Time to start believing

bottlebass

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All my casual gopher fan friends and non gophers fan friends all season have kept saying "we haven't beat anyone good" etc etc. We've all heard it. And although I'm a huge fan and was enjoying our wins part of me agreed with them. But I've never seen a gopher team legitimately dominate other B1G teams like this. Years past even the worst of the worst B1G teams would give us close games and losses. Not this year. This year is different. We are dominating, just dominating! There is something different about this team. I believe they can beat anybody if they play their game and everyone does their job. Yes anybody!

Let's go, beat Penn State! Make everyone a believer!

No I'm not still drunk from last night :drink:
 

Yeah....casual fans have heard that excuse from the dorks simply trying to get people riled up or by those who don't watch the games and know no better. By even that narrative has been beginning to die down now that we've simply been burying these "nobody" teams. We're doing to them what OSU and PSU are doing to them....what the true powers are doing to them....beating them in dominating fashion....truly earning what the CFP committee would consider "style points". I'm not even sure that Illinois, Nebraska, and Maryland are teams that you would consider to be horrible. They aren't good teams, but they all have the ability to stay competitive with some of the better teams in the conference, and Illinois and Nebraska both have a decent shot to make it to bowl games this year.
 

Yes, the domination is new, complete, shocking, and wonderful! It leads me to believe we are good enough to beat Northwestern, Iowa, and Wiscy. It leads me to HOPE we might just be good enough to hang with Penn State. I watched the Penn State/Michigan game, and left saying “holy cow, those guys are really good”. As you know, PS beat MI, and MI just crushed Notre Dame. PS looks worthy of their ranking and has really good skill players.

The insane thing about our crushing victory against Maryland is that Tanner had another off day. We absolutely crush a team that beat us the past two years when our QB was off. To beat PSU, we will need Tanner to have one of his crazy accurate games, and pretty much everything else fall our direction, but it could happen!


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The coaching staff is going to be all in on this one and the team well prepared. This is not just any opportunity. This team is already as good as the 1960 team in terms of legend to this point in the season. Win each play.
 

Everyone in this story is right. Nebby is the best team we have beat - and they aren’t very good. However, the style we are winning in tells a story as well. 2-weeks from now we will know which argument is stronger. It’ll be a loooong 2 weeks.


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Yes, the domination is new, complete, shocking, and wonderful! It leads me to believe we are good enough to beat Northwestern, Iowa, and Wiscy. It leads me to HOPE we might just be good enough to hang with Penn State. I watched the Penn State/Michigan game, and left saying “holy cow, those guys are really good”. As you know, PS beat MI, and MI just crushed Notre Dame. PS looks worthy of their ranking and has really good skill players.

The insane thing about our crushing victory against Maryland is that Tanner had another off day. We absolutely crush a team that beat us the past two years when our QB was off. To beat PSU, we will need Tanner to have one of his crazy accurate games, and pretty much everything else fall our direction, but it could happen!


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We are easily good enough to hang with PSU, they might blow us out as anything can happen in a given week, but we have enough talent and are coached well enough that we should be able to hang with PSU more often than not in my opinion. PSU is the best team we’ve played with Rossi, but no one so far has blown us out.
 

My only concern is how will the run game hold up against Penn State. Penn State has one of the best run defenses in the conference. The Big Ten teams the Gophers have faced are all ranked at or near the bottom for run defense.
 

My only concern is how will the run game hold up against Penn State. Penn State has one of the best run defenses in the conference. The Big Ten teams the Gophers have faced are all ranked at or near the bottom for run defense.

I agree with this...it'll be a huge challenge and we'll see more punts than we're accustomed to, but Gophers don't need to rush for 300 to win. Get 130 on the ground and 220 in the air (both of which seem reasonable) and win 23-20 or something like that. I'd bet anything the team ain't gonna hang 35+ on PSU, but again, not necessary. Absolutely gonna be a great challenge, but I think MN is up for it!
 

I started believing when this team beat Fresno State. I stopped believing for a moment when they fell behind GSU. When Morgan brought them back to win, I began believing this team can do anything. Still do, still will.

If a team tries to stop the run, they pass. If they think Minnesota will pass, they run. There’s a plan for every opponent. I believe.
 



I feel the bye week hurts us a little bit. We are playing like a well oiled machine and have a lot of momentum. Yeah, penn state has a bye week too, but they’re vulnerable. If Michigan would have played like they did the second half against penn state, they’d have an L.
 

I feel the bye week hurts us a little bit. We are playing like a well oiled machine and have a lot of momentum. Yeah, penn state has a bye week too, but they’re vulnerable. If Michigan would have played like they did the second half against penn state, they’d have an L.

I actually think this bye week is coming at a perfect time. Gives Martin time to heal and the players a chance to soak in what has happened to this point and then refocus for the home stretch. I feel like Fleck will use the time wisely and have the team ready to give Penn State their best shot on the 9th.

I have been a big fan of Fleck since the hire but I really started to believe in what he was doing when we finished the season so strong last year. Gopher teams usually fade down the stretch but we seemed to just keep getting better last year. The way we are dominating Big Ten teams is really impressive, the only thing missing to this point is beating ranked teams which we will get our shot at over the rest of this season.

A big theme to the early part of this season was self inflicted wounds, we kept on getting in our own way but then somehow finding a way to win. We have cleaned up the mistakes and because of that we have been blowing teams out in a way that is not common around here.

We have proven that we are better then the mid to lower half of the conference. Now we get to go see if we are ready to hang with the big boys.

Penn State will be our toughest test of the season to date but we get them at home and we are as healthy as I can ever remember a Gopher team going into the 9th game of the year. A loss to them won't crush the season but a win would shoot us into the stratosphere because suddenly everyone would believe in this team and what we are doing.

Iowa has a good defense but their offense has been very suspect all year. Kinnick is a tough place to win but I like our chances to score enough points on pretty much everyone to give us a great shot against teams that are not great on offense themselves. Think there is a great opportunity to bring Floyd home.

Northwestern just looks flat out bad at this point. Never a team that you can take lightly, especially on the road, but their offense is really really really bad and while their defense is solid they are not world beaters. Of our 4 remaining regular season games this one is easily the most winnable and would be pretty disappointing not to go down there at get the W.

Wisconsin is a good team, not a great team like it looked like they might be early but still a very good team. That said they are also a very one dimensional team on offense. Slow their running attack and they struggle to score points. The defense which looked untouchable early has shown some flaws the past few weeks. With this game being at home we have a great chance to keep the Axe in Minnesota for another year.

Head says we go 2-2 during this stretch, heart says there is the potential there for more. Majority of us felt like 8-0 was possible to this point with our schedule but I doubt many of us truly believed we would pull it off without slipping up somewhere along the way. It wasn't pretty early but this team found a way to win the tight games and have found a whole nother gear during conference play. We haven't beaten any good teams in the conference games so far but we are beating those bad teams the way good teams do by crushing their spirit and leaving no doubt as to the outcome.

Here we go!
 

The hype machine will continue to warm up as the pundits note the increasing body of work and proclaim that this team is legitimately good, these guys are for real, this is not a mirage. This means guys like Reusse and the rest of the print, radio, tv bobos. If they get on board the casual fans WILL take notice, turn on the tv, buy tix, get excited.

HUGE GAME for a number of reasons on the 9th. Even in a loss if the team looks like they belong on the same field vs a top 5 team that is still a plus. Don’t pull a Wisconsin vs OSU. I think we’ll compete well with PSU. Good chance to continue this rocket ride.
 

The hype machine will continue to warm up as the pundits note the increasing body of work and proclaim that this team is legitimately good, these guys are for real, this is not a mirage. This means guys like Reusse and the rest of the print, radio, tv bobos. If they get on board the casual fans WILL take notice, turn on the tv, buy tix, get excited.

HUGE GAME for a number of reasons on the 9th. Even in a loss if the team looks like they belong on the same field vs a top 5 team that is still a plus. Don’t pull a Wisconsin vs OSU. I think we’ll compete well with PSU. Good chance to continue this rocket ride.

There is a flip side to that. If the Gophers play well against Penn State - win or lose - they maintain momentum.

But, if the Gophers lose and do not look competitive, don't kid yourself. the media will turn in a heartbeat, and it will be "Same Old Gophers" all over again.

A close loss does not hurt the Gophers against Penn State. but a non-competitive loss definitely hurts the Gophers. this could be a pivotal game for the future of the program. not to mention the last three weeks of the season, which includes 2 rivalry games.

At this point, I think the Gophers need to finish at least 10-2 in the regular season to maintain momentum. 11-1 would be better. but they have to win at least two of the last four games - with no "bad" losses.
 



I actually think this bye week is coming at a perfect time. Gives Martin time to heal and the players a chance to soak in what has happened to this point and then refocus for the home stretch. I feel like Fleck will use the time wisely and have the team ready to give Penn State their best shot on the 9th.

I have been a big fan of Fleck since the hire but I really started to believe in what he was doing when we finished the season so strong last year. Gopher teams usually fade down the stretch but we seemed to just keep getting better last year. The way we are dominating Big Ten teams is really impressive, the only thing missing to this point is beating ranked teams which we will get our shot at over the rest of this season.

A big theme to the early part of this season was self inflicted wounds, we kept on getting in our own way but then somehow finding a way to win. We have cleaned up the mistakes and because of that we have been blowing teams out in a way that is not common around here.

We have proven that we are better then the mid to lower half of the conference. Now we get to go see if we are ready to hang with the big boys.

Penn State will be our toughest test of the season to date but we get them at home and we are as healthy as I can ever remember a Gopher team going into the 9th game of the year. A loss to them won't crush the season but a win would shoot us into the stratosphere because suddenly everyone would believe in this team and what we are doing.

Iowa has a good defense but their offense has been very suspect all year. Kinnick is a tough place to win but I like our chances to score enough points on pretty much everyone to give us a great shot against teams that are not great on offense themselves. Think there is a great opportunity to bring Floyd home.

Northwestern just looks flat out bad at this point. Never a team that you can take lightly, especially on the road, but their offense is really really really bad and while their defense is solid they are not world beaters. Of our 4 remaining regular season games this one is easily the most winnable and would be pretty disappointing not to go down there at get the W.

Wisconsin is a good team, not a great team like it looked like they might be early but still a very good team. That said they are also a very one dimensional team on offense. Slow their running attack and they struggle to score points. The defense which looked untouchable early has shown some flaws the past few weeks. With this game being at home we have a great chance to keep the Axe in Minnesota for another year.

Head says we go 2-2 during this stretch, heart says there is the potential there for more. Majority of us felt like 8-0 was possible to this point with our schedule but I doubt many of us truly believed we would pull it off without slipping up somewhere along the way. It wasn't pretty early but this team found a way to win the tight games and have found a whole nother gear during conference play. We haven't beaten any good teams in the conference games so far but we are beating those bad teams the way good teams do by crushing their spirit and leaving no doubt as to the outcome.

Here we go!

Valid points. Let’s beat Penn state.
 

Minnesota is still *probably* going to lose to Penn State and that doesn't negate anything they have done so far.
There's nothing to "believe" in. I'm just happy that we get to watch a competent football team in a big time game!
 

I feel the bye week hurts us a little bit. We are playing like a well oiled machine and have a lot of momentum. Yeah, penn state has a bye week too, but they’re vulnerable. If Michigan would have played like they did the second half against penn state, they’d have an L.

I think its the perfect time. Heal up those dinged up bodies. The coordinators have time to really perfect a plan. This game may determine the future of the program. As Coach Brooks said "Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight..."
 

I think its the perfect time. Heal up those dinged up bodies. The coordinators have time to really perfect a plan. This game may determine the future of the program. As Coach Brooks said "Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight..."

Not so sure I want to assign a lot of future implications to this one but it does have an impact on our short term future for sure. Win and we become the easy favorite to win the West. But I don't think a loss will set us back or have a drastic impact on the overall future of the program. At this point we are playing with house money with the potential for a truly magical season. But no matter what happens against Penn State and over the rest of this year it is tough to find reasons not to be excited about the future of gopher football.
 

There is a flip side to that. If the Gophers play well against Penn State - win or lose - they maintain momentum.

But, if the Gophers lose and do not look competitive, don't kid yourself. the media will turn in a heartbeat, and it will be "Same Old Gophers" all over again.

A close loss does not hurt the Gophers against Penn State. but a non-competitive loss definitely hurts the Gophers. this could be a pivotal game for the future of the program. not to mention the last three weeks of the season, which includes 2 rivalry games.

At this point, I think the Gophers need to finish at least 10-2 in the regular season to maintain momentum. 11-1 would be better. but they have to win at least two of the last four games - with no "bad" losses.

I believe in this team but agree with your take. We need to be competitive and if the game is close although I don't like the idea of moral victories it doesn't hurt us as much.
 

Minnesota is still *probably* going to lose to Penn State and that doesn't negate anything they have done so far.
There's nothing to "believe" in. I'm just happy that we get to watch a competent football team in a big time game!

Why are we going to *probably* lose to the Penn State? I believe we have a good shot at them.
 

They're winners. Period. Not ready for OSU or Alabama, but a very good football team.
 

Most people think we are going to lose to Penn State but I am not one of them. Every week people think we are going to lose. This is one of those games where the weather and the crowd are going to play a factor. It is one of those games where everyone is loud and standing for the whole game. I just don't see us losing.
 

Minnesota is still *probably* going to lose to Penn State and that doesn't negate anything they have done so far.
There's nothing to "believe" in. I'm just happy that we get to watch a competent football team in a big time game!

And last week, you tried to convince me that Maryland is a good team.


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This game certainly could be the turning/tipping point for the program to pivot to the next level. How the rest of the season plays out is just as important.
 

I'm not sure why everyone believes Penn St to be some kind of juggernaut. Struggled to put up points against a below average Pitt squad and if Michigan St. had any semblance of an offense they might've kept it close. I see good but not great athletes on both sides of the ball. I think our offense is dynamic enough and with 2 weeks to put in some new wrinkles, we'll have our way with their defense. Our physical 3 headed rushing attack is one they haven't seen before and if they load the box they'll get decimated on the outside with single coverage on the wideouts. Not sure I believe Penn State can keep up offensively either.

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Keep an even keel on this whole “it’s time to believe thing.” We don’t need to beat PSU or OhSt for the accomplishments of this seasons to be incredible or legitimate. The key to success is to beat the teams your supposed to based on talent, and use that record to elevate your talent. Our talent level isn’t at a place where we should expect to compete week in and week out with PSU or OhSt. We should, however, beat Maryland, Illinois, Northwestern, etc.

It’s difficult to beat all the teams your supposed to. Look at how losses to Purdue and Iowa kept OhSt out of the CFP the last two seasons.

Celebrate the accomplishments of Fleck and team. Beating PSU would be great, but it isn’t required to have a remarkable season.
 

I really believe this team can get to the Big Ten championship game and give Ohio St a run for their money. Hell why not
 

I really believe this team can get to the Big Ten championship game and give Ohio St a run for their money. Hell why not

I think we can get to the Championship game. I don’t think we have the talent to give OhSt a run for its money. Not unless they come and completely wet the bed like they did @ Purdue last year.
 

Plan to use the bye weeks to set up 4-fers with the Cub Foods tix deals...basically approaching "fans" who just don't attend games and pitching "if I can get you a ticket, a dog, and a Coke for $70 with some other folks will you go to the game?"

More than happy to play cruise director and broker the deal to get some butts in the seats. Making sure they know about parking at the Fairgrounds, or come in on the train, makes getting to the game itself easy.

As an aside depending on the gametime may be able to host a tailgate too.

I've already been working 8 folks so might be able to get 2 sets of 4 together...to join the Billds in spades.

Closing line is "if this isn't enough to get you there, what will? Why not now? Worst thing that can happen is we lose "badly" to a Top 5 team. Every outcome beyond this is fantastic, especially a well deserved W."

Dare to be a Champion and support The Team.
 

I'm not sure why everyone believes Penn St to be some kind of juggernaut. Struggled to put up points against a below average Pitt squad and if Michigan St. had any semblance of an offense they might've kept it close. I see good but not great athletes on both sides of the ball. I think our offense is dynamic enough and with 2 weeks to put in some new wrinkles, we'll have our way with their defense. Our physical 3 headed rushing attack is one they haven't seen before and if they load the box they'll get decimated on the outside with single coverage on the wideouts. Not sure I believe Penn State can keep up offensively either.

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Their defense is very good. Top 5 in scoring defense. Their offense is on par with Gophs.
 

You should believe.

This is a team with a game 1 poor playing O line that has shown remarkable improvement each week. This is a team with a questionable D backfield that is now nearly elite. This is a team with a running back and 2 hopes that is now 3 deep and after Saturday, maybe 4 deep. This is a team with a front 7 that were OK and are now formidable. This is a team with a crappy special team unit and...well 4 out of 5 in almost elite!

But mostly this is a team that is very well coached. I take Fleck & company with a bye week for prep over almost any other coaching group. Penn State is a truly top level unit. We find out in 12 days just how well we have progressed to the national elite level. Go Gophers!
 




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