Quick look at remaining opponents after week 4

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MNVCGUY

MNVCGUY

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Purdue - Dealing with some injuries escaped with a narrow win over an FAU team that made a TON of mistakes and stupid plays. We matchup well against them and Rossi does well defending their offense.

@Illinois - They look ok. Their game next week against Wisconsin should tell a lot.

@Penn State - Easily looks like the toughest team left on our schedule. They have played really well this year and it will be a tough game in Happy Valley.

Rutgers - They looked horrible against Iowa, sloppy with the ball and very little if any offense. We should be big favorites in this one.

@Nebraska - Off this week so couldn't lose another game. Not much mystery here, they have athletes but they are a complete and total mess.

Northwestern - Lost to Miami OH - they just aren't a good team this year. If we don't go 3-0 in the Rutgers, Nebraska, Northwestrn part of the schedule it will be a major diaappointment.

Iowaj - If you let their defense score you can lose. If you make them score, yeah not so much. Handled Rutgers and their defense/special teams look strong but they just are not good at offense, at all.

Wisconsin - Obliterated by Ohio State. Their defense has taken a massive step back from last year. Will be interesting to see how they do against Illinois next week.

Through 4 weeks we are the ONLY team in the West that doesn't have any massive question marks. We will be tested at some point this year but right now things look great for our Gophers heading into week 5.
 



The stars have aligned this year. This is the most complete Gophers team that I've ever seen. And it just so turns out that this is the WEAKEST Big Ten West that we've had since we've split into divisions.

At this point....we're looking at more than just winning the Big Ten West. It would be a massive failure (or a string of injuries) to not win the West. There's a legitimate possibility to win out the regular season. And just to be clear.....it's only partly because the Gophers are looking very good this year. The other half is because our schedule doesn't look difficult at all outside of the PSU game.
 





mnhoopboy said:
Illinois game gives me great concern. A much improved Illini team on the road combined with the possible look ahead to PSU.
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I'm not ready to buy into Illinois just yet. They lost to Indiana and will be coming off back to back games with Wisconsin and Iowa. I do think they are moving in the right direction, but if we are the team we look like we might be we will be fine.
 

Purdue starters who wwre out...Aidan, the rb Doerue, the wr Broc Thompson, ol Cam Craig, all Big safety Jalen Graham, db Reece Taylor
 



MNVCGUY said:
I'm not ready to buy into Illinois just yet. They lost to Indiana and will be coming off back to back games with Wisconsin and Iowa. I do think they are moving in the right direction, but if we are the team we look like we might be we will be fine.
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Yes...schedule helps vs Illini

We get PSU after they trip to Ann Arbor, before they are getting OSU in Happy Valley
 

MNVCGUY said:
Purdue - Dealing with some injuries escaped with a narrow win over an FAU team that made a TON of mistakes and stupid plays. We matchup well against them and Rossi does well defending their offense.

@Illinois - They look ok. Their game next week against Wisconsin should tell a lot.

@Penn State - Easily looks like the toughest team left on our schedule. They have played really well this year and it will be a tough game in Happy Valley.

Rutgers - They looked horrible against Iowa, sloppy with the ball and very little if any offense. We should be big favorites in this one.

@Nebraska - Off this week so couldn't lose another game. Not much mystery here, they have athletes but they are a complete and total mess.

Northwestern - Lost to Miami OH - they just aren't a good team this year. If we don't go 3-0 in the Rutgers, Nebraska, Northwestrn part of the schedule it will be a major diaappointment.

Iowaj - If you let their defense score you can lose. If you make them score, yeah not so much. Handled Rutgers and their defense/special teams look strong but they just are not good at offense, at all.

Wisconsin - Obliterated by Ohio State. Their defense has taken a massive step back from last year. Will be interesting to see how they do against Illinois next week.

Through 4 weeks we are the ONLY team in the West that doesn't have any massive question marks. We will be tested at some point this year but right now things look great for our Gophers heading into week 5.
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Nebraska sort of played today. Their quarterback totally blew up No. 6 Oklahoma in Norman. Five TDs. Four rushing and one passing.
 

mnhoopboy said:
Illinois game gives me great concern. A much improved Illini team on the road combined with the possible look ahead to PSU.
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I agree, we are going to the Illinois game and Brett B. always seems to get the better of us. I don't know why, but I would expect this to be Illinois' best performance of the year. No letdown on this one, Gophers!
 

go4rob said:
I agree, we are going to the Illinois game and Brett B. always seems to get the better of us. I don't know why, but I would expect this to be Illinois' best performance of the year. No letdown on this one, Gophers!
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Bielema was at Wisconsin from 06-12. Yes Wisconsin dominated us during that time but that was a very different Gopher team than what we have right now. As for last year......I think we can safetly say that this team and last year's team are just a little bit different on the offensive side of the ball... :)

Illinois may give us a battle but I don't know that I am willing to say Bielema has our number just yet.
 



After destroying MSU in East Lansing, the Gophers are no longer flying under anyone's radar. All the teams on our remaining schedule will circle the Minnesota game. Good teams like Penn State will see their game against the Gophers as a chance to cement their reputations and solidify the poll status. Lesser teams will see an opportunity to have one shining moment in an otherwise disappointing season by knocking off a highly-ranked Gophers squad.

From now on, we'll have targets on our backs.
 

I might be a bit disappointed or surprised if we don't clinch the west before we play Iowa.
The rest of the Big Ten West appears to all be ready to beat up on each other, and I feel we are 14 points better than all of them.
 






Plato said:
Be careful what you wish for.
The reward for winning the West is meeting tOSU in the championship game.
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We played them in the opener last season, and had them on the ropes until Mo went down. We had a lead as late as the mid- third quarter.

I think we just might be able to make that matchup interesting, at least.
 


Plato said:
Be careful what you wish for.
The reward for winning the West is meeting tOSU in the championship game.
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I wish for that (actually I’d rather play Michigan, but whatever). We hung with Ohio State last year. They would have more to lose than us.

But while I’m high on this team, I’m still not going to start browsing hotels in Indy just yet. @Penn State, @Illinois, and @Wisconsin will probably be tough games. And it feels like we drop a head scratcher every year—something like @Nebraska could be dangerous. They’re down and obviously worse than we are. But they’ll have nothing to lose, and we could underestimate them if we’re not careful, or if key players happen to have an off game at the wrong time (they have the talent to score sometimes).

In any case, anything less than 9-3 and winning the west will be disappointing to me. 8-4 with a bowl win could still be a “good” season, but it really feels like the West is ours for the taking this year.
 

RememberMurray said:
After destroying MSU in East Lansing, the Gophers are no longer flying under anyone's radar. All the teams on our remaining schedule will circle the Minnesota game. Good teams like Penn State will see their game against the Gophers as a chance to cement their reputations and solidify the poll status. Lesser teams will see an opportunity to have one shining moment in an otherwise disappointing season by knocking off a highly-ranked Gophers squad.

From now on, we'll have targets on our backs.
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You're on to something. I think Minnesota was on the edge of being in the national conversation before this game. This game put them on the leading edge. Normally it takes the next season for a "surprise" team to get recognized. Minnesota just scared a lot of future opponents after this and there is no next year in worrying about Minnesota. It's this year. They are no longer a surprise and I think people are starting to get nervous. Just a feeling from an outsider, but to manhandle MSU in this fashion is scary.
 

Too bad that PSU plays Michigan the game prior to the Gophers. Could potentially be an undefeated 2019 rematch with Gameday potential.

Also....while it's way too early at this point....if the Gophers win that Penn State game....we could have the West close to locked up. Iowa plays Michigan and OSU this year. Wisconsin still has tricky crossovers with MSU and Maryland. Meanwhile....we'd have Rutgers, Nebraska, and Northwestern the three games leading up to Iowa and Wisconsin to end the season.
 


Dakota2 said:
Nebraska sort of played today. Their quarterback totally blew up No. 6 Oklahoma in Norman. Five TDs. Four rushing and one passing.
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Corn Nation has a short request for forgiveness that's a fun watch...

 




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