It was so much easier when the Gophers were simply terrible...

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EE_Gopher

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Anyone else out there feeling nervous about a Gopher game like they haven't felt for years?
 

As the legendary Billie Jean King says: Pressure is a privilege.

Go Gophers!!
 

In a word, yes. Nervous excitement. Tomorrow morning can't come fast enough, once that game starts I'm gonna be glued to the TV. C'mon clock.
 

Somebody needed to say this, thank you!

I literally have been thinking through recent years when somebody like Wisconsin plays somebody like Michigan State: "Well, at least I don't have to worry about losing a big game."

With a little success comes a little skin in the game and then you have something to lose. Part of me thinks this is coming a little too fast for my Gophers and they are bound to stumble, and stumble more than once.

Then I think, "f#ck it! Just please God let them win this week and we'll go from there."

Also a point of reference: A lot of Mason teams went 4-0 against mediocre non-conference teams and I never got worked up into thinking it was more than it was. I'm letting these thoughts creep into my head this time because it is a new coach, and there have been a few years of extra-bad football to change my perception of the meaning of this good start.
 

Yes, I'm excited about the pace of improvement particularly because of the D-line. But I think we all need to keep in mind that this is still the 2nd year of a new program and the team WILL stumble at some point this year. Be optimistic for sure, but cautiously so. And recognize that road B1G games are tough, tough, tough.
 


Gonna be blasting some Muse tomorrow morning from the apartment (as if I need more nervous excitement!!):
 

It's the national attention that has got me a bit spooked about tomorrow. I'm not used to national pundits picking my squad to win a B1G road game. It's a bad spot if we lose too, everyone will simply assume it's "typical Minnesota" and dismiss everything that has happened and will happen this season because we're up against "real teams" now. National attention needs to be earned, and the Gophers are on the cusp of that attention. Keeping Floyd, enjoying the bye week and defending home turn against NW in two weeks and that attention will be earned.

SKI-U-MAH
 

MKE_Gopher said:
It's the national attention that has got me a bit spooked about tomorrow. I'm not used to national pundits picking my squad to win a B1G road game. It's a bad spot if we lose too, everyone will simply assume it's "typical Minnesota" and dismiss everything that has happened and will happen this season because we're up against "real teams" now. National attention needs to be earned, and the Gophers are on the cusp of that attention. Keeping Floyd, enjoying the bye week and defending home turn against NW in two weeks and that attention will be earned.

SKI-U-MAH
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This is what has me nervous, not even so much the national attention, but the local casual fan base, who, if the Gophers lose will simply say "Typical Gophers winning in the non-conference but can't carry it over in the B1G". It's more important to me right now that they solidify the local fan base behind this team so we can have the environment we had against Syracuse the rest of the season and hopefully beyond.
 

All I want is two more wins (one at Madison), a bowl and some recruiting benefits.
 



I'm probably more nervous because it is a HUGE rivalry game, and I don't want Floyd going anywhere. I would rather have fans be nervous and just let the team do their thing. As Kill says during his pregame speeches, "Play hard and do your job and you will be rewarded at the end of the game. Don't try to be the hero just do what you are supposed to do." Never could say it better myself.

The team has been practicing with Floyd watching them on the field. They know what is at stake. Protect the Pig!
 

I'm an always nervous Gopher fan no matter who we play.
 

EE_Gopher said:
Anyone else out there feeling nervous about a Gopher game like they haven't felt for years?
Click to expand...

More fear now? No way! - What I am actually feeling is a lot more confident than I did with Mason's and Brewster's defenses. Then I used to tremble with fear anytime the gophers were on defense and it was third and long. That is no longer the case and I love it!
 

The tradition of B1G Dominance Starts Now!

Killjoy said:
More fear now? No way! - What I am actually feeling is a lot more confident than I did with Mason's and Brewster's defenses. Then I used to tremble with fear anytime the gophers were on defense and it was third and long. That is no longer the case and I love it!
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It will be a big adjustment for Gopher fans to cheer on a winning program!
 




They way I'm looking at it is,

The gophers already have 4 wins--they've already improved from last year. Anything after this point is cake.
I believed they could (and would) upset someone and have improved play but I never dreamed they'd have much of a chance with their road rivals.

If they win, awesome and it sets up a monstrous game against Northwestern in a couple weeks.
If they lose, well, as long as they keep improving, I'll mostly be happy with the season.

Next year, the expectations will rise though.
 

This just set in for me. On my way to Des Moines, where I am staying, I caught a segment on an illinios sports radio station. They were talking about northwestern and how their schedule sets up well early. The northwestern expert said they don't face any real challenge until they go on the road against Penn state.

I am staying with my 6 win projection for now.. but hearing them talk about mn really makes me nervous for the Iowa game. Either way there will be a lot if disappointment this year from our fanbase getting overly excited. However, I worry if we lose to Iowa we will be considered a joke in the bigten.

I would love nothing more to win the next two weeks but I am not optimistic. Very excited to invade kinnick tomorrow.
 

Boof said:
They way I'm looking at it is,

The gophers already have 4 wins--they've already improved from last year. Anything after this point is cake.
I believed they could (and would) upset someone and have improved play but I never dreamed they'd have much of a chance with their road rivals.

If they win, awesome and it sets up a monstrous game against Northwestern in a couple weeks.
If they lose, well, as long as they keep improving, I'll mostly be happy with the season.

Next year, the expectations will rise though.
Click to expand...

Protecting the Pig is not "cake". And honestly, a bowl game is not cake either. If Paul Rhoads can take Iowa State to a bowl game (and win) in his first year, after ISU went 2-10 the previous year, then Jerry Kill had better take us to a bowl game in his second, after a 3-9 season.
We earned two Big Ten wins each of the past two years. You're saying a zero or one-win BigTen season is "cake"? We need to win at least three before we start talking about "cake".

4 wins is not enough. Not for me.
 

Conference play is so much more important than the out of conference, especially with the opponents we scheduled, that I won't consider this team really improved unless we at least match last year's 2-6. That said, I am thrilled by our performance so far, confident about our chances tomorrow, and don't think it is unreasonable to hope for us to improve by a game to 3-5.
 


bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Conference play is so much more important than the out of conference, especially with the opponents we scheduled, that I won't consider this team really improved unless we at least match last year's 2-6. That said, I am thrilled by our performance so far, confident about our chances tomorrow, and don't think it is unreasonable to hope for us to improve by a game to 3-5.
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To me, these are very reasonable thoughts. 4-0 is awesome and makes things a lot more interesting and gives reason for hope...

But the talk of Minnesota being "a surprise" this week by many - Gopher fans and many who are not - doesn't resonate with me. Three wins they were supposed to have and a victory at home as a 1-point dog against Syracuse... when teams lose relatively close games, fans like to assert that they "almost won game x and game y"... but when close wins are earned, not so much.

I think Shortell gives Minnesota a chance to win Big Ten games and have always been in favor of him as the starting QB... what will this coaching staff do in the future if they are forced to make the choice between a healthier Gray vs Shortell? How does the Western Michigan game end with Gray in for the full game? Was that victory partially due to an injury trumping the decision-making of the coaching staff?

This looks like a team that should be able to reach a 6-6 record.. 7-5 is reasonable to hope for. Neither is assured. But I wonder what the feeling will be for fans if the Gophers go 1-5 or 0-6 in the second half of the year...

Iowa is in rough shape, but I wouldn't think they would just lay down tomorrow being that (1) it's the conference opener and (2) it's against the Gophers. Huge game. I think the heart of the story of the season really begins to be written tomorrow.
 

I was so nervous when I made my reservation in Iowa City that I have booked both Friday and Saturday nights in a "warehouse".

But that is ok, there is a ware that will meet me at the loading dock.
 

you sure?

Dr.Don said:
I was so nervous when I made my reservation in Iowa City that I have booked both Friday and Saturday nights in a "warehouse".

But that is ok, there is a ware that will meet me at the loading dock.
Click to expand...

I thought she said by the red light.
 

Personally, I don't try to get too high or too low for any game anymore. I think what most of the coaches (including many fans on the board) are looking for is improvement. If we are a better team than we were a week ago, I truly believe we will find a way to win.

I learned, a long time ago, that if I let an outcome of a football game (with 19-23 year olds playing) dictate how I "feel", then I should look at cheering for another team. Not in the DNA.

Most on this board probably would agree with that. It's just that most (including yours truly) want the kids to experience success and see the state rally behind them. Most on here see or have witnessed the possibilities that exist with a successful college team and would like to see that here.

Going to sit back, lay low, cheer them on and what happens, happens.

Watching this one at home so to those of you who made the trek south, we want to hear you tomorrow. Have fun, cheer the Gophs on, stay safe, and enjoy the ride.

Buck
 

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