Media Prediction Thread: Minnesota vs West Virginia

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Gophs win going away, by 14+ easy. I think, given what's going on with WV, this could be ugly...like the Colorado game ugly. Fleck will have them all ready, and the KC offense will be on full display even in his absence.
 



At this point I want someone to pick WVU if for no other reason than I'm flat out sick of lazy chalk picks.
 

fmlizard said:
At this point I want someone to pick WVU if for no other reason than I'm flat out sick of lazy chalk picks.
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Chalk is chalk for a reason, as they say. For the record, the sharp money in LV has been on the Gophers.
 


MNVCGUY said:
No point to hold anything back the way we definitely appear to in the early season games most years. Fleck has shown a willingness to go after it in bowl games.
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Let"s hope so. On paper, I don't think WV can beat us. But our coaches can game plan a situation in which we create a series of opportunities to beat ourselves (by letting WV hang around and gain confidence).
 

USAF said:
I predict people will put their personal predictions in the media predictions thread.
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I am tagged as verified media on Reddit, however, I do not make predictions in the media predictions thread.
 


BleedGopher said:
Heartland College Sports chimes in:

PREDICTION: MINNESOTA 27, WEST VIRGINIA 10​

I think West Virginia is in a bad spot here. Not only are they facing a defense on par with Oklahoma State (who beat them 24-3) but they are playing an 8-4 team coached by PJ Fleck who beat a 14th-ranked and red-hot Wisconsin team the last time they saw the field. You add to that your leading rusher and offensive weapon in Leddie Brown opting out for the NFL Draft and you have trouble brewing. Minnesota is currently favored by 4.0, and I think they cover that without much resistance.

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

West Virginia vs. Minnesota: Guaranteed Rate Bowl Preview and Prediction Heartland College Sports - An Independent Big 12 Today Blog | College Football News | Big 12 Today" "

Here is everything you need to know about the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers in our Guaranteed Rate Bowl preview. Game Info 10:15 PM ET, Tuesday, December 28, 2021; Chase Field; Phoenix, Arizona TV: ESPN Radio: West Virginia: Mountaineer Sports Network Records: West...
www.heartlandcollegesports.com www.heartlandcollegesports.com

Go Gophers!!
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Sounds about right!
 









Seems like a GT replay to me without the failed triple-option.

Looking for one last Big Dan historic pancake...this one at 0:48...

 



Athlon chimes in:

Final Analysis​

Points are expected to be at a premium in this one, so timely big plays by an offense or a turnover could swing the outcome. Minnesota is plus-four in turnover margin, while West Virginia is minus-eight. Both teams should be able to win their share of battles on defense, so whichever offense can piece together more drives or deliver a big play should come out on top. The Golden Gophers are in a better spot in terms of personnel at running back, and Morgan has weapons on the outside to test the Mountaineers' secondary. Don't expect much in the way of offensive fireworks on Tuesday night, but this one should be close into the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Minnesota 27, West Virginia 20\​


athlonsports.com

Guaranteed Rate Bowl Prediction and Preview: Minnesota vs. West Virginia

Our college football experts predict, pick and preview the Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Guaranteed Rate Bowl game, with kickoff time, TV channel and spread.
athlonsports.com athlonsports.com

Go Gophers!!
 

Greder chimes in:

Prediction: Minnesota has consistently been the hungrier team in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck, and they’ve shown some added wrinkles when Simon has called plays. The U is a five-point favorite, but the Gophers should cover against a .500 opponent. Minnesota, 28-20

www.twincities.com

Gophers football vs. West Virginia: Keys to game, how to watch and who has edge

Minnesota has consistently been the hungrier team in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck.
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!
 


5 of the 7 reporters from the West Virginia site pick West Virginia to win:

bluegoldnews.com

Blue Gold News

WVU sports, WVU football, WVU rifle team, WVU basketball, WVU athletics, all available here!
bluegoldnews.com bluegoldnews.com

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
5 of the 7 reporters from the West Virginia site pick West Virginia to win:

bluegoldnews.com

Blue Gold News

WVU sports, WVU football, WVU rifle team, WVU basketball, WVU athletics, all available here!
bluegoldnews.com bluegoldnews.com

Go Gophers!!
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I can handle that. I wish our reporters would be more supportive of the program.
 


fmlizard said:
At this point I want someone to pick WVU if for no other reason than I'm flat out sick of lazy chalk picks.
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Found one for you. From yesterday's The Athletic.

theathletic.com

College football bowl picks: The Athletic staff plays pick ’em for every game of bowl season

The Athletic college football staff made picks for every bowl game for a bowl pick 'em contest.
theathletic.com theathletic.com

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: West Virginia vs. Minnesota​



TeamSpreadTotalMoneyline
West Virginia+155
Minnesota-4.545-190

PICK
Matt FortunaMinnesota
Doug HallerMinnesota
Josh KendallMinnesota
Jason KerseyWest Virginia
Bill LandisMinnesota
Manny NavarroMinnesota
Joe RexrodeMinnesota
Dan SantaromitaMinnesota
Daniel ShirleyMinnesota
Audrey SnyderMinnesota
Jason StarrettMinnesota
Chris VanniniMinnesota
 

I haven’t seen the predictions favor the Gophers this consistently for a bowl game since… the loss to Syracuse. 😬
 

Schnauzer said:
I haven’t seen the predictions favor the Gophers this consistently for a bowl game since… the loss to Syracuse. 😬
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Don't know but it makes sense.

Georgia Tech beating the Gophers in the Quick Lane Bowl in 2018 was probably even more of a surprise for the "experts". ;)
 

BleedGopher said:
5 of the 7 reporters from the West Virginia site pick West Virginia to win:

bluegoldnews.com

Blue Gold News

WVU sports, WVU football, WVU rifle team, WVU basketball, WVU athletics, all available here!
bluegoldnews.com bluegoldnews.com

Go Gophers!!
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If you read all the "picks," most of the reporters who picked WV said something like, "on paper, MN looks like the better team, but I'm going to pick WV." One guy admitted "I don't know anything about MN," and then picked WV to win. So, it doesn't sound like they put a lot of analysis into their predictions. One guy based his pick on the fact that Morgan has only thrown 10 TD passes and the Gopher's leading rusher only has 680 yards for the season.

Seriously, go back and read their comments. it's pretty funny.
 

Revenge Game of the Week​

Minnesota vs. West Virginia​

Featured Game|Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers

Guaranteed Rate Bowl -- Tuesday, December 28: When Minnesota went 11-2 in 2019, its offensive coordinator was Kirk Ciarocca. Ciarocca left after the season for the same job at Penn State, but he lasted only a season there before being replaced. For the past year, he's been an offensive analyst with West Virginia. However, he won't be with the Mountaineers for the bowl game.

Instead, he'll be calling plays for Minnesota!

Ciarocca recently returned to the Gophers, replacing Mike Sanford. This means Minnesota will have the same person calling plays from that great 2019 season, and that person also has an intimate knowledge of everything the Mountaineers offense does.


Oh, and West Virginia will be without RB Leddie Brown (1,065 yards rushing, 13 touchdowns, 217 yards receiving) and WR Isaiah Esdale (29 receptions, 362 yards). If all that isn't enough, Minnesota has won both of its previous bowl games under P.J. Fleck. Considering Fleck is a living can of Red Bull, we can safely assume his team will be showing up ready to play. Minnesota 28, West Virginia 21 | Minnesota -5


From Tom Fornelli at CBS Sportsline.
Someone didn't do his homework before punching out for Christmas Break.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
If you read all the "picks," most of the reporters who picked WV said something like, "on paper, MN looks like the better team, but I'm going to pick WV." One guy admitted "I don't know anything about MN," and then picked WV to win. So, it doesn't sound like they put a lot of analysis into their predictions. One guy based his pick on the fact that Morgan has only thrown 10 TD passes and the Gopher's leading rusher only has 680 yards for the season.

Seriously, go back and read their comments. it's pretty funny.
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Looked at those picks and found this gem:

"Great fight song matchup in the Guaranteed Rate bowl. Hail West Virginia against the Minnesota Rouser. In 1909, the U of M campus newspaper as well as the Minneapolis Tribune launched a contest to come up with a new fight song. While the Rouser won out, another option ended up finding a home elsewhere in the Big 10. Wisconsin’s famed “On Wisconsin” was originally submitted for the Minnesota contest, but was withdrawn from the composer at the last minute and sent across the state line."
 

"Analysis" like Tom Fornelli's really makes you trust national commentators, doesn't it?
 

Iceland12 said:
Found one for you. From yesterday's The Athletic.


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There was also one (out of about 6 or 7) CBS Sports writers who predicted West Virginia would win. It was about an even split on the points though. No surprise that Jerry Palm was among those who took the points on West Virginia.
 

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