BTN's Tom Dienhart: Minnesota's "must win" game is home vs Northwestern

[BleedGopher]

per Dienhart:

MINNESOTA
To be an upper-division Big Ten West squad, Minnesota needs to beat visiting Northwestern on Oct. 11. The Gophers won 20-17 last year in Evanston, ending a three-game losing streak in the series. Minnesota hasn’t won two in a row vs. the Wildcats since a three-game run from 2002-04. And 2004 is the last time the Gophers beat Northwestern in Minneapolis.

NORTHWESTERN
To go to a bowl, Northwestern probably has to win at Minnesota on Oct. 11. The Golden Gophers stole one in Evanston last season, taking a 20-17 win, as Minnesota is threatening to surpass NU in the pecking order of the Big Ten West. Prior to that defeat, the Wildcats had won three in a row and five of six vs. the Gophers. NU has won its last three trips to Minneapolis.

ILLINOIS
If this is a bowl team, Illinois must beat visiting Minnesota on Oct. 25. As a matter of fact, a loss here may kill the program’s bowl hopes. Yes, the Illini play at Wisconsin the game before, but Illinois has a bye after the trip to Madison. So, with two weeks to prep, the Illini should be ready to pay back a Golden Gophers’ squad that has won the last three meetings and four of the last five vs. the Illini.

http://btn.com/2014/06/09/dienhart-your-teams-2014-must-win-game/

Go Gophers!!

 

[imthewalrus]

I'd have to put the wisky game in the "must win" category. Beat the stinking badger, Coach Kill!

 

[GopherinPhilly]

Must Win Axe!

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Northwestern is a must win if we want to remain a fringe bowl team. If we want to make real progress this year, Iowa at home coming off a bye week is an absolute must win.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Northwestern is a must win if we want to remain a fringe bowl team. If we want to make real progress this year, Iowa at home coming off a bye week is an absolute must win.

I agree. If Northwestern is the game our season turns on, we are stuck in the mud. For me, Wisconsin is the first, second, and third most important game. I am so sick of losing to those guys that, short of finding a berth in the B1G title game, I think I would be disappointed with just about any record if it involves a loss to the Badgers.

 

[BarnBoy]

It would be nice to take a few of this year's B1G opponents behind the woodshed.
A guy can dream.

 

[imthewalrus]

Coach C. has to have the "600 k. D..." playing some damn good defense on September 27, 2014 when my Golden Gophers come barging into the BIG HOUSE in Ann Arber to tangle with the Maize & Blue for their first REAL test of the 2014 Football Season. Coach L had best be having his new "600 k O..." cranked up and running the ball to control the clock and be the 12th player for the "600 k D..." In other words, Coach Kill has got to get his money's worth out of his long-time coordinators and their respective defensive and offensive units and finally compete with 'meatchicken" in 2014. This first conference game of the year will let us all know just how "Big Ten" this year's edition of my Golden Gopher Football Team looks, plays, scores and defends other Big Ten Teams.

Northwestern will happen a few weeks later and will be the Big Ten home opener in TCF BANK STADIUM. That will be a tough game.

However: this staff has a lot to prove against the Corn/Blues, especially in their BIG HOUSE home stadium. It is year number four of the Kill Era. It is time to rise to the occasion! And, 2014 IS the time to beat the stinking badger and end the madness that has descended upon this proud old BORDER BATTLE rivalry. It has been TOO long since the AXE has been held in Minneapolis. Make no mistake though, my Golden Gophers can no longer journey to the BIG HOUSE and be humiliated. They might win that Game for the JUG, or, they might lose. However, they MUST show up and they MUST make a game out of this contest. They need to know that they do belong on the same field and in the same stadium with this pretty average Michigan Football Team. Mental toughness does not just happen. It is built by earning the respect of the other team, the other team's coaches, your own coaches and YOURSELF. Play well in the BIG HOUSE. Give the Maize and Blue hell! Then, take what you learn and beat the stinking badger...

 

[Maximus]

This first conference game of the year will let us all know just how "Big Ten" this year's edition of my Golden Gopher Football Team looks, plays, scores and defends other Big Ten Teams.

So last year when the team was non-competitive in a 23-7 loss vs. Iowa and blown out at Michigan, you watched those games and had your Gophers winning 4 of their next 6 Big Ten games?

 

[Deleted_User]

All games are must win games. I never understood the 'must win' idea. Are some games optional wins if they are not "must win". At Minnesota, we recruit winners. All games they play are for the win.

 

[imthewalrus]

So last year when the team was non-competitive in a 23-7 loss vs. Iowa and blown out at Michigan, you watched those games and had your Gophers winning 4 of their next 6 Big Ten games?

Do YOU want to go through the agony of being drummed by iowa and blitzed by Michigan again in 2014? And, after the Michigan game, sure, that 3 game stretch with Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois probably has some people here licking their chops. BUT, what if the Northwestern game (which was damn close IF you recall) goes the wrong way? No sure win there. Purdue certainly should be a win...but...never be too cock sure of anything in Big Ten Football. And, Illinois could be a win, but, it is on the road.

And then iowa and the next week, the Ohio State come calling. The week after that, it is off to Lincoln to take on Nebraska and the week after that it is off to Madison.

IF this staff, these players got any better from their four game winning string last season, they didn't show it too much in that bowl game with Syracuse last year.

If you think they can stink the joint out in Ann Arbor and go on to have a great season, go right ahead and think that. But, Michigan wasn't that good in 2013. The coaching staff and the players just really didn't show up for the game. A few years before that, it was 58-0 at Michigan. Don't you think it's about time for them to show up against Michigan if they are making progress, maximus? Wouldn't it be really nice to look like a Big Ten Team against Michigan?

I think for the sake of these players, this coaching staff, this program: it is high time to stand up to Michigan in the BIG HOUSE and make a damn game out of this scheduled event.


So, you would just as soon have them get blown out again against Michigan maximus? Is that what you are implying? Or, don't you think they stand a chance to make a game out of it in 2014 in Ann Arbor? What do YOU think maximus?