ESPN: Underestimate the Golden Gophers at your own risk

[BleedGopher]

In ESPN's analysis of the over/under projections, it states:

Minnesota also isn’t getting a lot of love from CG Technology, as eight other B1G teams are expected to get as many -- or more -- victories. On paper, the Golden Gophers have plenty of question marks with the departures of RB David Cobb and TE Maxx Williams, but coach Jerry Kill always tends to overachieve. Plus, who really thinks the Hawkeyes are 1.5 games better than Minnesota right now? Underestimate the Golden Gophers at your own risk.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/120177/projecting-the-b1gs-win-totals-what-vegas-says

Go Gophers!!

 

[LakerFan]

Basically that means that people think the gophers are 0.5 game better than Iowa once you factor out the TCU game and that we play Ohio State in big 10 this year and they don't.

I could see us get 2 more wins in 2016 compared to 2015 pretty easily just based on schedule.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I'm hoping for a 7-1 Big Ten Record and two losses overall or better. It would blow the roof off the place and get this Coaching staff to .500 record in the Big Ten and overall winning record through 5 years.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

With the schedule, I would be satisfied with a 9-3 regular season - but a win in the bowl game is my #1 priority for the season. End on a high note, and hit the recruiting trail.

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

With the schedule, I would be satisfied with a 9-3 regular season - but a win in the bowl game is my #1 priority for the season. End on a high note, and hit the recruiting trail.

So, you would not satisfied with 8 wins on the season?

 

[Ole]

With the schedule, I would be satisfied with a 9-3 regular season - but a win in the bowl game is my #1 priority for the season. End on a high note, and hit the recruiting trail.

My only concern is wearing down late in the year.
This program is on the cusp of transitioning to stabilizing at a winning level and reaching towards bigger and better things, but I can see the schedule giving us problems if injuries end up testing our depth. Similar to what MSU has gone through off and on.
That's why I think it's important to acknowledge we're playing a big boy schedule this season and give credit to a team that might not increase it's win total, but should win some bigger caliber games, especially at home.
Possible this year include:
Beat Nebraska 3x in a row.
Retain the jug for the first time since ?, and keep it in MN for the longest stretch ever?
Beat wisky.
Beat either a #1, or #2 ranked team.
Win a bowl.
Any 1 of those is impressive, win 2-3 of those and you have to see it as a real step towards bigger things once the schedule softens up in 2016 and beyond.
If we had Iowa's schedule this year we'd be looking at a potential 10-12 win season.

 

[dpodoll68]

Retain the jug for the first time since ?, and keep it in MN for the longest stretch ever?.

We last beat Michigan twice consecutively in 1962 and 1963. As for the longest stretch, we beat them 9 games in a row, from 1934 to 1942 inclusive.

 

[Ole]

We last beat Michigan twice consecutively in 1962 and 1963. As for the longest stretch, we beat them 9 games in a row, from 1934 to 1942 inclusive.

Nice! Thanks for the info.

 

[GopherinFlorida]

With the schedule, I would be satisfied with a 9-3 regular season - but a win in the bowl game is my #1 priority for the season. End on a high note, and hit the recruiting trail.

8 wins plus a bowl win is the bar for this team IMO. More would be incredible and less would feel like a let down to me.

 

[60's Guy]

My only concern is wearing down late in the year.
This program is on the cusp of transitioning to stabilizing at a winning level and reaching towards bigger and better things, but I can see the schedule giving us problems if injuries end up testing our depth. Similar to what MSU has gone through off and on.
That's why I think it's important to acknowledge we're playing a big boy schedule this season and give credit to a team that might not increase it's win total, but should win some bigger caliber games, especially at home.
Possible this year include:
Beat Nebraska 3x in a row.
Retain the jug for the first time since ?, and keep it in MN for the longest stretch ever?
Beat wisky.
Beat either a #1, or #2 ranked team.
Win a bowl.
Any 1 of those is impressive, win 2-3 of those and you have to see it as a real step towards bigger things once the schedule softens up in 2016 and beyond.
If we had Iowa's schedule this year we'd be looking at a potential 10-12 win season.

All that's cool! I do expect expect us to do very well. BUT if we lose to TCU and depending by how much, we may only be favored in two games all year. Beat somebody and Illinois seems another likely candidate we expect to be favored against. The rest it's not hard to see us as underdogs, especially if we can't get past some of these "big boy" teams. 1999 is the last time we beat Iowa at Iowa. The time before that is 1989. Or, thats twice in 25 years or twice in the last 15 times. Can't take any of this for granted...it's going to be difficult to improve on our won loss record in 2015. If we do, we'll have earned it.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

So, you would not satisfied with 8 wins on the season?

to clarify - my comment was aimed at MaxyJR1 - who said I'm hoping for a 7-1 Big Ten Record and two losses overall or better.

I was just trying to say that I think the Gophers can have a very good season, but I thought Maxy was aiming a little bit high. Don't get me wrong - I'd take a 10-2 regular season in a heartbeat, but I could live with 8-4 IF they win a bowl game and get to 9 wins total for the season. That would show progress over the last two 8-win seasons.