BleedGopher
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Per RandBall:
It's easy to be pessimistic about the near-term future of the Gophers football program.
After relative stability and success in 2019, 2021 and 2022, P.J. Fleck's Gophers slumped to a five-win regular season in 2023 -- including losses in their last four Big Ten games.
They enter 2024 with oddsmakers having set their over-under victory total at 4.5, owing to a daunting schedule and last year's disappointing finish. The Big Ten is adding four new schools that will make it harder for Minnesota to compete for a conference title. And the era of name, image and likeness plus the transfer portal makes it harder to build a program from the ground up -- a strength of Fleck.
But I'm asking you to set all that aside for a moment and take a look at the long view. For the first time in several decades, the Gophers have a realistic chance to be a contender on the national stage.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
It's easy to be pessimistic about the near-term future of the Gophers football program.
After relative stability and success in 2019, 2021 and 2022, P.J. Fleck's Gophers slumped to a five-win regular season in 2023 -- including losses in their last four Big Ten games.
They enter 2024 with oddsmakers having set their over-under victory total at 4.5, owing to a daunting schedule and last year's disappointing finish. The Big Ten is adding four new schools that will make it harder for Minnesota to compete for a conference title. And the era of name, image and likeness plus the transfer portal makes it harder to build a program from the ground up -- a strength of Fleck.
But I'm asking you to set all that aside for a moment and take a look at the long view. For the first time in several decades, the Gophers have a realistic chance to be a contender on the national stage.
![www.startribune.com](/boards/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Farc.stimg.co%2Fstartribunemedia%2FX4S4FZPYKYW36YF4I5UFVNM3SY.jpg%3Fh%3D630%26w%3D1200%26fit%3Dcrop%26bg%3D999%26crop%3Dfaces&hash=1c6ad19a4b8b2a07eceae0419df06013&return_error=1)
Pessimism? Nah. Now the best Gophers teams can compete in College Football Playoff
Reasons to be down on the Gophers' place in college football abound. But let's look at one positive: a 12-team College Football Playoff leaves room for programs like Minnesota.
![www.startribune.com](/boards/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startribune.com%2Fimg%2Ftouch-icon-iphone-retina.png%3Fd%3D1719329587&hash=2c1a33c34fa0e6725d52088b9dfca8ff&return_error=1)
Go Gophers!!