Cedar Rapids Gazette ranks Gophers NC sched #2 in the B10

[GoAUpher]

The recap was written by Mike Hlas (see here: http://mikegh.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/big-ten-football-2009-cupcakes-galore/)

The section on MN reads:

2. Minnesota: at Syracuse, Air Force, California, South Dakota State (Air Force and Cal went to bowls, Syracuse is on the road, and S.D. State is one of the better FCS teams a Big Ten team is playing.)

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

I don't agree with his rankings. I can't see putting Wisconsin at #4 with no BCS opponents, while OSU is #5 with USC on the schedule.

Here is how I would rank them:

1. Illinois
2. Minnesota
3. Michigan State
4. Purdue
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Indiana
9. Michigan
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State

Penn State really doesn't have an excuse for playing a schedule this weak.

Last year, two nonconference losses kept a decent (3-5) Illinois team out of a bowl; I think that could be a possible scenario for the top 4 teams on this list (including us) this year - we can only afford to lose the Cal game, anything more will keep the team home for New Years.

 

[Schnoodler]

I probably would have swapped out Wisconsin with Iowa. But mostly I agree.

 

[KD6-3.7]

*sarcasm alert*

i totally thought this was a joke by the title of the thread. the cedar rapids gazette--that beacon of sports journalism ranks gophers schedule #2! what does the poughkeepsie journal have to say about our new offensive coordinator.

 

[Schnoodler]

Now c'mon now. He lays out all the data needed. It really wouldn't have mattered if it was cedar rapids, ESPN, you or me to be a quality thread topic.

 

[Monty519]

Like ESPN is any better than the Cedar Rapids Gazette anyway lol

 

[MadisonRaisedGopherCrazed]

Syracuse is starting their 2009 season off with 3 Big Ten teams...not sure why, but interesting! I wonder if there are any other teams that are facing 3 opponents from the same conference in their non con schedule.

 

[GoAUpher]

Syracuse is starting their 2009 season off with 3 Big Ten teams...not sure why, but interesting! I wonder if there are any other teams that are facing 3 opponents from the same conference in their non con schedule.

I'm sure there has to be at least one MAC team doing this (too lazy to check and see). But I think with the exception of Notre Dame (who faces Mich, MSU, and Purdue in consecutive weeks) that Syracuse might be pretty much alone among BCS conference schools in this scheduling quirk.

 

[the accomplice]

You may not like the Cedar Rapids columnist

but at least he is attempting to make a coherent argument.

Unfortunately that means there is no way in hell Reusse would have ever been considered for their staff.