3-1
OSU: Loss
Illinois: Win
@Iowa, Wisky: 1-1

8-4 overall, 5-3 in B1G.

Pretty much agree, but I would categorize it this way:

Non-Conference: 3-1
@OSU, Mich: 1-1
@NW, @Purdue, Illinois: 3-0

Swing Games are @IA, Wisc, Neb: 0-3 to 3-0

The swing games (combined with making sure we split our crossovers) will determine the success of our season. If I had to guess today I'd say we go 1-2 and finish 8-4.

Going 2-1 in the swing games (with the loss being to Iowa) might just get us to Indy. Go 3-0 and our ticket is punched.

 

[e.bigelow]

Pretty much agree, but I would categorize it this way:

Non-Conference: 3-1
@OSU, Mich: 1-1
@NW, @Purdue, Illinois: 3-0

Swing Games are @IA, Wisc, Neb: 2-1 or 3-0

5-3 or 6-2 (8-4 or 9-3)

The swing games will determine if we're going to Indy or not.

Gotta agree with all of this furry. Nicely done by you and John Galt.

 

[Omega015]

According to at least one person in another thread, this schedule is crap because the Gophers play two MAC teams.

 

[upnorthkid]

Pretty much agree, but I would categorize it this way:

Non-Conference: 3-1
@OSU, Mich: 1-1
@NW, @Purdue, Illinois: 3-0

Swing Games are @IA, Wisc, Neb: 0-3 to 3-0

The swing games (combined with making sure we split our crossovers) will determine the success of our season. If I had to guess today I'd say we go 1-2 and finish 8-4.

Going 2-1 in the swing games (with the loss being to Iowa) might just get us to Indy. Go 3-0 and our ticket is punched.

Might as well buy B10 Championship Tix right now while the price is low

 

[John Galt]

If only we had the 2016 schedule this year. We basically replace TCU with Oregon St., OSU with Penn St., Michigan with Rutgers, plus we play Maryland instead of one of our NC games. If we find some good replacements at DB and the team keeps moving forward as expected, it could be a 10-2 or 11-1 regular season...

Football - 2016 Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time (CST)

Thurs, Sep 01 Oregon State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Sep 10 Indiana State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Sep 24 Colorado State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 1 at Penn State University Park, Pa. TBA
Sat, Oct 8 Iowa TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 15 at Maryland College Park, Md. TBA
Sat, Oct 22 Rutgers TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 29 at Illinois Champaign, Ill. TBA
Sat, Nov 5 Purdue TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Nov 12 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. TBA
Sat, Nov 19 Northwestern TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Nov 26 at Wisconsin Madison, Wis. TBA

 

[supadupafly]

If only we had the 2016 schedule this year. We basically replace TCU with Oregon St., OSU with Penn St., Michigan with Rutgers, plus we play Maryland instead of one of our NC games. If we find some good replacements at DB and the team keeps moving forward as expected, it could be a 10-2 or 11-1 regular season...

Football - 2016 Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time (CST)

Thurs, Sep 01 Oregon State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Sep 10 Indiana State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Sep 24 Colorado State TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 1 at Penn State University Park, Pa. TBA
Sat, Oct 8 Iowa TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 15 at Maryland College Park, Md. TBA
Sat, Oct 22 Rutgers TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Oct 29 at Illinois Champaign, Ill. TBA
Sat, Nov 5 Purdue TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Nov 12 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. TBA
Sat, Nov 19 Northwestern TCF Bank Stadium TBA
Sat, Nov 26 at Wisconsin Madison, Wis. TBA

Agreed. 2016 could be special. Our 2016 feels/looks like Ohio State's 2015 next year. Swap out Oregon State & Virginia Tech. Colorado State & Northern Illinois.

 

[diehard]

Just watch. 2015 shocks the world! I see a split with TCU and tOSU. tOSU series will not be 2 losses. Our D gets better and our O explodes. Watch the OL. If they can improve...

 

[beavergopher]

Just watch. 2015 shocks the world! I see a split with TCU and tOSU. tOSU series will not be 2 losses. Our D gets better and our O explodes. Watch the OL. If they can improve...

If you see that, I suggest you see your eye doctor.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

How can we have the toughest schedule, we aren't in the SEC West

 

[OSUfan]

Just watch. 2015 shocks the world! I see a split with TCU and tOSU. tOSU series will not be 2 losses. Our D gets better and our O explodes. Watch the OL. If they can improve...

You think it's less likely the Gophers beat TCU at home than OSU on the road? OK then.

 

[KGF]

Just watch. 2015 shocks the world! I see a split with TCU and tOSU. tOSU series will not be 2 losses. Our D gets better and our O explodes. Watch the OL. If they can improve...

I like your attitude diehard! You have to believe to achieve!

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

My prediction is another 8-4 regular season.

Non-conference: 3-1
@NW, @Purdue, Neb, Michigan: 3-1
OSU: Loss
Illinois: Win
@Iowa, Wisky: 1-1

8-4 overall, 5-3 in B1G.

I'm thinking 7-5 or 6-6 (Nebraska loss, maybe Northwestern or Illinois loss)

 

[RailBaronYarr]

Pretty much agree, but I would categorize it this way:

Non-Conference: 3-1
@OSU, Mich: 1-1
@NW, @Purdue, Illinois: 3-0

Swing Games are @IA, Wisc, Neb: 0-3 to 3-0

The swing games (combined with making sure we split our crossovers) will determine the success of our season. If I had to guess today I'd say we go 1-2 and finish 8-4.

Going 2-1 in the swing games (with the loss being to Iowa) might just get us to Indy. Go 3-0 and our ticket is punched.

Surprised so many writing off NW, Purdue, and Illinois. 2 of which we barely beat this year (at home!), the other we actually lost to (even if it was a flukey bad performance, our team is simply not good/consistent enough to entirely avoid something like that happening).

I'd say if you're making realistic predictions, knowing we lost Maxx (& Cobb, less difficult to replace but still a loss), I'd say it's very possible we go 2-1 vs those 3. So:

Non-Conference: 3-1
@OSU, Mich: 1-1
@NW, @Purdue, Illinois: 2-1
Swing Games are @IA, Wisc, Neb: 0-3 to 3-0, With 2-1 being slightly more likely than 1-2, 0-3 & 3-0 being equally least likely.

6-6 to 7-5 are certainly not out of the question, and without a huge leap in year 5, I'd say 7-5 is the most likely record given this (horrific) schedule.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Predicting future strength-of-schedule is a dicey proposition. some teams improve - some teams get worse. Teams can lose players to injuries or off-field incidents.

I will bet that at least one of next year's B1G games will be much tougher than we think right now - but another game will be easier than expected.
Going into 2014, who would have predicted the Illinois game? - or predicted that Iowa would be a blowout.

If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I'm not sure of anything when it comes to Gopher FB. I will worry about next year when next year gets here. And 2016 - that's a LONG time off - 14 years in dog years......

 

[everybody knows my name]

Headline: INTREPID KNOW-NOTHING ATTEMPTS TO PREDICT FOOTBALL OUTCOMES

Here goes. I'm being conservative with my picks.

TCU at home: Loss - Too high a mountain for the 2015 Gophers
At Colorado State: Loss - Did I mention I'm being conservative here?
Kent State at home: Win - Yeah, Kent State just isn't very good.
U of Ohio at home: Win - It might be a tough contest, but it won't be close.
At Northwestern: Win - Northwestern is in the doldrums, and the Gophers are getting better every year. This one I'm sure of.
At Purdue: Win - A gimme. The 2014 game was a fluke. Purdue had no business playing the U so close.
Nebraska at home: Win - The Gophers beat NB in '13 and '14, it's a home game, and Nebby has a new coach.
Michigan at home: Win - Harbaugh is great and all, but I don't see Meatchicken improving enough to win this game in Minnesota.
At Ohio State: Loss - I'm afraid we've got some payback coming. OSU is gonna spank the Gophers good.
At Iowa: Win - The Gophers turn around and take their frustrations out on Ioway.
Illinois at home: Win The Gophs are on a roll again as they avenge their only bad loss from '14.
Wisconsin at home: Loss - I told you I'm being conservative. Maybe the Gophers are good enough to buck the trend, but the Badgers have had our number for years.

So there you have it. Conservatively picked, the Gophers go 8-4. And there's room for them to outperform these picks, because they could definitely beat CO State and Wisconsin, if things go right.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Dienhart also could argue that another team in the Gophers' conference (MSU) has a schedule equally as tough, or tougher. Sparty has 9 bowl opponents who combined to win 6 bowl/CFP games, and 4 of those will be played on the road:

@ Western Michigan*
OREGON*
AIR FORCE*
CENTRAL MICHIGAN*
PURDUE
@ Rutgers*
@ Michigan
INDIANA
@ Nebraska*
MARYLAND*
@ Ohio State*
PENN STATE*