Is this a mini trap game for the Gophers?

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FredCoxRocks said:
No, another loss to a MAC team at home would be embarrassing and you could bet that every Badger fan, Hawkeye fan, and StarTribune troll out there would never let us forget it. We should never lose to those teams. Ever.
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It happens to a BIG team nearly every single year. Should it? I suppose not. But it does with at least some regularity.
 

On the positive side, maybe PJ Fleck can impress some current EMU players if they think Transfer Portal Minnesota is a good landing spot.
 

From what I can gather our teams share a lot of similarities. Consistent HCs, solid D, developing passing O. They also are replacing a lot of production, primarily on the O side. Obviously a nod to their run game as one of the best in the MAC.

The rosters I’m looking at show they lost their starting QB, LT/LG/C, and 4 pass catchers that had ~1500 yards and 10 TDs combined. That doesn’t bode well for running into our D. It sounds like it’ll be all on their RB and the rest of the team to figure out how to support him. On D they lose 3 DL and 2 DBs that all played significant snaps. Their DL, Ramirez, sounds like he was a stud. The rest all had solid contributions.

What they do lose is replaced with solid transfers and upperclassmen with above average size. I can’t speak to the athleticism though. Their LBs sounds like they’ll be a serious problem for us.

Overall I think this team is definitely what you consider a trap team. A well coached, mature, consistent team that is 1 week before a high profile matchup. I could see this game being close and us not covering the spread.

However, I also think the mixture of tape, location and the composition of our team heavily favors us. If I was to bet I take the under and EMU ATS. All that said, gopher W incoming!
 



FredCoxRocks said:
No, another loss to a MAC team at home would be embarrassing and you could bet that every Badger fan, Hawkeye fan, and StarTribune troll out there would never let us forget it. We should never lose to those teams. Ever.
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And Gopher fan
 

Gopher_Devil said:
From what I can gather our teams share a lot of similarities. Consistent HCs, solid D, developing passing O. They also are replacing a lot of production, primarily on the O side. Obviously a nod to their run game as one of the best in the MAC.

The rosters I’m looking at show they lost their starting QB, LT/LG/C, and 4 pass catchers that had ~1500 yards and 10 TDs combined. That doesn’t bode well for running into our D. It sounds like it’ll be all on their RB and the rest of the team to figure out how to support him. On D they lose 3 DL and 2 DBs that all played significant snaps. Their DL, Ramirez, sounds like he was a stud. The rest all had solid contributions.

What they do lose is replaced with solid transfers and upperclassmen with above average size. I can’t speak to the athleticism though. Their LBs sounds like they’ll be a serious problem for us.

Overall I think this team is definitely what you consider a trap team. A well coached, mature, consistent team that is 1 week before a high profile matchup. I could see this game being close and us not covering the spread.

However, I also think the mixture of tape, location and the composition of our team heavily favors us. If I was to bet I take the under and EMU ATS. All that said, gopher W incoming!
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Their rb didn’t look impressive against Howard, he is kind of a plodder. He did go over 1,000 yards last year, but was very hit or miss. He only averages 4.5 ypc for his career. Interestingly his by far best game was against Arizona State where he ran for 258 yards on 36 carries in an upset win. Against Howard he went 16 carries for 52 yards. The QB has some mobility, but isn’t on the same level as Sims. He has about as much experience as AK but hasn’t crossed the 200 yards passing mark for a single game. I just don’t see their offense doing much.
 

Purdue took Eastern Michigan for granted, we better not. Cannot be looking ahead to the UNC game, Gophers need to take care of business this week. That EMU team will have a chip on shoulder as many on that squad will believe they should have been Big 10 players. One thing is for certain the punt and kick off returnees should have our teams attention as they are blazers. No huge returns please! Under the lights Gophers need to kick some EMU tails.
 




Trap game? Overlooking Eastern Michigan because it's coming after Nebraska and before North Carolina?

The way the Offense played last week against Nebraska and how they had to come from behind late in the 4th Quarter to win it, pretty much guarantees that the Gophers will not overlook Eastern Michigan.
 

EMU Coach Creighton has a nice collection of Power 5 wins:

Creighton helped the Eagles to the program’s first win over a Big Ten or Power Five team with a 16-13 victory over Rutgers, Sept. 9, 2017.

EMU used a 24-yard field goal as time expired for a stunning 20-19 win over Purdue, Sept. 8, 2018.

The magic continued in 2019, when Eastern posted its third-consecutive Big Ten road victory with a 34-31 walk-off triumph at Illinois, Sept. 14.

Most recently, EMU rolled to a 30-21 victory at Arizona State in 2022 for the Mid-American Conference’s first regular season win over a Pac-12 Conference member.
 

BleedGopher said:
We are coming off an emotional Big Ten opening win, next week we have a test against a nationally ranked opponent with a Heisman candidate QB. I know Fleck preaches championship week seasons but college kids are college kids and even the most focused may look ahead a bit.

Then throw in this: “A MAC team has beaten a B1G opponent each year since 2006, including Bowling Green’s win at Minnesota in 2021. The Gophers will be tested.”

Just makes me a bit worried. Hopefully we come out and out these guys away early and leave no doubt.

Here’s to Eastern Michigan Championship Week! Let’s go 1-0.

Go Gophers!!
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Yes, it is. Two years ago we lost to 31-point dawgs.
 

I anticipate having played Neb last week we'll be up for this one. Offense knows they have a lot to prove to themselves, the coaches, and the fanbase.
 






60's Guy said:
I'd pretty much agree IF we kick it out the end zone on kick offs and out of bounds on punts.
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We gave up one big kick return, I’m sure they’ll work to get that fixed. Now EMU did have impressive results, but I think it had more to do with Howard’s poor execution than EMU being great.
 

Oh yeah, after that Bowling Green debacle...Maroon can't take anyone for granted.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I suspect every team "knows".

However, playing consistantly all season is hard for whatever reason. Only the very best teams go a full season without taking a loss that they "shouldn't" have taken.
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A loss you shouldn't have taken is a game where you are 7ish point favorites. That happens to lots of teams. Plenty of teams make it through a full season with losing as a 19+ point favorite.
 

It should not be. PJ is in his 7th year and has already had a couple of embarrassing losses in seasons where the team was pretty good...Its on him if they lose
 

It should not be. PJ is in his 7th year and has already had a couple of embarrassing losses in seasons where the team was pretty good...Its on him if they lose

Other than Bowling Geeen, what other loses would you consider embarrassing?

Team has laid an egg a few times in conference games and lost when it felt like they could have/should have won.

But the BG game is the only loss in Flecks time here that I would consider embarrassing.
 

Gophers will easily win. And it is must win.
 

hungan1 said:
On the positive side, maybe PJ Fleck can impress some current EMU players if they think Transfer Portal Minnesota is a good landing spot.
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Enough of the western Michigan transfers, time to look to the east! :p
 

BleedGopher said:
We are coming off an emotional Big Ten opening win, next week we have a test against a nationally ranked opponent with a Heisman candidate QB. I know Fleck preaches championship week seasons but college kids are college kids and even the most focused may look ahead a bit.

Then throw in this: “A MAC team has beaten a B1G opponent each year since 2006, including Bowling Green’s win at Minnesota in 2021. The Gophers will be tested.”

Just makes me a bit worried. Hopefully we come out and out these guys away early and leave no doubt.

Here’s to Eastern Michigan Championship Week! Let’s go 1-0.

Go Gophers!!
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Again, no.
 



Pretty much no. It was more lopsided than the scored indicated.

We drove at will on offense, but we couldn't do our old trick of just bulldozing into the endzone, and were very uncreative otherwise when we got down close.

EMU is built like a Big Ten team up front on its defense. Or OL couldn't get much straight ahead push. Saw Lewis one time get driven a few yards back into the backfield. Coach won't like to see that on tape.


Defense, shut them the hell down 2nd half and didn't give up a ton first half, take it all day.
 

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