We Are Still Champions

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Jeshurun said:
We are. It’s a fact. But yes, to talk it up is laughable
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This is my perspective too. Maybe with some distance from last Saturday, I'll be happier about the co-championship, but now it stings. But hey, the last game of the year meant something big, and that hasn't happened in a long time.
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
Claiming they are co-champions is on par with UCF claiming they won a National Championship.
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Except it isn't, not in any way shape or form.

This one isn't even up for debate. The Gophers are 100% Co-Champions of the West. Obviously it rings kind of hollow with the way things ended but that doesn't change the fact that we won a share of the division title this season.

UCF created their own fictional National Championship because they didn't like the system that was in place.
 


MNVCGUY said:
Except it isn't, not in any way shape or form.

This one isn't even up for debate. The Gophers are 100% Co-Champions of the West. Obviously it rings kind of hollow with the way things ended but that doesn't change the fact that we won a share of the division title this season.

UCF created their own fictional National Championship because they didn't like the system that was in place.
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I would most definitely agree that it rings hollow.

We got to be co-champions this season, because we got to play Rutgers, while Wisconsin had to play Ohio St in Columbus. Pretty much what it boils down to ...

Those are the rules, and it is a legitimate co-championship of the division. Not saying it isn't.
 

MplsGopher said:
I would most definitely agree that it rings hollow.

We got to be co-champions this season, because we got to play Rutgers, while Wisconsin had to play Ohio St in Columbus. Pretty much what it boils down to ...

Those are the rules, and it is a legitimate co-championship of the division. Not saying it isn't.
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I don't feel bad about this year's schedule. In 2014, Wisconsin had Rutgers and Maryland while Minnesota had Ohio State and Michigan. There have been years where Iowa had it super easy. It all evens out and each team needs to take advantage of the schedule in front of them. This was the Gophs year to take advantage and they did (mostly).
 

MplsGopher said:
I would most definitely agree that it rings hollow.

We got to be co-champions this season, because we got to play Rutgers, while Wisconsin had to play Ohio St in Columbus. Pretty much what it boils down to ...

Those are the rules, and it is a legitimate co-championship of the division. Not saying it isn't.
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Don't agree with that line of thinking at all. If you are going to go with that you could just as easily say that Wisconsin got to be co-champions with us because they got to play Iowa at home and we had to play Iowa on the road.

I get the disappointment over the loss to Wisconsin but it is amazing the number of fans in this thread that feel like we should be embarrassed to even acknowledge a co-chamionship of the division. I guess division and conference titles are so common around here that it really isn't worth celebrating at all.

We are co-champs of our division in year 3 under Fleck. it isn't the big prize we wanted but for a program that has not accomplished much since the 60s it is still a great accomplishment and hopefully the stepping stone to bigger and better things over the next few seasons.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Except it isn't, not in any way shape or form.

This one isn't even up for debate. The Gophers are 100% Co-Champions of the West. Obviously it rings kind of hollow with the way things ended but that doesn't change the fact that we won a share of the division title this season.

UCF created their own fictional National Championship because they didn't like the system that was in place.
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IMO even if we would have won the west, I wouldn't have liked calling us "champions."

"Champions" should only be reserved for the winner of the conference, not the division. The division is only an additional step to winning the conference, not an ultimate goal and if you lose the championship game then division titles don't mean much.

It'd be like if teams in the NCAA BB tournament called themselves round of 32, sweet 16 or Midwest region "champions." Winning a first or second round game, or even making the Final Four does not make you a "champion." There is only one team that gets to call themselves champions at the end of the year in basketball. There should only be one team that gets to call themselves champions in the Big Ten.
 

I don't think anyone is talking it "up" (including PJ's comment), or having t shirts and caps made.

Over they years there have been many "CO" champions, and one of the co champions beat the other co champion each and every time (barring any tie game).

Everyone remembers who went to the Rose Bowl each time. For the "CO" champions that did not go to the Rose Bowl, it is still worthy of remembering a good season record - matching the Rose Bowl entrant. But you can be assured it is not being talked up any higher that what it actually warrants.

If they'd want to put a 2019 B1G West Co-Champion wording up on the TCF facade, that is fine with me. It is a statistical fact, but is not being celebrated for anything more than a very good season record.
 

Would people’s perspective change if Wisconsin loses the next 2 games and the Gophers win their bowl game?
At the end of the day, we are co-champs of the Big Ten West. It’s a huge accomplishment since we haven’t seen a title since 1967, which was co-owned with 2 other teams. It will be awesome to see our name as champions in the Big Ten Media Guide next year.
 

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GopherNtn said:
Would people’s perspective change if Wisconsin loses the next 2 games and the Gophers win their bowl game?
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Probably not a whole lot. A bowl win will be nice, but we missed our chance at the big prize. Still a great season though.
 



TALON - I totally agree
Like I sad in an earlier thread







MNVCGUY said:
Except it isn't, not in any way shape or form.
This one isn't even up for debate. The Gophers are 100% Co-Champions of the West. Obviously it rings kind of hollow with the way things ended but that doesn't change the fact that we won a share of the division title this season.

UCF created their own fictional National Championship because they didn't like the system that was in place.
Click to expand...
 

I hate to resurrect this discussion, but I just noticed that 2017 National Champions Alabama were "divisional co-champions" with Auburn that year. Auburn won the head-to-head and lost to Georgia in the SEC championship game. Poor Alabama made the playoffs and won the National Championship. I don't think Alabama needs to feel bad about being division co-champs (just like we are).
 

Panthadad2 said:
So do you think Minnesota should remove 11 of the 18 Big Ten Championships they claim? Only 7 were won outright.

Yeah, Minnesota should claim the West co-champion and put up a banner/sign. Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all claim divisional co-championships in years they didn't participate in the conference championship. This is the first co-champion year for the West.

For reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Big_Ten_Conference_football_standings_(1959–present)
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I figured we'd have to be official co-champions. First time any kind of title since 1967!
 

If you look at the SEC Divisional Champions on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Southeastern_Conference_champions
you'll see thirteen Co-Division Champions listed since 1992 that did not win the tiebreaker (and did not go to the conference championship game as a result).

I hope we can all agree that some people may take little or no pride in the Gophers being Divisional Co-Champions this year, but it is factually accurate to say that they are.

I, for one, think it is an accomplishment and a stepping-stone to better things to come.
 

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