Predicting the next Indiana: These 3 teams could unexpectedly conquer the CFP (Minnesota)

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Bundy:

Minnesota (8-5 in 2025)​

While the Golden Gophers haven't necessarily been a doormat or anywhere near the level of bad Indiana was prior to the Cignetti era, they haven't really risen to a championship caliber. Their best season under head coach P.J. Fleck was in 2019 when Minnesota went 11-2 but missed out on the Big Ten Championship due to a tiebreaker.

With the right transfer class and an injection of resources, don't be surprised to see this Big Ten footnote emerge like Indiana did and make a run in the near future. Fleck knows how to rally a locker room around his leadership which is an invaluable resource when the talent is present. The Gophers really are one elite quarterback away from turning things all the way around in Minneapolis.

fansided.com

Predicting the next Indiana: These 3 teams could unexpectedly conquer the CFP

Don't be surprised if future playoffs feature more elite Cinderellas like 2025 Indiana.
fansided.com fansided.com

Go Gophers!!
 


BleedGopher said:
Per Bundy:

Minnesota (8-5 in 2025)​

The Gophers really are one elite quarterback away from turning things all the way around in Minneapolis.
Click to expand...
While I appreciate any respect our team gets, the bolded makes me think the author isn't paying much attention to us. I think it's obvious our right side of the offensive line, WRs, and maybe DTs/CBs are the positions we'd need elite play from, not QB.
 





BleedGopher said:
Per Bundy:

Minnesota (8-5 in 2025)​

While the Golden Gophers haven't necessarily been a doormat or anywhere near the level of bad Indiana was prior to the Cignetti era, they haven't really risen to a championship caliber. Their best season under head coach P.J. Fleck was in 2019 when Minnesota went 11-2 but missed out on the Big Ten Championship due to a tiebreaker.

With the right transfer class and an injection of resources, don't be surprised to see this Big Ten footnote emerge like Indiana did and make a run in the near future. Fleck knows how to rally a locker room around his leadership which is an invaluable resource when the talent is present. The Gophers really are one elite quarterback away from turning things all the way around in Minneapolis.

fansided.com

Predicting the next Indiana: These 3 teams could unexpectedly conquer the CFP

Don't be surprised if future playoffs feature more elite Cinderellas like 2025 Indiana.
fansided.com fansided.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

The QB position is not the limiting factor for the Gophers at the moment. Pay attention, Bundy, whoever you are.
 

everybody knows my name said:
The QB position is not the limiting factor for the Gophers at the moment. Pay attention, Bundy, whoever you are.
Click to expand...

He didn't say Drake was "bad." He implied that he wasn't "elite." I think that's a fair assessment of Drake's performance as a redshirt freshman. The conference passing stats page lists him as the #11 ranked QB in the league in Quarterback Rating, just a hair above another freshman, Bryce Underwood.
 

TwistingMyMelon said:
He didn't say Drake was "bad." He implied that he wasn't "elite." I think that's a fair assessment of Drake's performance as a redshirt freshman. The conference passing stats page lists him as the #11 ranked QB in the league in Quarterback Rating, just a hair above another freshman, Bryce Underwood.
Click to expand...

More than that, he singled out QB as the limiting factor. He said we're an elite QB away from turning things around. But our QB performed well and has a ton of potential. He may even be elite.

Our team has other areas to improve that would make a much bigger impact.
 



TwistingMyMelon said:
He didn't say Drake was "bad." He implied that he wasn't "elite." I think that's a fair assessment of Drake's performance as a redshirt freshman. The conference passing stats page lists him as the #11 ranked QB in the league in Quarterback Rating, just a hair above another freshman, Bryce Underwood.
Click to expand...
Either way, QB isn't the limiting factor like ol' Bundy claimed. None of the Heisman finalists would have gotten us to the CFP with our offensive line, WRs, etc.
 

BleedGopher said:
Per Bundy:

Minnesota (8-5 in 2025)​

While the Golden Gophers haven't necessarily been a doormat or anywhere near the level of bad Indiana was prior to the Cignetti era, they haven't really risen to a championship caliber. Their best season under head coach P.J. Fleck was in 2019 when Minnesota went 11-2 but missed out on the Big Ten Championship due to a tiebreaker.

With the right transfer class and an injection of resources, don't be surprised to see this Big Ten footnote emerge like Indiana did and make a run in the near future. Fleck knows how to rally a locker room around his leadership which is an invaluable resource when the talent is present. The Gophers really are one elite quarterback away from turning things all the way around in Minneapolis.

fansided.com

Predicting the next Indiana: These 3 teams could unexpectedly conquer the CFP

Don't be surprised if future playoffs feature more elite Cinderellas like 2025 Indiana.
fansided.com fansided.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
I think he’s referring to the past and including us on this list because our current QB has potential to be that level!
 


everybody knows my name said:
More than that, he singled out QB as the limiting factor. He said we're an elite QB away from turning things around. But our QB performed well and has a ton of potential. He may even be elite.

Our team has other areas to improve that would make a much bigger impact.
Click to expand...

Sorry, given the things that are happening in the world and in our country right now, I can't get as upset as you about what some unknown schmuck with a web page writes about our football team.
 



TwistingMyMelon said:
Sorry, given the things that are happening in the world and in our country right now, I can't get as upset as you about what some unknown schmuck with a web page writes about our football team.
Click to expand...
But despite shouldering the weight of the world, you still have found the strength to comment on other people's reaction to said schmuck.
 


PoockItInfor6 said:
I think he’s referring to the past and including us on this list because our current QB has potential to be that level!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I bet the thought process went about like this, "lemme think of another team that hasn't had a lot of success and had plenty of down years like Indiana", then he identifies us and thinks, "well, QB is the most important position on the field so if they get one they can turn things around".

Doubt he ever bothered to even check our roster or anything.
 

If we had another $10 million we could solve a lot of roster issues. Get a top-end WR, CB, and a couple o-lineman and we have a pretty loaded team.
 

GoldRush said:
If we had another $10 million we could solve a lot of roster issues. Get a top-end WR, CB, and a couple o-lineman and we have a pretty loaded team.
Click to expand...

Those $$ allow depth, too. Unlike last year where Indiana was super lucky, they had multiple injuries this year that I thought would derail the season. That’s often the story for good non-blue bloods (see Minnesota 2021).
 

It will also be interesting to see how the average age of championship teams are moving forward. If you can get a bunch of older o-line players that have thousands of snaps under their belt and an elite QB, then we have a shell that can get us into the CFP.
 


well considering we're on the list with VT who went 3-9 and is rated because a bunch of backups from 7-6 PSU came with Franklin as well as OK State who went 1-11 and has like 50 transfers coming in, I'll go with the guy is just throwing darts for the reason that there's no downside and he had to publish an article.
 

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