Hammer & Rails: Know thy Opponent 2017: Minnesota Gophers (Prediction: Pur 31, MN 28)

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Hammer & Rails: Know thy Opponent 2017: Minnesota Gophers (Prediction: Pur 31, MN 28)

per Hammer and Rails (Purdue site):

Game Outlook

This game feels like another turning point game and a chance for Purdue to really show progress. Most people agree Purdue will lose to Lousville and Michigan before this and probably beat Ohio. That means this can be like the Missouri game: a shot for Purdue to come out and show that Jeff Brohm really knows what he is doing by getting a win. If Brohm can get the Missouri game and this one Purdue fans will be ecstatic headed into the second half to the season with Rutgers, Illinois, and Indiana sitting on the schedule.

It is still not an automatic win, however. Fleck is a good coach, but there are a lot of questions facing Minnesota. They really are a bit of a wild card that could go anywhere from 9-3 to 4-8. Still, if a broken down Purdue under and interim coach can give them a game last year surely a competent staff under Brohm can be competitive at home.

Way Too Early Prediction

If Purdue has any kind of a run defense it will help a lot there. Remember Shannon Brooks breaking tackles and generally running amok two years ago? Yeah. That has to stop. Purdue has a shot here, and I think it can get a confidence boosting close home win. Purdue 31, Minnesota 28

https://www.hammerandrails.com/2017/6/30/15900590/2017-minnesota-golden-gophers-football-preview

Go Gophers!!
 

Is Hammer & Rails the same one that 2 years ago Jimmy the Greek'd a 31-10 Boilers win, when the Gophers ended up squeaking out a 28 point victory?
 


Lol have to love blind homerism. Purdue has a major rebuild situation. I mean, sure we could lose to anyone b/c that's football, but...
 

It's a Purdue site.... are they going to predict losing every game?
 


It's a Purdue site.... are they going to predict losing every game?

Probably not, but I think it's humorous that they're penciling in a win over Ohio. Ohio gave WMU a pretty good game in the MAC championship last year and went into Kansas and won by double digits over another struggling P5 team. They might be good down the road and they might pull an upset or two this year, but by and large, Year One for any new coach is usually a disaster.
 

Let's face it - if they come out and do a Season Preview that essentially says "We Suck," that is not going to generate a lot of traffic on their site.

This time of the year is all about selling hope. Some teams have more legitimate reasons for being hopeful. Other teams are turning over rocks in search of any little shred of hope.

Obviously, the Bamas and Ohio States of the world don't have to try to sell hope to the fan base. But the average and below-average teams need to be able to offer some level of hope if they want fans to buy tickets, buy merchandise, visit the web sites and donate money to the school. To quote Andy Dufresne, "Hope is a good thing, Red. Maybe the best thing."
 

It's not like we don't get a bit ambitious with our predictions either.
 

Based on Bill C's projections it is analogous to picking MN to beat Wisconsin. Sure it could happen, but I doubt many MN writers will go out on that limb unless they go full homer (and there is nothing wrong with that).
 







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