BleedGopher
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per Athlon:
Final Analysis
The Gophers went 9–4 and beat Washington State 17–12 in the Holiday Bowl last season, but this year’s squad could take a step back. Fleck’s team will face a harder schedule, as Michigan essentially replaces Rutgers on the slate.
There’s also uncertainty with a lack of experience at quarterback and a lack of depth along the offensive and defensive lines as well as in the secondary. If they can shore up those questions and can get past Oregon State in Corvallis on Sept. 9, a 5–0 mark is attainable heading into the home game against Michigan State on Oct. 14.
Fleck has a track record for taking teams to unforeseeable heights. He took Western Michigan from 1–11 in 2013 to back-to-back 8–5 campaigns before a breakthrough to 13–1 and a Cotton Bowl berth against Wisconsin in 2016.
National Ranking: 50
Big Ten West Prediction: 5
https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...ll-2017-golden-gophers-preview-and-prediction
Go Gophers!!
Final Analysis
The Gophers went 9–4 and beat Washington State 17–12 in the Holiday Bowl last season, but this year’s squad could take a step back. Fleck’s team will face a harder schedule, as Michigan essentially replaces Rutgers on the slate.
There’s also uncertainty with a lack of experience at quarterback and a lack of depth along the offensive and defensive lines as well as in the secondary. If they can shore up those questions and can get past Oregon State in Corvallis on Sept. 9, a 5–0 mark is attainable heading into the home game against Michigan State on Oct. 14.
Fleck has a track record for taking teams to unforeseeable heights. He took Western Michigan from 1–11 in 2013 to back-to-back 8–5 campaigns before a breakthrough to 13–1 and a Cotton Bowl berth against Wisconsin in 2016.
National Ranking: 50
Big Ten West Prediction: 5
https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...ll-2017-golden-gophers-preview-and-prediction
Go Gophers!!