Game 11: Gophers host Wyoming 12-14-26

[thatjanelpick]

Part of the cognitive dissonance in this and other threads is that there are a couple main ways to look at scheduling: A team can schedule lots of teams that will (presumably) rack up tons of wins in bad conferences, which is an accepted way to game the system and possibly get into post-season play, assuming the team takes care of business. That might be a smart way to operate. At the same time, it might not be a good way to build fans because, like this year and last, there are so many games against lousy teams that don't provide good competition, aren't fun to watch and that probably don't prepare the Gophers to take care of business in conference play.

 

[Whytetale]

Had we beaten either Alabama or Kansas and hung on to beat Maryland, we probably wouldn't be talking about SOS.

 

[BigTenGuy]

So let me get this straight, you’re not happy that the average is at 224 yet there are 5 other teams sitting in the 200’s. Look I wish for a stronger schedule as well, but there are more teams that schedule this way than just us. Including one of the teams supposed to be at the top of the conference in Michigan St.

You're certainly right that other teams schedule like the Gophers, both last year when the non-conference schedule was pathetic, and this year when it is middling, though much improved from last year. But it's tough to make either approach (pathetic or middling) work if your goals are something other than securing blow-out wins to boost your NET ranking. Last year the Gophers had 0 chances at resume-boosting non-conference wins, and this year the Gophers had 1 or perhaps 2 chances (Alabama and Kansas). Tori's bad-luck absence may have been the difference in the Bama game. But it's frustrating to be at present in a somewhat similar situation to last year, when the Gophers were the highest rated NET ranked team not to make the NCAA tourney. At present, the Gophers are the highest rated NET team not to be ranked or even receiving votes. Like last year, any resume-boosting wins will have to come in conference.

 

[BBJones]

Had we beaten either Alabama or Kansas and hung on to beat Maryland, we probably wouldn't be talking about SOS.

Yet here we are.