ESPN: Schedule analysis: Minnesota; says Gut Check Game is Northwestern

[BleedGopher]

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/53375/schedule-analysis-minnesota

Go Gophers!!

 

[RodentRampage]

It's a good article, but when discussing Western Michigan, he says the Gophers had no pass rush last year. That's not really true. The first half of last season, it was true, but the second half of the season, the Gophers figured it out and got some sacks.

 

[upnorthkid]

good article. man rittenberg is so much better than bennett its not even funny.

 

[Rosemountian]

Northwestern might be a gutcheck game.

But assuming the gophers can beat UNLV and new Hampshire.......western Michigan and Syracuse are the two biggest games of the year. If the gophers can win both of those, they may go bowling. If they lose both we may be looking at another 3 win season.
If the gophers don't beat UNLV and new Hampshire, it's gonna be a Long year.

 

[Ski U Master]

good article. man rittenberg is so much better than bennett its not even funny.

This article highlights that fact painfully well. Bennett is an embarrassment.

 

[Redbird]

Although some on this board believe the Iowa game is the key to the season, it really is the Northwestern game for many of the reasons mentioned in the article. Of course if the Gophers lose one or more of the non-conference games neither Iowa or Northwestern will matter much as they will be behind the eight ball trying to reach 6 wins. They ought to be 4-0 going into Iowa City where they will be the underdog and facing a team that can't wait to take revenge for losses in 2010 and 2011. They will in all likelihood lose in Iowa City, but will be 5-1 if they can beat a very beatable Northwestern team at home the following week. If they lose both games it will be tough to get the 6 wins necessary for a minor bowl...

 

[GoAUpher]

It's a good article, but when discussing Western Michigan, he says the Gophers had no pass rush last year. That's not really true. The first half of last season, it was true, but the second half of the season, the Gophers figured it out and got some sacks.

They got sacks more because of blitz pressure than front 4 pressure as I recall. That's not really an improvement in the pass rush since blitzing is something that you ideally would minimize if you were getting great pressure from your front 4.