Post Game Thread: Gophers lose heartbreaker to PSU


Considering that Minnesota has by far the lowest number of 3, 4, and 5 star recruits within 200 miles of any Big Ten team, I think Fleck has recruited pretty well. Maybe Minnesota fans will open up their pockets a bit more and NIL can help close the gap.
You have any sort of data to back this up? Lincoln is a hard no. Iowa City is 220 miles from Chicago. Eugene? Guessing no. Even Seattle, I'd like to see numbers
 

You have any sort of data to back this up? Lincoln is a hard no. Iowa City is 220 miles from Chicago. Eugene? Guessing no. Even Seattle, I'd like to see numbers
I didn’t even consider Washington and Oregon. Eugene is way way more than 200 miles from 4 start target rich territory.
 







So now we’re giving participation trophies?
The conversation was why is Iowa and Wisconsin competitive and we aren’t. We clearly can compete with these two teams despite a bad stretch of close losses vs Iowa. We recruit on their level. Iowa and Wisconsin are not competitive with PSU, OSU, Michigan, and Oregon either.
 




The blocked punt and FG were nice, leading to 9 Gopher points. Brosmer had a decent game overall. The defense came to play for most of the game - but ran out of gas late. The nice TD to Geers was sweet.

The run game continues to sputter. Not sure what happened on the blown coverage on PSUs first TD. That fake punt…they steamrolled as MN defense fell away. Not sure what happened. Great play by PSU, horrible by MN.

I’ll gently disagree with some here on that last offensive drive, great spot to keep taking shots for a TD, hope for a conversion or a flag. I understand the thinking on hoping to get the ball back. Didn't like laying up as a big underdog, hoping PSU doesn’t drive down for a FG or TD versus a tiring defense, with nothing to lose season-wise, when long drives against a top defense have been tough sledding all day, and with a somewhat shaky FG kicker from long distances. PJ is just a little too conservative at times for my liking. Too much chess when checkers are fine.

All that said, close game, heartbreaker, and nice to see a competitive game versus what the polls say is a top 10 team. Just didn’t close the deal this time. Beat the stinking Badgers, spoil their hopes for a bowl season, and help get their idiot AD and coach firmly on the hot seat.
 

Watch the replay. Right before the fake punt the most amazing thing happens. The cameraman focuses on a boy about 12 years old, and the boy nervously mouths, pretty clearly, “They’re gonna fake it.”
 




One of the best games in the top 25 today. PSU is pretty talented and scrappy but they’re just that - not in the same tier as Oregon or OSU. Maybe not even Indiana. Probably 4th best in B1G while Gophers are 7-9, which is where you get a hard fought 1 point home loss.
Indiana got exposed yesterday. PSU is definitely better.
 

So now we’re giving participation trophies?
The Flecksters are grasping as straws at this point, Fleck is 7-12 in Power 4 games from last year and this year. This isn't even mediocre results which is our ceiling.
 

Late 4th quarter with a slim lead, with where PSU was on the field, you have to almost plan for the fake punt. Leave your D on the field and make sure they a) call ut off because your are prepared for it or b) you stop them.
Who cares that you’re not setting up a return. We fair caught every punt anyway.
If you are surprised that they are punting (and I was), you should expect the fake.
That first down was the back breaker.
Major coaching mistake.
 


Indiana got exposed yesterday. PSU is definitely better.

They did, which was sad to see. Ohio State shut them down. I’m not 100% sure PSU is better as they don’t play this year in a stupidly large conference, but they might well be. Penn State will have a chance to prove themselves again versus the big boys in the post season. Indiana probably won’t.
 


On that last drive, there were three third and longs. PSU made each into 4th and 1, enabling the drive to continue. In each instance, the Gophers failed to stop a chunk play.

There was at least one blatant hold on those plays. Joyner specifically was being grabbed and held.
 


The Flecksters are grasping as straws at this point, Fleck is 7-12 in Power 4 games from last year and this year. This isn't even mediocre results which is our ceiling.
Your comment sounds like: …stuff it stuff…”, Stuff. “…Flecksters have won and the stuffsters don’t have enough status or connections or history of major donations …” to make anyone notice. Perhaps it’s kind of stuffy of me to bring such insignificant stuff up Stuff, but Coach Fleck is the stuff a decent B1G i coach is
made of! ;0)
[/QUOTE]
 

They did, which was sad to see. Ohio State shut them down. I’m not 100% sure PSU is better as they don’t play this year in a stupidly large conference, but they might well be. Penn State will have a chance to prove themselves again versus the big boys in the post season. Indiana probably won’t.
After the absolute tank job from the SEC, I’d envision indiana is in if they don’t blow it vs Purdue
 

Your comment sounds like: …stuff it stuff…”, Stuff. “…Flecksters have won and the stuffsters don’t have enough status or connections or history of major donations …” to make anyone notice. Perhaps it’s kind of stuffy of me to bring such insignificant stuff up Stuff, but Coach Fleck is the stuff a decent B1G i coach is
made of! ;0)
[/QUOTE]
Did the old folks home forget to give you your meds again this morning?
 

After the absolute tank job from the SEC, I’d envision indiana is in if they don’t blow it vs Purdue

After the drubbing yesterday my enthusiasm for Indiana has gone in the tank. Clock struck midnight, and they couldn’t hang. That sucks. I’ll cop to my cynicism meter being stuck at full bore on but after years of listening to the committee put forth strength of schedule, quality wins, quality losses, game control and other tortured numbers to justify their picks I’m going to expect the TV execs and conferences to have a full seat at the table. They want eyeballs. Unfortunately WHATEVER absurdities we see, teams picked this year all we have is a bucket of muck, and Oregon (and they’re not that great either).

Bah humbug 😆
 

Indiana got exposed yesterday. PSU is definitely better.
On what basis? The OSU-PSU and IU-OSU game scores? That is not a valid comparison. OSU has been getting stronger throughout the season (wouldn’t that be nice?) and the PSU game was a whiteout in Happy Valley versus IU visiting the ‘Show, first time Cignetti has ever coached there. Illinois at home is the only decent win PSU has, otherwise it’s mostly losing teams and 6-5 teams.I don’t think PSU and IU are much different.

B18 should get 4 teams in the playoff if they’re 12-0, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1. It’s not like the old B1G asking for 4 bids. This is 18 teams now including the historically top 1/3 of the PAC 12.
 

On what basis? The OSU-PSU and IU-OSU game scores? That is not a valid comparison. OSU has been getting stronger throughout the season (wouldn’t that be nice?) and the PSU game was a whiteout in Happy Valley versus IU visiting the ‘Show, first time Cignetti has ever coached there. Illinois at home is the only decent win PSU has, otherwise it’s mostly losing teams and 6-5 teams.I don’t think PSU and IU are much different.

B18 should get 4 teams in the playoff if they’re 12-0, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1. It’s not like the old B1G asking for 4 bids. This is 18 teams now including the historically top 1/3 of the PAC 12.
It's not obvious to you?
 

After the drubbing yesterday my enthusiasm for Indiana has gone in the tank. Clock struck midnight, and they couldn’t hang. That sucks. I’ll cop to my cynicism meter being stuck at full bore on but after years of listening to the committee put forth strength of schedule, quality wins, quality losses, game control and other tortured numbers to justify their picks I’m going to expect the TV execs and conferences to have a full seat at the table. They want eyeballs. Unfortunately WHATEVER absurdities we see, teams picked this year all we have is a bucket of muck, and Oregon (and they’re not that great either).

Bah humbug 😆


Well, for better, or for worse: the hurring Hoosier brain trust committed 64 million for the next 8 seasons to keep his show in Bloomington. Will his pipeline from his old school keep feeding him enough players to repeat this season when he draws a more challenging conference schedule? And will his funding for NIL purchases of players make Indy a new member of blue-blooded power football elite gurus?
He certainly is a coach full of good, positive, though kind of cocky esteem.

Time will tell.

Maybe he is what some think he is and he says he is!
 
Last edited:

Did the old folks home forget to give you your meds again this morning?
[/QUOTE]

I am damn old. But, Stuff: your stuff is pretty old too. ;0)
 





Top Bottom