Game Notes & Preview - Game 3: Western Illinois at Minnesota

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I know we're all dreaming of a win to the tune of 63-3 or something like that, but given the fact that we're 3-3 in our past 6 games to FCS opponents, I hope that the players are focused on this game and simply getting a W.
 

The Leathernecks have a terrible program. 63-3 is not out of the realm of possibility. It will be a very good time to build depth with second and third stringers.
 

Go Gophers Rah said:
I know we're all dreaming of a win to the tune of 63-3 or something like that, but given the fact that we're 3-3 in our past 6 games to FCS opponents, I hope that the players are focused on this game and simply getting a W.
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There is good FCS and bad FCS competition. The good ones (NDSU.....) can beat D1 teams from time to time and are the ones we have struggled with. By all accounts this is not one of those good FCS teams. So while the team has to take them seriously to a degree this should absolutely be a game they can win without really breaking a sweat.

Seems like it should be a great game to get Leidner some real game action outside of mop up duty at the very end of the game like he has had the first two weeks. Hopefully Nelson will see minimal carries, get some work on the passing game and then take a seat on the bench and let Mitch lead the team for a couple of quarters.
 

MNVCGUY said:
There is good FCS and bad FCS competition. The good ones (NDSU.....) can beat D1 teams from time to time and are the ones we have struggled with. By all accounts this is not one of those good FCS teams. So while the team has to take them seriously to a degree this should absolutely be a game they can win without really breaking a sweat.

Seems like it should be a great game to get Leidner some real game action outside of mop up duty at the very end of the game like he has had the first two weeks. Hopefully Nelson will see minimal carries, get some work on the passing game and then take a seat on the bench and let Mitch lead the team for a couple of quarters.
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USD (South Dakota) was and is not a good FCS team....we lost. In fact Ed Mierkort or whatever has been fired since they beat us. In fact, they were 4-7 the year they beat us, '10.
 


Yeah I don't think we're to a point in the program where we can totally take it for granted that we'll crush anybody. Western Illinois isn't usually very good from what I know, but they are 2-0 with two large margins of victory, so they can't be that much of a crap FCS team.
 

AEmerson40 said:
Yeah I don't think we're to a point in the program where we can totally take it for granted that we'll crush anybody. Western Illinois isn't usually very good from what I know, but they are 2-0 with two large margins of victory, so they can't be that much of a crap FCS team.
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Yeah, but one of those wins was against a D-2 program which is a HUGH drop off from even 1AA.
 

I think we'll beat them handily, but their first yr coach has won 2 D2 National titles. So they will be well coached and much improved from prior years.
 

AEmerson40 said:
Yeah I don't think we're to a point in the program where we can totally take it for granted that we'll crush anybody. Western Illinois isn't usually very good from what I know, but they are 2-0 with two large margins of victory, so they can't be that much of a crap FCS team.
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Certainly can't take anyone for granted but there is no excuse for losing to a team like this and based on what we have seen to date I don't think it is going to be much of a problem on Saturday. From what I have been able to find online this team looks like a step down even from the UNLV and New Mexico State's of the world.

In a perfect storm could they beat us....probably....but it would take terrible play from the Gophers and the greatest game ever for the Leathernecks to get it done.
 



I'm expecting another New Hampshire game, maybe even better. As a program I think we're past getting beat or playing close games with middle of the road FCS teams.
 

jaymil said:
I'm expecting another New Hampshire game, maybe even better. As a program I think we're past getting beat or playing close games with middle of the road FCS teams.
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Agreed. In addition, UNH was a top 20 FCS team last year.
 

I took New Mexico State for granted.

I am also taking this opponent for granted. If you are already taking something for granted, I'm not sure if there can be degrees of taking it for granted. But if there is, I am taking these lethernecks even more for granted.
 

AEmerson40 said:
Yeah I don't think we're to a point in the program where we can totally take it for granted that we'll crush anybody. Western Illinois isn't usually very good from what I know, but they are 2-0 with two large margins of victory, so they can't be that much of a crap FCS team.
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They lost to southern ill 35-0

Edit, my mistake, I guess that was last year
 



Schnauzer said:
I took New Mexico State for granted.

I am also taking this opponent for granted. If you are already taking something for granted, I'm not sure if there can be degrees of taking it for granted. But if there is, I am taking these lethernecks even more for granted.
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I think the term is taking forgranteder or something like that.
 

Section2 said:
They lost to southern ill 35-0

Edit, my mistake, I guess that was last year
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No problem 2. Didn't you realize that last year's results are what GH'ers use to predict the future?
 

Kill said Kirkwoodland and Edwards are unlikely to play this week.
 

Kirkwood should have a nom de guerre along the lines of Land Rover.
 


I had no idea that Bob Nielson left Minnesota-Duluth for Western Illinois.

Hard to really get a read on Western Illinois from their first two games. They were +9 turnover margin in their first game, and their second game was against a school with 1100 students.

Avoid costly turnovers and this one shouldn't be too hard. Make dumb mistakes and let the Leathernecks hang around...and you never know. I think we'll underwhelm in the 1st quarter but win going away.
 

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