BleedGopher
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per The Chicago Tribune:
1. The Big Ten has three legit playoff contenders.
Penn State will sink from No. 4 in the CFP rankings after Captain Fleck’s crew torpedoed the Nittany Lions. But if they can somehow beat Ohio State in Columbus in two weeks and exact revenge on the Gophers in the conference title game, a 12-1 resume would look saucy.
Ohio State destroyed Maryland 73-14 to rack up its ninth straight win by 24 or more points. Only one team, the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers, opened with 10 straight victories of at least 10 points. The Buckeyes presumably will join that club next week when they face Rutgers.
And how about those Gophers? Their initial playoff ranking of 17 was understandable considering the flimsy resume — zero victories over ranked teams and Houdini escapes in September against South Dakota State, Fresno State and Georgia Southern.
Will they rise past idle teams such as Michigan, Auburn, Utah and Oregon? It matters but a little. If the Gophers can close with victories against Iowa (road), Northwestern (road), Wisconsin (home) and the East champion in Indianapolis, it would take a natural disaster to keep Fleck’s cruise liner at bay.
Look at it like this: To be 13-0, Minnesota would have to either beat Ohio State — or twice beat the team (Penn State) that would hand the Buckeyes their first defeat. Either would be a powerful statement.
5. P.J. Fleck is the league’s giant killer.
Minnesota is 9-0 for the first time since 1904, and Fleck has won six consecutive games as an underdog.
And he has a big-game quarterback in Tanner Morgan, who went 18-for-20 for 339 yards and three touchdowns against Penn State. Morgan planned to play for Fleck at Western Michigan but switched to Minnesota when Fleck took over the Gophers. He believes in Fleck. You probably should too.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/spor...0191110-vo7qncednffwvcx4eycas32jjy-story.html
Go Gophers!!
1. The Big Ten has three legit playoff contenders.
Penn State will sink from No. 4 in the CFP rankings after Captain Fleck’s crew torpedoed the Nittany Lions. But if they can somehow beat Ohio State in Columbus in two weeks and exact revenge on the Gophers in the conference title game, a 12-1 resume would look saucy.
Ohio State destroyed Maryland 73-14 to rack up its ninth straight win by 24 or more points. Only one team, the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers, opened with 10 straight victories of at least 10 points. The Buckeyes presumably will join that club next week when they face Rutgers.
And how about those Gophers? Their initial playoff ranking of 17 was understandable considering the flimsy resume — zero victories over ranked teams and Houdini escapes in September against South Dakota State, Fresno State and Georgia Southern.
Will they rise past idle teams such as Michigan, Auburn, Utah and Oregon? It matters but a little. If the Gophers can close with victories against Iowa (road), Northwestern (road), Wisconsin (home) and the East champion in Indianapolis, it would take a natural disaster to keep Fleck’s cruise liner at bay.
Look at it like this: To be 13-0, Minnesota would have to either beat Ohio State — or twice beat the team (Penn State) that would hand the Buckeyes their first defeat. Either would be a powerful statement.
5. P.J. Fleck is the league’s giant killer.
Minnesota is 9-0 for the first time since 1904, and Fleck has won six consecutive games as an underdog.
And he has a big-game quarterback in Tanner Morgan, who went 18-for-20 for 339 yards and three touchdowns against Penn State. Morgan planned to play for Fleck at Western Michigan but switched to Minnesota when Fleck took over the Gophers. He believes in Fleck. You probably should too.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/spor...0191110-vo7qncednffwvcx4eycas32jjy-story.html
Go Gophers!!