Illinois Game

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ncgo4

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This is going to be the final "tell" on the success of 2009. In many ways this is a real "trap" game and it scares the B'jeezus out of me.

A very highly rated Illini team loaded with talent and a very sh*tty record coming off a huge win. A team with all this talent that has underperformed suddenly feeling like their pre-season ranking was deserved. A win over Minnesota is an absolute must win to become bowl eligible. Minnesota overcoming so much to beat MSU. Suddenly very confident coming up against a real crumby 2-6 Illini.

If the Gophers take care of business against Illinois we could then easily trounce a SD team and be sky-high going to Iowa. If we fall into an Illinois trap, anything could happen. This will be Brewster's and the position coaches' biggest test of the year. I for one look for a large, loud and very rowdy fan base at TCF and a big Minnesota victory.
 

ncgo4 said:
This is going to be the final "tell" on the success of 2009. In many ways this is a real "trap" game and it scares the B'jeezus out of me.

A very highly rated Illini team loaded with talent and a very sh*tty record coming off a huge win. A team with all this talent that has underperformed suddenly feeling like their pre-season ranking was deserved. A win over Minnesota is an absolute must win to become bowl eligible. Minnesota overcoming so much to beat MSU. Suddenly very confident coming up against a real crumby 2-6 Illini.

If the Gophers take care of business against Illinois we could then easily trounce a SD team and be sky-high going to Iowa. If we fall into an Illinois trap, anything could happen. This will be Brewster's and the position coaches' biggest test of the year. I for one look for a large, loud and very rowdy fan base at TCF and a big Minnesota victory.
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Agree with you totally. A win over Illinois makes this season a huge success, well beyond my expectations. Anything could happen at Iowa.
 

When you are the Gophers, you better not have any "trap games". They just aren't good enough to look beyond anyone. There isn't a team in this conference that can't beat them. The good news is I also really think the rodents are good enough to beat any other Big 10 school if they play a great game, and they can beat several teams if they just play 'ok'.

Illinois scares me because everyone has been waiting for them to play well for a long time and they finally kicked it into gear last week. If the Gophers lower the penalty factor and otherwise play like they did last week, AND, Illinois plays like they did last week... it will be a dog fight. My gut tells me that although either team is capable of laying an egg, Illinois may be slightly more likely to do so this week on the road. I think the Gophers win a very tight game, with a relatively high chance at an alternative Illinois win, and a low percentage chance at a Gopher blow out over the Illini. About the only thing that would shock me is a blow out the other way around.
 

The Illini come into this game reenergized, but I think that won't count for much if we get similar line play as we did this past weekend. Weber had all day to throw and MSU got most of their rushing yards on one play. The Illini put it together for one game this year against a weak (by their standards) Michigan team at home. The team is coming together and we the fans are starting to build some home field advantage in TCF, so the Illini have their work cut out for them. Go Gophs!
 



Agreed - I have seen some of their final scores online this year and there is no way we beat SD this season.
 


I am equally concerned about the games against Illinois and SDSU.

Granted, Illinois is loaded with talent. But SDSU actually has a higher Sagarin rating than Purdue, Indiana and Illinois. Not that Sagarin ratings are the final-word on who's better, but it makes a compelling case that SDSU is among a small group of teams that are comparable to the bottom 1/4 of the Big Ten. And the fall-out for not beating them, and doing it convincingly, causes an uproar among fans that don't know better (as was the case after Iowa beat UNI).

I can't imagine Minnesota blowing out SDSU. This is one of the better teams in the FCS division. And the teams in their company have usually been able to put up a good fight against FBS divison teams over the last 4 years.

We haven't seen a large-margin victory out of our team so far this year. It seems like every win is a nail-biter. Maybe we're due for a big win.
 

Goldmember said:
I am equally concerned about the games against Illinois and SDSU.

Granted, Illinois is loaded with talent. But SDSU actually has a higher Sagarin rating than Purdue, Indiana and Illinois. Not that Sagarin ratings are the final-word on who's better, but it makes a compelling case that SDSU is among a small group of teams that are comparable to the bottom 1/4 of the Big Ten. And the fall-out for not beating them, and doing it convincingly, causes an uproar among fans that don't know better (as was the case after Iowa beat UNI).

I can't imagine Minnesota blowing out SDSU. This is one of the better teams in the FCS division. And the teams in their company have usually been able to put up a good fight against FBS divison teams over the last 4 years.

We haven't seen a large-margin victory out of our team so far this year. It seems like every win is a nail-biter. Maybe we're due for a big win.
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I'd even settle for not having to come from behind. The Gophers have trailed in every game they have played this year.
 



I am glad the Illini stiffed Michigan for many reasons. Our team should not over look any opponent and the Illini W should help with the prep.
 

dpodoll68 said:
One thing is for certain - we will definitely not defeat SD this year.
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josh087 said:
Agreed - I have seen some of their final scores online this year and there is no way we beat SD this season.
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My god, you guys are sniffing glue again.:horse::):D

Definitely? No way?

Do you watch college football? Did you notice they still play the games? The only game we didn't have a chance in was...oh, that's right, we were in every game until the second half.

I'd say this will be SDSU's toughest game this year.

Time will tell...I'll gladly eat crow.
 

highwayman said:
My god, you guys are sniffing glue again.:horse::):D

Definitely? No way?

Do you watch college football? Did you notice they still play the games? The only game we didn't have a chance in was...oh, that's right, we were in every game until the second half.

I'd say this will be SDSU's toughest game this year.

Time will tell...I'll gladly eat crow.
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No, I couldn't agree with you more. We will most likely beat SDSU this season. And this will in all probability be their toughest game this year.

I can say with unequivocal certainty, however, that we have absolutely zero chance of defeating SD this year.
 

The MSU win will mean far less if we lose to Ill. OR SDSU.

I would like to see us 7-4 going into Iowa game. (I think I posted that in Sept.)

The penalties and discipline/or lack of has been bounced around a lot.

How about this:

Beat Ill. and beat SDSU. and play with poise.
 



As has been pointed out, IL is a talent-heavy team which has played most of the season well below its talent level...until last week's beatdown of the Wolves. Obviously, they have regained their confidence and are on a mission to salvage some respectability for their team and season.

If Brew has the Gs ready with MSU-type prep, Minny should have the edge at home...if not, this could be a deflating Saturday afternoon for lofty GN bowl hopes.
 

dpodoll68 said:
No, I couldn't agree with you more. We will most likely beat SDSU this season. And this will in all probability be their toughest game this year.

I can say with unequivocal certainty, however, that we have absolutely zero chance of defeating SD this year.
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There is zero chance that the gophers beat SDSU...what are you smoking.....
 

JackiO said:
There is zero chance that the gophers beat SDSU...what are you smoking.....
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That's not what I said. I said we will most likely beat SDSU.

There is absolutely zero chance that we beat SD, though. At least not this year.
 

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