I've always said trying to beat them at their own game is recipe to be below the 50/50 threshold against Wisconsin and Iowa, which it has proven to be time and again.
I mean playing wisconsin and Iowa with inferior talent is also a recipe for losing below the 50/50 Threshold
iowas wideouts made more plays. Minnesota d backs missed more tackles and blew more coverages.
Iowas QB made the plays easier to make for the Iowa wideouts than Minnesota did
And that was the difference in the game.
I often find myself comparing PJ to Matt Campbell at ISU. At the “eye test” level, I feel like they’ve had very similar resumes thus far. Both had successful seasons (MN 2019, ISU 2020). Both are touted for recruiting and culture. Neither can get over the hump with rivals (Campbell has never beaten Iowa, and even struggles with Northern Iowa).
ISU comparatively has had a more disappointing season than MN if you consider their expectations coming in. For people hitting the panic button on Fleck, do you also look at ISU and say they should blow things up there? I’d think the vast majority of people would say no.
I HOPE they blow it up.
Very valid comparison.
It is hard to win
-nick Saban Saturday postgame
it is hard to win.
It is hard to win consistently
It is harder to win against good teams
It is extremely hard to win against good teams consistently
List of teams to play in big ten title games:
Ohio state 6 (5-1)
Wisconsin 6 (2-4) last win in 2012 in a year when they got 3rd in their division but top 2 were suspended
Michigan state 3 (2-1) none since 2015
Northwestern 2 (0-2)
Penn state 1 (1-0) 2016
Nebraska 1 (0-1) 2012
Iowa 1 (0-1) 2015
In 20 appearances just 8 have gone to non Ohio state wisconsin. We are trying to be as good as Iowa. Even if we were, Iowa has one appearance in 10 years. Gopher fans on this board would be calling for ferentz’s job and their OCs job too. And maybe rightfully so. He doesn’t beat wisconsin enough to lose to Ohio state in the title game.
people like to say that it’s easier in the big ten now.
But coaches today can’t go to the rose bowl going 8-4 and being in a 3 way (joe tiller) tie for first…they’d have to go play a top 2 team in the conference to win it
They can’t split conference title like northwestern did in 1996 (when they didn’t play Ohio state and shared a title with them)
Or 2004 Iowa who split with Michigan despite losing to them.
or 2002 Iowa who split with Ohio state without having to play them.
Or 1998 wisconsin rose bowl team who 3 way ties with Ohio state and Michigan despite missing Ohio state and losing to Michigan.
Or 1993 wisconsin who two way ties with Ohio state by tying them.
Or 40% of the conference winning a big ten title in 1990
It’s harder to win now