ESPN Pac 12 Blog: Better know a nonconference opponent: Minnesota

BleedGopher

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per ESPN's Kevin Gemmell:

What’s at stake for Oregon State? Year 2 of the Gary Andersen era might feel a bit like Year 1 all over again -- new quarterback, new coordinators, etc. But at least he has some experience in quarterback Darell Garretson, who threw 18 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in two seasons at Utah State. Miracles are not expected. Nor should they be, because it’s unlikely they’ll occur. Besides Minnesota, the Beavers have Boise State (another tough matchup) and Idaho State on the nonconference schedule. They should go, at the very least, 1-2 during that stretch. The second half of the year could include five ranked teams in six weeks, so getting as many wins as possible early will be key for Oregon State's maturation. And winning a road game to start the season -- against a Big Ten opponent -- could do wonders for the team’s confidence.

What’s at stake for Minnesota? After qualifying for a bowl game last year as a 5-7 team (they went on to beat Central Michigan to finish 6-7), the Gophers will look to make it five straight years of postseason play. This is a group that was a lot closer to an eight-win or nine-win season last year. They lost one-possession games to TCU, Michigan and Iowa -- all of which were ranked in the top 15 at the time. Then again, they only beat Colorado State, Kent State and Ohio University by a field goal. The 2016 schedule sets up as the easiest in a while. There’s no Michigan, Michigan State nor Ohio State. But Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin all figure to be formidable. This is a nonconference game the Gophers can’t let slip away, especially at home.

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/101034/better-know-a-nonconference-opponent-minnesota

Go Gophers!!
 







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