Would we rather be playing Iowa this week?

[tjgopher]

So, before the Big Ten changed the football schedule in January, this was the Saturday when the Gophers were supposed to open Big Ten play at home against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

I kind of wish that would have remained.

One, it would be nice to open Big Ten competition at home.

Two, I'd rather catch Iowa right now when they cannot move the football at all. They have a history of figuring stuff out and who knows who will be the QB and what they'll look like in November. I think if we played them this Saturday, we'd beat them by 14+ points.

The original schedule also had us hosting Rutgers next week (so the first five games at home). Would have been a nice start, I think. The good news with the new schedule is we won't be playing four of the final five games on the road, as the original schedule had us doing.

 

[MNVCGUY]

While I agree that playing Iowa now would probably be better on the field, I'm glad our main rivalry games are at the end of the season.

 

[Go4]

interesting thought, they are certainly prime to be near right now and will likely be playing much better as the season goes on. that being said, it’s msu championship week and we are 0-0

 

[BilldGopher]

Understand the reasoning but somehow going to East Lansing just seems like what this edition of the Gophers needs coming out of the non-con schedule.

An away game against a B1G East, Top 25 opponent...even one also apparently struggling like I-O-W-A...has the potential to really improve the Gophers' stock without any chance of damaging our B1G West ambitions.

No doubt if we were playing for The Pig this weekend it would be huge and everything else equal confidence would be pretty good or even high. Completely agree that historically I-O-W-A improves over a season, reserving their best football for November, often against us.

Right now need to beat Sparty and be ready for the Boilers and the stripe-out the following week.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Understand the reasoning but somehow going to East Lansing just seems like what this edition of the Gophers needs coming out of the non-con schedule.

An away game against a B1G East, Top 25 opponent...even one also apparently struggling like I-O-W-A...has the potential to really improve the Gophers' stock without any chance of damaging our B1G West ambitions.

No doubt if we were playing for The Pig this weekend it would be huge and everything else equal confidence would be pretty good or even high. Completely agree that historically I-O-W-A improves over a season, reserving their best football for November, often against us.

Right now need to beat Sparty and be ready for the Boilers and the stripe-out the following week.

MSU scored more @ Washington than Iowa did against Nevada. They are not struggling like Iowa.

 

[Schnauzer]

I agree, Iowa is too well coached to be this bad on offense all season. So simple odds say that if they are this bad now, they will be better by the time the Gophers play them.

Since they are easier to beat now, yes, it would be better to play them now. But I also agree with the comment that said the core rivals should be played as late as possible on the schedule.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I agree, Iowa is too well coached to be this bad on offense all season. So simple odds say that if they are this bad now, they will be better by the time the Gophers play them.

Since they are easier to beat now, yes, it would be better to play them now. But I also agree with the comment that said the core rivals should be played as late as possible on the schedule.

Don't be so sure their offense is going to get much better. They were bad on offense last year and they have some major offensive line issues this year to go along with a general lack of playmakers and mediocre QB play.

If their defense falters at all this year they are going to be in trouble but on the same note their defense and special teams will probably be good enough to keep them in most games even if the offense struggles.

 

[BilldGopher]

MSU scored more @ Washington than Iowa did against Nevada. They are not struggling like Iowa.

Yep, nice point. Better to have said "...MSU thinks they are struggling just like I-O-W-A thinks they are struggling..." as a more accurate read of the situation.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I don't want to give them any excuses for "why they were able to beat us this year", due to schedule.

I want them to give us their best shot, and I want us to still kick their asses!!


Nov 19, hope it's a snowstorm. Old fashion meat grinder. Let's see who's toughest!

 

[Xerxes_]

Don't be so sure their offense is going to get much better. They were bad on offense last year and they have some major offensive line issues this year to go along with a general lack of playmakers and mediocre QB play.

If their defense falters at all this year they are going to be in trouble but on the same note their defense and special teams will probably be good enough to keep them in most games even if the offense struggles.

Iowa doesn't have a mediocre QB. Everything else is pretty much spot on.

 

[Word]

Iowa doesn't have a mediocre QB.

Do you mean below mediocre? Or no QB at all?

 

[Some guy]

So, before the Big Ten changed the football schedule in January, this was the Saturday when the Gophers were supposed to open Big Ten play at home against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

I kind of wish that would have remained.

One, it would be nice to open Big Ten competition at home.

Two, I'd rather catch Iowa right now when they cannot move the football at all. They have a history of figuring stuff out and who knows who will be the QB and what they'll look like in November. I think if we played them this Saturday, we'd beat them by 14+ points.

The original schedule also had us hosting Rutgers next week (so the first five games at home). Would have been a nice start, I think. The good news with the new schedule is we won't be playing four of the final five games on the road, as the original schedule had us doing.

It completely depends on it iowa is going to get better or worse this year.
I think Iowa is going to get worse. Hard to sustain that level of defense when the offense is so bad. At some point the Iowa defenders will be human.

 

[nsmike]

It completely depends on it iowa is going to get better or worse this year.
I think Iowa is going to get worse. Hard to sustain that level of defense when the offense is so bad. At some point the Iowa defenders will be human.

I completely agree with this, by the end of the season, Iowa's defense will be tired and worn down. That's a formula for injuries, even without injuries, it will show in their performance.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I completely agree with this, by the end of the season, Iowa's defense will be tired and worn down. That's a formula for injuries, even without injuries, it will show in their performance.

I'm kind of worried about the health of their punter. He is on pace for close to 110 punts this season at his current pace of almost 8 per game.

 

[STPGopher]

Do you mean below mediocre? Or no QB at all?

Well... he has a pulse...

 

[Xerxes_]

Do you mean below mediocre? Or no QB at all?

It's an insult to mediocre to use that word to describe their starting QB.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

MSU is licking its wounds and needs to figure out how to defend the pass. I have a feeling that the Iowa offense will suck all season long. Better to get a team like MSU before they get the kinks worked out.

 

[MaxyJR1]

It completely depends on it iowa is going to get better or worse this year.
I think Iowa is going to get worse. Hard to sustain that level of defense when the offense is so bad. At some point the Iowa defenders will be human.

That's been said for about 3 years now. They got two WR's back and they will only get better on offense. Schedule would be much different if our first 4 games were flipped with our last four this year. Most developmental programs get better as the year goes on barring significant injuries.

 

[Some guy]

That's been said for about 3 years now. They got two WR's back and they will only get better on offense. Schedule would be much different if our first 4 games were flipped with our last four this year. Most developmental programs get better as the year goes on barring significant injuries.

They literally got worse as the season went last year.

Last year 6-0 with a win over penn state and Iowa state
Finished 4-4 including losses to Purdue and Kentucky

 

[noamfromm]

They literally got worse as the season went last year.

Last year 6-0 with a win over penn state and Iowa state
Finished 4-4 including losses to Purdue and Kentucky

All their losses were to good teams not sure if you included Kentucky and Purdue as bad losses, but they finished 15 in the AP poll and with my 9 wins respectively.

 

[Some guy]

All their losses were to good teams not sure if you included Kentucky and Purdue as bad losses, but they finished 15 in the AP poll and with my 9 wins respectively.

Purdue and Kentucky were pretty average teams last year
Decent records but not that good.

And my point wasn’t that they were bad at the end of the year. My point is that Iowa was worse at the end than the beginning.

 

[Word]

Purdue and Kentucky were pretty average teams last year
Decent records but not that good.

And my point wasn’t that they were bad at the end of the year. My point is that Iowa was worse at the end than the beginning.

Was some of that due to turnover fortunes?

 

[maroonfive]

We shouldn't be afraid to play anybody. And by the way, it is just a football game.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[noamfromm]

Purdue and Kentucky were pretty average teams last year
Decent records but not that good.

And my point wasn’t that they were bad at the end of the year. My point is that Iowa was worse at the end than the beginning.

Interesting take.

 

[RememberMurray]

In my opinion the program Fleck has built here at Minnesota is catching up to, and will soon surpass, both Iowa and Wisconsin.

The Badgers and Hawkeyes just might be the ones hoping to (occasionally) catch the Gophers in a down year, not vice versa.

People here should try to to embrace the fact that our football team is quite good. I don't think we're going to have to play the little brother to anybody in the B1G West anymore.

 

[Some guy]

Interesting take.

You think Iowa was as good at the end as they were at the beginning?
Their QB controversy literally started against the gophers last year

 

[Some guy]

Was some of that due to turnover fortunes?

Could be but they were bad enough offensively at the end that that played 2 QBs against the gophers

 

[noamfromm]

You think Iowa was as good at the end as they were at the beginning?
Their QB controversy literally started against the gophers last year

No, the first part of the take is the interesting part

 

[Some guy]

No, the first part of the take is the interesting part

You think Purdue and Kentucky were closer to good than average. I think they were closer to average than good.
But we both probably think about the same about them.

 

[Dakota2]

I agree, Iowa is too well coached to be this bad on offense all season. So simple odds say that if they are this bad now, they will be better by the time the Gophers play them.

Since they are easier to beat now, yes, it would be better to play them now. But I also agree with the comment that said the core rivals should be played as late as possible on the schedule.

We are replacing a lot of starters from last year. Lots of depth guys are young with limited experience. We are looking now at who will fill the big gap left from CRAB's injury.

We are going to be a better team in Week 11 than we will be in Week 4.