Gophers open as -2 point favorites @ Illinois

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Very generous imo. I guess we'll see, but Fleck and company have plenty to prove against an Illinois team full of confidence.
 



MirandaB said:
Stupid Illinois can beat wisconsin and iowa in the same season. 😡
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Correct. For the first time since 1989 I think I heard.
And Illinois has a big ten season and a rose bowl since then.

Seeing that stat actually made me not feel as bad about the gophers. We aren’t the only program that struggles to get over the hump
 

Is the Offensive Line better this year? I sure hope so.

They should have played Bryce Williams and other RBs more against Purdue. Trey Potts is not Mo Ibrahim. He is a good complimentary RB.

Is there a chance that they will showcase Zach Evans? Is he injured?
 

Interesting stat: Illinois is the only team in FBS football that in 2022 has not yet allowed a touchdown to be scored against them at home. They're kind of proud of it. Gophers need to break that stat to pieces.
 




hungan1 said:
Is the Offensive Line better this year? I sure hope so.

They should have played Bryce Williams and other RBs more against Purdue. Trey Potts is not Mo Ibrahim. He is a good complimentary RB.

Is there a chance that they will showcase Zach Evans? Is he injured?
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According to Ryan Burns on GGR, Zach Evans had been in street clothes for every game so far. However, during the bye week he participated in full pads practice, so he could be back.

Also noted that Mo was a full participant in Sunday practice, so I would expect him to play.
 

jonnyganas said:
According to Ryan Burns on GGR, Zach Evans had been in street clothes for every game so far. However, during the bye week he participated in full pads practice, so he could be back.

Also noted that Mo was a full participant in Sunday practice, so I would expect him to play.
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But is Burns a more reliable source than the person who heard at Sally's that Mo wasn't playing? I mean who should we really trust here? :)
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Interesting stat: Illinois is the only team in FBS football that in 2022 has not yet allowed a touchdown to be scored against them at home. They're kind of proud of it. Gophers need to break that stat to pieces.
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Offenses Illinois has played at home (ranking of total offense, ppg):
Wyoming - #102
Chattanooga - NR (FCS)
Virginia - #120
Iowa - #127

Minnesota - #21
 



hungan1 said:
Is the Offensive Line better this year? I sure hope so.
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PJ has said since before Spring ball even started that he really liked his o-line and that he thought it might be better than last year's group that had three guys who got NFL looks, a five-year starter, and JMS (plus NFL TE Ko Kieft).

This year's line features three sixth-year guys, a fourth year four-star talent, and a third year guy who Callahan and PJ said may be best o-line talent they ever have had.

JMS is grading out as best center in nation.

Four-star talents Filiaga and Carroll were at MI and ND, two of the top o-lines in the country over the last few years.

PJ also mentions whenever asked that Callahan is one of the best o-line coaches in the country.

The o-line will be Elite.
 

another way to think about it -

it's not just "MN vs Ill"

it's actually 3 different games:

MN offense vs Illinois Defense
MN defense vs Illinois offense
MN special teams vs Illinois Special teams

MN needs to win at least 2 of those 3 games.

(if you're paranoid, add a 4th gm: MN vs the referees.....)
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
Last year is irrelevant. I agree that their defense is legit, but Minnesota's is better. Our offense is also significantly better. Chase Brown is a really good RB, but the Gophers will be focused on stopping him, especially if DeVito is out. Sitkowski is a terrible QB. I still don't think he'd beat out Annexstad at Illinois St.

Purdue is turning out to be an above average team, and is likely one of the top 2 teams in the west. Losing to them at home was extremely frustrating, but it's not Bowling Green level. I think too many people are focused on the Purdue loss, and are forgetting that this Illinois team lost to a much worse Indiana team with DeVito playing.

If we see something close to the Gophers team we saw in the first 4 weeks, Illinois will struggle to score, and the Gophers will win by double digits.
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Agree. The gap between offenses is significant.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
another way to think about it -

it's not just "MN vs Ill"

it's actually 3 different games:

MN offense vs Illinois Defense
MN defense vs Illinois offense
MN special teams vs Illinois Special teams

MN needs to win at least 2 of those 3 games.

(if you're paranoid, add a 4th gm: MN vs the referees.....)
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Or you can lose them all… but still get more points.
 




dpodoll68 said:
It was at -7 on a lot of books as of this morning, then backed off to -6.5. Still -7 at Boveda as of right now.
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Wow, that's a lot of line movement in two days. Inject some of that Vegas hopium into my veins, please lol! Been a minute since Minnesota has been a TD favorite on the road vs. a ranked team.
 

hungan1 said:
Is the Offensive Line better this year? I sure hope so.

They should have played Bryce Williams and other RBs more against Purdue. Trey Potts is not Mo Ibrahim. He is a good complimentary RB.

Is there a chance that they will showcase Zach Evans? Is he injured?
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Trey Potts is good in space, you get him the ball in space, like a wheel route, or a middle screen and he will make people miss. Not good at breaking tackles on first contact at least not in the Purdue game. Gophers gave up way to much pressure from linebacker and corner blitzes against Purdue, everyone has to be better at picking up the blitz and blocking the right guy's.
 

MGGopher said:
Wow, that's a lot of line movement in two days. Inject some of that Vegas hopium into my veins, please lol! Been a minute since Minnesota has been a TD favorite on the road vs. a ranked team.
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Good grief, you're right... I hadn't thought of that. Wow!

Now Illinois coaches can play the "no respect" card to get their players fired up.
 




RememberMurray said:
Good grief, you're right... I hadn't thought of that. Wow!

Now Illinois coaches can play the "no respect" card to get their players fired up.
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The no respect card pretty overrated
If Illinois needed to be underdogs to get fired up for this game they are pretty stupid
 


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