Would you rather be 7-5 with an IA win or 8-4 with an IA loss?

[tikited]

I was taught that more wins are better than less wins.

 

[hungan1]

Beat Iowa and upset two of Michigan, MSU, or tOSU.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Beat Iowa and upset two of Michigan, MSU, or tOSU.

I don't buy that MSU would be an upset.

Only Michigan and OSU are "should be losses". The rest we should have a chance to win.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

If we're assuming the non-conference plays out the same in both scenarios I'd always take more wins to less wins.

 

[hungan1]

I don't buy that MSU would be an upset.

Only Michigan and OSU are "should be losses". The rest we should have a chance to win.

I will still feel good about beating MSU and Iowa.

 

[HoustonTXGopher]

Give me 10-2 with losses against Iowa and Wisconsin.

 

[rowdaboat]

I'd take 2-10 if the 2 wins are iwoa and Wisconsin

 

[MNfootballfan]

This is hard to say. I'd take 7-5 with an Iowa win if...
1) 8-4 doesn't give us a Big Ten West Title
2) Both 7-5 and 8-4 had the same result vs. Wisconsin (I'd rather take 8-4 with a win over Wisconsin and a loss against Iowa).
3) Assuming 8-4 isn't good enough to get us into a 'good bowl'

I would take 7-5 with a win over Iowa if the difference is us going to the Detroit Bowl over a slightly better Pinstripe Bowl.

 

[CentralGopher]

Let's say both options have the same WI game result, whether that is a win or loss is up to you. If we go 8-4 with a loss to Iowa and a win against WI that's pretty pleasing in my eyes with this schedule.
I don't know if this is a worthwhile conversation starter, but here goes.

Without telling us who that 8th win is against it’s impossible to give an answer. It does make a difference whether that win is against a cupcake or not.

 

[Some guy]

Without telling us who that 8th win is against it’s impossible to give an answer. It does make a difference whether that win is against a cupcake or not.

I mean if we go 7-5 and one of the losses is to Louisiana or eastern Michigan it will be a very disappointing loss. Kind of like when a bowl green loss prevented a 9-3 season and turned it into 8-4.

If we are 8-4 I hope 3 of the losses are to Louisiana, eastern Michigan, and North Carolina

 

[Gophers_4life]

This is hard to say. I'd take 7-5 with an Iowa win if...
1) 8-4 doesn't give us a Big Ten West Title
2) Both 7-5 and 8-4 had the same result vs. Wisconsin (I'd rather take 8-4 with a win over Wisconsin and a loss against Iowa).
3) Assuming 8-4 isn't good enough to get us into a 'good bowl'

I would take 7-5 with a win over Iowa if the difference is us going to the Detroit Bowl over a slightly better Pinstripe Bowl.

This is it. Well said.


Now all this said ... what would actually have to happen for this to go down?


Most realistically, it would mean trading an Iowa win for two losses in the Mich State, Illinois, @ Purdue stretch that immediately follows the game in Iowa City.

Which could actually be realistic. A "hangover" effect from finally beating those pig manure stinking jerks, and at their place no less!

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I mean if we go 7-5 and one of the losses is to Louisiana or eastern Michigan it will be a very disappointing loss. Kind of like when a bowl green loss prevented a 9-3 season and turned it into 8-4.

If we are 8-4 I hope 3 of the losses are to Louisiana, eastern Michigan, and North Carolina

+1

If you tell me we are going to have a set number of losses in the regular season, I'd always want those losses to come out of conference so our B1G record is as good as it can be. That said, no matter how good a season you have, if there is a loss to a mid-major cupcake (or heaven forbid FCS), there is no way of getting around the "What if?" effect of how that season would have been one win better had we not chocked away a game we should have won.

 

[Replacement Gopher]

Beat Iowa, it's time.

Go Gophers!!

At this point I’d almost settle for, don’t immediately crap the bed and look scared against Iowa.

 

[ZachRE]

Rivalries are the best part of college football. I'd take the win over Iowa

 

[saintpauljeff]

I'd take 2-10 if the 2 wins are iwoa and Wisconsin

Same, it’s always been about winning the trophies

 

[Roland Brooks]

Ahhh Win the West and I would guess that would include beating your rivals… think big it’s ok…. Especially in year 7

 

[fmlizard]

It would be a fun season if the Gophers went 4-8 but the wins were Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa. Traffic on GopherHole would hit records.

 

[The SF Rock]

I expect 10 wins sweeping the trophies. Less is disappointment to me.

 

[Some guy]

I expect 10 wins sweeping the trophies. Less is disappointment to me.

Who are we losing to if we lose two but beat Michigan, Iowa, and wisconsin

Illinois?

 

[The SF Rock]

Who are we losing to if we lose two but beat Michigan, Iowa, and wisconsin

Illinois?

I’m ok with 11 wins too.

 

[Word]

Same, it’s always been about winning the trophies

Did you enjoy those 2 Wacker seasons where we beat Wisconsin?

 

[IceBoxGopher]

Hmm, at this point after winning at least 9 games in three of the past full seasons, I'd like to see that continue. To win me over on 7-5, I'd need more. Give me the Axe, the Jug and Floyd. All three are up for grabs this year. Throw in the Chair with Nebraska, then we'd really be cooking.

 

[Gophers1992]

I was taught that more wins are better than less wins.

I was taught that more wins are better than fewer wins.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Who are we losing to if we lose two but beat Michigan, Iowa, and wisconsin

Illinois?

Could definitely see a "hangover" loss after a major win. Or "overlooking" someone. They're human

 

[Gophers_4life]

Hmm, at this point after winning at least 9 games in three of the past full seasons, I'd like to see that continue. To win me over on 7-5, I'd need more. Give me the Axe, the Jug and Floyd. All three are up for grabs this year. Throw in the Chair with Nebraska, then we'd really be cooking.

We didn't have to play both Mich and Ohio State in any of those three years, though.

So 8 wins should be seen as equivalent to 9 wins 2021 and 2022.

 

[Some guy]

We didn't have to play both Mich and Ohio State in any of those three years, though.

So 8 wins should be seen as equivalent to 9 wins 2021 and 2022.

And North Carolina is the best non conference opponent since probably TCU

Winning 9 games next year is probably the equivalent of winning 10 in 2019.

 

[tikited]

I was taught that more wins are better than fewer wins.

That too.

 

[IceBoxGopher]

We didn't have to play both Mich and Ohio State in any of those three years, though.

So 8 wins should be seen as equivalent to 9 wins 2021 and 2022.

That's fair, yeah

 

[saintpauljeff]

Did you enjoy those 2 Wacker seasons where we beat Wisconsin?

I sure did, I was in school at the U at that time and beating Wisconsin felt like a Super Bowl win on campus

 

[Word]

I sure did, I was in school at the U at that time and beating Wisconsin felt like a Super Bowl win on campus

I was a student too at the time and in retrospect I feel like those seasons were miserable compared to the last 10 years. At the time I didn't know any better though and just enjoyed the cheap football tickets.