Nate Sandell: Would a win propel Gophers to a top-25 ranking in AP poll?

[BleedGopher]

per Sandell:

Six of the teams in the bottom half of the AP poll have one more loss than the Gophers, but it's understandable why Minnesota's rise into the national conversation has been slow.

While the Gophers have taken significant strides as a program this season, they still remain largely unproven. Only two of the seven teams they have faced currently hold winning records -- No. 10 TCU (5-1) and Middle Tennessee State (5-3). Minnesota's conference schedule is backloaded, with its most anticipated matchups yet to come (Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin).

The downtrodden perception of the Big Ten this season also doesn't help the Gophers' case.

Gophers cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, reflecting an oft-cited mentality that coach Jerry Kill has tried to cement since taking over the program, prefers not being ranked.

"I don't want that," Boddy-Calhoun said last week. "It's not something I like too much. I love praise, everyone does, but we like to stay focused and we like the doubters. We like to prove teams wrong."

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...l_Gophers_to_a_top25_ranking_in_AP_poll102114

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gopher07]

It's a possibility, for sure. If we win, we're almost assured to have one of 22 West Virginia/27 Oklahoma State and one of 20 USC/19 Utah fall behind us (since they play each other), and then an LSU loss to Ole Miss pushes us to #25 simply by teams falling behind us.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

It's a possibility, for sure. If we win, we're almost assured to have one of 22 West Virginia/27 Oklahoma State and one of 20 USC/19 Utah fall behind us (since they play each other), and then an LSU loss to Ole Miss pushes us to #25 simply by teams falling behind us.

I agree we can jump those teams if they lose. Beating a dumpster fire like Illinois isn't going to convince anyone they underrated you, so I would be surprised if we passed anyone who either wins or is idle this week.

 

[hungan1]

per Sandell:

Six of the teams in the bottom half of the AP poll have one more loss than the Gophers, but it's understandable why Minnesota's rise into the national conversation has been slow.

While the Gophers have taken significant strides as a program this season, they still remain largely unproven. Only two of the seven teams they have faced currently hold winning records -- No. 10 TCU (5-1) and Middle Tennessee State (5-3). Minnesota's conference schedule is backloaded, with its most anticipated matchups yet to come (Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin).

The downtrodden perception of the Big Ten this season also doesn't help the Gophers' case.

Gophers cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, reflecting an oft-cited mentality that coach Jerry Kill has tried to cement since taking over the program, prefers not being ranked.

"I don't want that," Boddy-Calhoun said last week. "It's not something I like too much. I love praise, everyone does, but we like to stay focused and we like the doubters. We like to prove teams wrong."

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...l_Gophers_to_a_top25_ranking_in_AP_poll102114

Go Gophers!!

They keep this attitude up, and they may knock off tOSU!

 

[golden boy]

Am I alone in not getting all the chatter about being ranked right now. Finish the year with 3+ wins in the last 5 games and everything will take care of itself.

 

[Gopher07]

Am I alone in not getting all the chatter about being ranked right now. Finish the year with 3+ wins in the last 5 games and everything will take care of itself.

Eh, no, but it's a novelty for us. I agree that finishing the year ranked is a much better indicator than being ranked in mid-October.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Next week we get the rankings (CFP) that truly matter

With a win over Illinois, am most curious to see whether the Gophers will be in the top 25 of the CFP Selection Committee's initial rankings a week from today. Also anxious to see if the committee is as down on the ranked Big Ten teams (MSU, OSU, Nebraska, Gophers) as the rest of the country apparently is.

 

[Hollinsanity]

With a win over Illinois, am most curious to see whether the Gophers will be in the top 25 of the CFP Selection Committee's initial rankings a week from today. Also anxious to see if the committee is as down on the ranked Big Ten teams (MSU, OSU, Nebraska, Gophers) as the rest of the country apparently is.

+1, more so the aspect as to the "elite" Big Ten teams. How will they compare to TCU, Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, etc.

Will be really interesting to see how the one-loss teams stack up in the CFP committee rankings, as it looks very likely that the CFP will have to pick a few one-loss teams but also leave a few out.

 

[SelectionSunday]

+1, more so the aspect as to the "elite" Big Ten teams. How will they compare to TCU, Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, etc.

Will be really interesting to see how the one-loss teams stack up in the CFP committee rankings, as it looks very likely that the CFP will have to pick a few one-loss teams but also leave a few out.

Assuming MSU beats Michigan this week, I'd be really surprised if either Notre Dame or Baylor is ahead of Sparty. I'm thinking MSU will be #6 or 7, behind Mississippi State, Florida State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Oregon, and perhaps Auburn. Even higher if Ole Miss gets dumped in Baton Rouge on Saturday.

 

[husker70]

Don't worry about how other coaches or writers think about you, just win the game at Illinois. Go to 4-0. And possibly see one of the pursuers lose.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

The committee is composed of very busy high achievers. I have zero faith they will do a good job selecting the 4 best teams. I'd rather have the working stiffs over at SBNation picking the teams. I want guys sitting in their basements, in their underwear eating pork rinds with beer, who live and breathe football and watch games all day Sat,Sun, Mon.

Why would we expect employed athletics directors, administrators, and a retired Air Force Lt general to do a better job than the daily gopher crew? Or Bill Connelly, or any of the othe football stats savants? Would we normally breathlessly wait for a poll of athletics directors? Really?

They are simply too busy to do a good job with this. Sorry. Maybe if they were retired and had time to pay attention.

 

[GopherGod]

The committee is composed of very busy high achievers. I have zero faith they will do a good job selecting the 4 best teams. I'd rather have the working stiffs over at SBNation picking the teams. I want guys sitting in their basements, in their underwear eating pork rinds with beer, who live and breathe football and watch games all day Sat,Sun, Mon. Why would we expect employed athletics directors, administrators, and a retired Air Force Lt general to do a better job than the daily gopher crew? Or Bill Connelly, or any of the othe football stats savants? Would we normally breathlessly wait for a poll of athletics directors? Really? They are simply too busy to do a good job with this. Sorry. Maybe if they were retired and had time to pay attention.

Several members on the committee are retired and most know football better than any of the "working stiffs"

 

[SelectionSunday]

The committee is composed of very busy high achievers. I have zero faith they will do a good job selecting the 4 best teams. I'd rather have the working stiffs over at SBNation picking the teams. I want guys sitting in their basements, in their underwear eating pork rinds with beer, who live and breathe football and watch games all day Sat,Sun, Mon.

Why would we expect employed athletics directors, administrators, and a retired Air Force Lt general to do a better job than the daily gopher crew? Or Bill Connelly, or any of the othe football stats savants? Would we normally breathlessly wait for a poll of athletics directors? Really?

They are simply too busy to do a good job with this. Sorry. Maybe if they were retired and had time to pay attention.

They (selection committee) will do fine. Doesn't matter who they select, they'll be criticized, but they won't make these decisions lightly. I don't want computer geeks or Joe Sixpack determining the CFP participants.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I'd rather have conference champions, period. This format is insane and lessens the value of the regular season. But nobody asked me.

 

[SelectionSunday]

5 autos + 3 at-larges already clearly the answer

I'd rather have conference champions, period. This format is insane and lessens the value of the regular season. But nobody asked me.

I'm with you 100% on the conference champions, but's it's just not possible with only 4 teams. Hope they scrap the original plan (not sure how long they committed to 4 playoff teams) and go to 8 quickly. So much simpler with 8. Automatic bids for the Power 5 conferences. That immediately gets rid of the stigma/ridicule of a conference not making the playoff. That means every season the Power 5 conferences will get a shot to prove themselves on the biggest stage. Then 3 at-large bids can come from anywhere, as it should be. And if Notre Dame doesn't like it, tough ti**ies, they can pick a major conference and join it full time.

This isn't basketball where it's a 68-team tournament and you can give the smaller conferences automatic bids without any grave injustices being done. A team from outside the Power 5 simply will have to be really good and beat 2-3 quality opponents to have any chance at one of those 3 at-larges.

 

[t-docious]

I'm with you 100% on the conference champions, but's it's just not possible with only 4 teams. Hope they scrap the original plan (not sure how long they committed to 4 playoff teams) and go to 8 quickly. So much simpler with 8. Automatic bids for the Power 5 conferences. That immediately gets rid of the stigma/ridicule of a conference not making the playoff. That means every season the Power 5 conferences will get a shot to prove themselves on the biggest stage. Then 3 at-large bids can come from anywhere, as it should be.

This isn't basketball where it's a 68-team tournament and you can give the smaller conferences automatic bids without any grave injustices being done. A team from outside the Power 5 simply will have to be really good and beat 2-3 quality opponents to have any chance at one of those 3 at-larges.

I htink that this is as good of system as any, and im totally with you. 4 just seems a little light... Maybe as the bowl system starts to fade 5 to 10 years down the road we can implement something like this.

 

[jovs]

I'd rather have conference champions, period. This format is insane and lessens the value of the regular season. But nobody asked me.

I agree, the top 3 out of 5 BCS conference champions should be in the playoff with the other two champions in a play in game, force the independents to join a conference or be left out.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I htink that this is as good of system as any, and im totally with you. 4 just seems a little light... Maybe as the bowl system starts to fade 5 to 10 years down the road we can implement something like this.

Don't know if it's possible legally or whatever, but am hoping we see an 8-team playoff within 2-3 years. I have to believe there's going to be so much angst from the conferences that don't get their champion in the playoff that there will be a call for swift change. I would say especially so if the first couple years of the 4-team CFP becomes a quasi "SEC + Florida State Invitational".