Pherson: PSU game has gone from game MN "could" win, to game MN "should" win

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BleedGopher

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Pherson: PSU game has gone from game MN "could" win, to game MN "should" win

per Pherson:

Things get more interesting this weekend as the Gophers begin the Big Ten portion of their schedule. After another wild day in the Midwest, it seems no team remaining on the Minnesota schedule is unbeatable if the Gophers put forth a complete effort. However, no team remaining on the schedule is incapable of beating the Gophers, so a lackluster effort on any given Saturday likely will equal a loss.

With a lagging Big Ten, games such as Saturday's road tilt at Penn State have gone from games the Gophers "could" win to games they "should" win.

The Nittany Lions are bad this year. A program that previously featured dominant defenses ... well, that's a thing of the past. Penn State was destroyed by Michigan on Saturday. Earlier in the season, they barely beat Temple and they lost to Pittsburgh. That won't put fear in the hearts of any future Penn State foes.

After that, the Gophers host a struggling Iowa team, which lost to an FCS school two weeks ago and barely squeaked past lowly Rutgers on Saturday. Getting the Hawkeyes at The Bank means the Gophers likely will be favored in that game, too, barring a monumental letdown at Penn State next weekend.

After that it's Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Purdue. The Gophers should win all four games.

With Leidner improving and every back on the roster having success running the football, the defense must flex its muscle over the next few weeks. If that happens, the Gophers could find themselves 9-0 and on the verge of something special. However, one misstep with this soft schedule, and all bets are off.

http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/...cle_2f138922-f2b0-52ff-8f24-6d292b61f7d4.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Not sure you could look at any Big Ten game and call it a should win until we shore up a leaky defense. Opposing punters should bring a book right now as they aren't being asked to do much. I'm still hopeful for this to be a good season if we get some guys back and/or see some improvement, but we need to get off the field on third down. I'm trepidatious about what this defense will look like against conference opponents.
 

BleedGopher said:
After that, the Gophers host a struggling Iowa team, which lost to an FCS school two weeks ago and barely squeaked past lowly Rutgers on Saturday. Getting the Hawkeyes at The Bank means the Gophers likely will be favored in that game, too, barring a monumental letdown at Penn State next weekend.
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What a farce of a paragraph. It implies that we're favored this weekend (we're not, at least according to Vegas) and that we'll be favored next weekend (we won't be, barring some epic dismantling of Penn State and NW beating Iowa in IC).
 

If the Gophers want to be taken seriously as a B1G West contender, this is a game they have to win. Penn State is not very good, and they are poorly coached. Gopher fans should expect them to win, and they should expect them to beat Iowa next week, too (though I think Iowa is much better than the Nittanys).
 

It's time to start winning some games were are not supposed to win.
 


SelectionSunday said:
If the Gophers want to be taken seriously as a B1G West contender, this is a game they have to win. Penn State is not very good, and they are poorly coached. Gopher fans should expect them to win, and they should expect them to beat Iowa next week, too (though I think Iowa is much better than the Nittanys).
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+1. Spot on. It's time to take the next step as a program. These next weeks give us that opportunity.
 

James Franklin reminds me of Tim Brewster. Always running off at the mouth. Not sure Limey is helping that much. Hopefully our linebackers our ready for all the screens and delayed crossing patterns that we will see on a Sat.
 


About the only thing he got right is that we should go 4-0 in the stretch of Maryland through Purdue games. We can and possibly will win each of the next two games, but won't be favored in either.
 



SelectionSunday said:
If the Gophers want to be taken seriously as a B1G West contender, this is a game they have to win. Penn State is not very good, and they are poorly coached. Gopher fans should expect them to win, and they should expect them to beat Iowa next week, too (though I think Iowa is much better than the Nittanys).
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Agree that to be a contender this is a must win game for the Gophers. As was pointed out in another thread it will probably take at least 7 wins to win the West so for that to happen you need to beat teams like Penn State who doesn't look all that good right now. Think the story may be selling Iowa a little short saying they lost to an FCS team. While technically true, NDSU has proven to be very capable of beating FBS teams over the years and has had a great run going. Still they haven't looked great and winning all your home games is key if you want to contend.
 

Gopher07 said:
What a farce of a paragraph. It implies that we're favored this weekend (we're not, at least according to Vegas) and that we'll be favored next weekend (we won't be, barring some epic dismantling of Penn State and NW beating Iowa in IC).
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Yeah, a bit clunky...I read it as favored over Rutgers and Ia assuming road win at PSU. Line is dropping. Based on how NW has played, if they keep it close, that could be enough to make us favored against Ia.
 

The Gophers aren't yet a program that have "should" wins outside of some OOC games.

Folks around here like to pull out "should" because I guess they expect the team to just get better every year just because they would like that.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
The Gophers aren't yet a program that have "should" wins outside of some OOC games.

Folks around here like to pull out "should" because I guess they expect the team to just get better every year just because they would like that.
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There needs to be a turning point where that changes. Last year showed the team could hang in and be there at the end in very challenging road environments against very good teams. Based on TC's comments and the favorable schedule, this should be that year.
 



MNVCGUY said:
Agree that to be a contender this is a must win game for the Gophers. As was pointed out in another thread it will probably take at least 7 wins to win the West so for that to happen you need to beat teams like Penn State who doesn't look all that good right now. Think the story may be selling Iowa a little short saying they lost to an FCS team. While technically true, NDSU has proven to be very capable of beating FBS teams over the years and has had a great run going. Still they haven't looked great and winning all your home games is key if you want to contend.
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Good read, thanks. Still think 6-3 (with tiebreaker needed) could get a West team to Indianapolis, though I agree with you 7-2 more likely. My opinion on that will change if the Badgers beat either Michigan or Ohio State in the next two weeks. If that happens then 7-2 or 8-1 with a head-to-head win over Wisconsin becomes the prerequisite for the Gophers to win the West.
 

PMWinSTP said:
There needs to be a turning point where that changes. Last year showed the team could hang in and be there at the end in very challenging road environments against very good teams. Based on TC's comments and the favorable schedule, this should be that year.
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There's no reason to belive there is automatically a turning point because we want it to happen .... I mean look around college football.

As for HC comments, I like to read them but man you're gonna have a hard time if you buy into those.
 

I obviously don't have to say it, but I hope I am WRONG when I say the following: D1 football is tough and the Gophers will not only have their hands full (as underdogs, no less) against Penn State, but I predict they lose to someone like Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, or Illinois. Yes, the Gophers SHOULD win all four but past history says winning 2 or 3 is more likely. It is B1G level football and it will be guys in their teens and early 20's playing. Weird things happen. One of the few things I have learned from the Gophers first 3 games is it is a team that isn't good enough to just show up and win against any other B1G team. I think showing up and winning is possible against Indiana State. But not Penn State or Maryland.
 

Schnauzer said:
I obviously don't have to say it, but I hope I am WRONG when I say the following: D1 football is tough and the Gophers will not only have their hands full (as underdogs, no less) against Penn State, but I predict they lose to someone like Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, or Illinois. Yes, the Gophers SHOULD win all four but past history says winning 2 or 3 is more likely. It is B1G level football and it will be guys in their teens and early 20's playing. Weird things happen. One of the few things I have learned from the Gophers first 3 games is it is a team that isn't good enough to just show up and win against any other B1G team. I think showing up and winning is possible against Indiana State. But not Penn State or Maryland.
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I'm equally skeptical. We're not beyond a derp game or two.... and Penn St. might not even be a derp game....
 

Schnauzer said:
I obviously don't have to say it, but I hope I am WRONG when I say the following: D1 football is tough and the Gophers will not only have their hands full (as underdogs, no less) against Penn State, but I predict they lose to someone like Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, or Illinois. Yes, the Gophers SHOULD win all four but past history says winning 2 or 3 is more likely. It is B1G level football and it will be guys in their teens and early 20's playing. Weird things happen. One of the few things I have learned from the Gophers first 3 games is it is a team that isn't good enough to just show up and win against any other B1G team. I think showing up and winning is possible against Indiana State. But not Penn State or Maryland.
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Just because someone thinks the Gophers win those games doesn't mean they believe they will just show up and win. I don't think anyone here has argued that.
 

Kuato Lives! said:
Just because someone thinks the Gophers win those games doesn't mean they believe they will just show up and win. I don't think anyone here has argued that.
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Yeah, and I am PREDICTING one of those four games will be a loss. Perhaps others are predicting that too?
 


Jack jones said:
James Franklin reminds me of Tim Brewster. Always running off at the mouth. Not sure Limey is helping that much. Hopefully our linebackers our ready for all the screens and delayed crossing patterns that we will see on a Sat.
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Their O-line is considered to be much improved from the last few years. O isn't really their problem anyways.
 


Winter is coming. Get out the snowmobile suits, long johns, and parkas. Underestimate this team all you want. When the D puts it together this week you might start to believe. We are 3-0 whether you like it or not.
 

With this leaky defense the Gophers will be lucky to beat Penn State

diehard said:
Winter is coming. Get out the snowmobile suits, long johns, and parkas. Underestimate this team all you want. When the D puts it together this week you might start to believe. We are 3-0 whether you like it or not.
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No Big 10 road game will be an automatic win, not even the Illinois game for the Gophers. Gophers are not good enough on the defensive side of the football to be favored on the road against anyone in the Big 10. Gophers tackle to poorly and take too many bad angles to the football right now. A lot of mistakes on the defensive side of the ball, hopefully they can correct it soon.

The Gophers defense gave up 24 points to a mediocre CSU team, and Gophers trailed a really crappy Oregon State team into the fourth quarter. Gophers may be a 3-0 team but they are a very lucky to be 3-0 team that has beaten some really lousy competition. No excuses you can only play who is on the schedule ,but this team has made a ton of mistakes with all of the penalties and pre snap penalties.
Penn State has played Michigan and Pitt, two programs clearly a much larger step up competition wise than the Gophers. You would have to be blind to see how very mediocre the Gophers defense has been so far this season. Without the blitz of Devers getting pressure or the turnovers, the QB stands back with way too much time to throw the football. The gamblers are going to hammer the line to the point, Penn State is favored. Penn State has a good running game, and the Gophers just gave up a ton of yards to Colorado State, not a ringing endorsement for a Big 10 team. The Gophers offense is going to have to win in a shoot out because this defense is going to give up a ton of points to Penn State. I hate saying that but with all of the injury's there is a ton of youth and inexperience playing on defense. The D is going to have to grow up fast and start playing better.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
The Gophers aren't yet a program that have "should" wins outside of some OOC games.

Folks around here like to pull out "should" because I guess they expect the team to just get better every year just because they would like that.
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I'm comfortable saying Purdue at home is a should win, perhaps Northwestern or Rutgers too.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
There's no reason to belive there is automatically a turning point because we want it to happen .... I mean look around college football.

As for HC comments, I like to read them but man you're gonna have a hard time if you buy into those.
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Not exactly what I said but I'll play along. What would be considered a turning point in you opinion?
 


The Gophers could win all the rest of their games, lose all the rest of their games, or win or lose somewhere in between. The beauty of college football.
 


gopherdudepart2 said:
Gophers may be a 3-0 team but they are a very lucky to be 3-0 team
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Dang! You had me up until this comment. "Lucky" is about the last word I would think of to describe the Gophers first three victories. I do think the defense has warts and Oregon State and Colorado State in particular should have been more comfortable wins, but they certainly weren't "lucky" wins.
 

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