Will we be ranked this year?

GO4INLALALAND

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I say yes. We will not crack the top 15.


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I agree. Top 25 seems possible. Top 15 seems impossible
 

I'd say so. There are three main reasons I project them to repeat or improve on last year's 5-4 B1G record:

- No Ohio State on schedule again
- Smith/Brooks back
- Three toughest 2017 games (@Iowa,@MICH,Wisc) are easier than or equal to the three toughest last year (@PSU,@Wisc,@Neb)

A big dream, but taking care of business in first three and winning Floyd @Iowa makes it a top 10-15 battle for the jug at the big house. How fun would that be?

#RTB
 

Yes. 6-0 major conference teams are usually ranked, I'd think. I fully expect MN will be 6-0.
 

It will be tough - Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan brutal. Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan State will be tough, and Purdue might be. Maryland is a puzzle, and we should be favored over Illinois. The Gophers will have to improve a lot game to game, do more passing, and get the QB moving a bit to be competitive with most of these teams. QB or RB injuries could be devastating.
 


Yes. 6-0 major conference teams are usually ranked, I'd think. I fully expect MN will be 6-0.

Usually yes, but I think it will take more than 6-0 to get this team to AP #25. I think the Gophs will go 9-3 regular season and never once be AP ranked. Maybe sniff the coaches poll which seems to like the U more. But you will wind up seeing teams with worse records, even in the B1G rank above MN in polls.
 

If we win our next two, we could break the rankings depending on what other teams do.
If we win our next three, we almost have to be at that point.
 

Winning the next two should put Minnesota in the Top 25 of both polls. It its possible beating Maryland next week will do it. There is just going to be a lot of movement at the bottom of both polls over the next two weeks with losses.

The coaches seem to be more analytical. The AP more touchy/feely. Most polls based on math have Minnesota ranked already. Here's an example:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...ngs-respect-clemson-as-the-nations-best-team/
 

Winning the next two should put Minnesota in the Top 25 of both polls. It its possible beating Maryland next week will do it. There is just going to be a lot of movement at the bottom of both polls over the next two weeks with losses.

The coaches seem to be more analytical. The AP more touchy/feely. Most polls based on math have Minnesota ranked already. Here's an example:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...ngs-respect-clemson-as-the-nations-best-team/

Thanks for that. Polls based on this season and this season alone? Great. The networks and channels, major conferences and most fans want to see the recognizable names up there. We're a nation of front runners. "Give me names that I know and winners I can follow!"

Polls start to catch-up to reality later in the season. Still, do like the "just look at this year" approach. Even if the Gophers were closer to 35 than to 15.

Yeah, I think they'll be ranked sometime this season.

Which makes the thread total what, 5 yes, 2 no and 4 wafflers? :D
 



I don't think so.

I'm yet to be convinced that we can have adequate QB and OL play against B1G teams. As a one-dimensional team, I'm certainly not looking past Maryland and Purdue, like nearly every one else seems to be. Even if we take those 2, I'm not sure that's grounds to be ranked with that SOS. Plus, we don't get the benefit of the doubt some programs do, and it usually takes an extra week or two to get ranked.

Michigan State will be a tough game, a great coach there is coaching for his job. I have a hard time seeing us winning @Iowa, almost certainly not @ Michigan. Nebraska's QB situation isn't any worse that ours, IMO, and they have the talent there to turn things around anytime. Northwestern will be tough, and Wisconsin is looking as good as ever.

Honestly, I could go through the schedule and wonder if we'll be bowl eligible just as easily as if we'll be ranked after chalking up wins prematurely.

Not trying to troll here. Just not going to make the mistake of getting too big for our britches before I see what we can do against some legit competition. Things can go south in a hurry with poor QB play, as we've seen a lot around here.
 

I think it is a little premature to be worried about rankings. Let's see how the season plays out, and if the Gophers win five/six B1G games then the rankings will take care of itself.

The toughest stretch will start with Iowa 10/28, Michigan 11/4, Nebraska 11/11, Northwestern 11/18, and Wisconsin 11/25. If they win two or three of these games and go 8-5 /9-3, I don't see how they can't be ranked Top 25.
 

I don't think so.

I'm yet to be convinced that we can have adequate QB and OL play against B1G teams. As a one-dimensional team, I'm certainly not looking past Maryland and Purdue, like nearly every one else seems to be. Even if we take those 2, I'm not sure that's grounds to be ranked with that SOS. Plus, we don't get the benefit of the doubt some programs do, and it usually takes an extra week or two to get ranked.

Michigan State will be a tough game, a great coach there is coaching for his job. I have a hard time seeing us winning @Iowa, almost certainly not @ Michigan. Nebraska's QB situation isn't any worse that ours, IMO, and they have the talent there to turn things around anytime. Northwestern will be tough, and Wisconsin is looking as good as ever.

Honestly, I could go through the schedule and wonder if we'll be bowl eligible just as easily as if we'll be ranked after chalking up wins prematurely.

Not trying to troll here. Just not going to make the mistake of getting too big for our britches before I see what we can do against some legit competition. Things can go south in a hurry with poor QB play, as we've seen a lot around here.

So how many players and posters do you think are posting here anyway? ;) Because otherwise what people think or say on here will make no difference in what happens on the field.
 




If the team is is undefeated after a couple B1G games they will be ranked, but they will not be ranked at the end of the season.
 

If the Gophers get to 5-0 I think they will be ranked. Have to keep winning for that to happen. Maryland may be hurt but they will still be a challenge. Purdue looks to be much improved.
 

36/32 in the polls this week. Not far away. 5-0 may do it.


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I think they will be in two weeks. This team is capable of winning their next 4 games
 

I think they will be in two weeks. This team is capable of winning their next 4 games

Are we allowed to say this on GH now w/o just secretly wanting PJ to fail?


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I think the Gophers may end up ranked and the best shot to do so is by winning the next 2-3 games. Like many posters here I think the Gophers will be favored in each of their next four games (vs. Maryland, @ Purdue, vs. Michigan State, vs. Illinois). However, being favored in all four does not mean 4-0 should be the expectation, and that anything short of that is a massive disappointment.

The spread for Saturday vs. Maryland was just released at some offshore books and the Gophers are -12.5 favorites. Per historical data this equates to a roughly 80% chance the Gophers win that game.

I'd handicap the other games as follows:

Gophers -3 @ PURDUE ---> roughly 55% chance the Gophers win.
GOPHERS -5 vs. Michigan State ---> roughly 65% chance the Gophers win.
GOPHERS -14 vs. Illinois ---> roughly 85% chance the Gophers win.

The likelihood the Gophers win all four games can easily be calculated as the product of the four win likelihoods:

0.8 * 0.55 * 0.65 * 0.85 = 24%.
 

The likelihood the Gophers win all four games can easily be calculated as the product of the four win likelihoods:

0.8 * 0.55 * 0.65 * 0.85 = 24%.

Using this logic a Gopherhole meltdown following a loss to Purdue or Michigan State may not be deserved, as it is likely we lose one of those two games. However - I realize that is not how the internet (Gopherhole in particular) works, so I'll be here to talk everyone off the ledge come 10/7 or 10/14.

Unless the offense is completely anemic and the QB play is subpar at best - then I'll join the party.
 

Using this logic a Gopherhole meltdown following a loss to Purdue or Michigan State may not be deserved, as it is likely we lose one of those two games. However - I realize that is not how the internet (Gopherhole in particular) works, so I'll be here to talk everyone off the ledge come 10/7 or 10/14.

Unless the offense is completely anemic and the QB play is subpar at best - then I'll join the party.

I would say a GH meltdown will happen even if we win - but not by enough. Folks have repeatedly said on here that it is how you play that matters most.


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Personally, I think that the if the Gophers play up to their potential, the next 4 wins are very winnable. Maryland has QB issues, Purdue is more than a little overrated at this point(Yes they beat Missouri, but Missouri is a dumpster fire right now). Illinois is Illinois... Michigan State will be the toughest test for them.

I'd be happy with a 3-1 record over the next 4 but a 4-0 record is very doable and should probably be the expectation for this team.
 

If we are indeed 7-0, we will be a top 15 team. I think we are still a 9-3 team when it all shakes out.
 

I would say a GH meltdown will happen even if we win - but not by enough. Folks have repeatedly said on here that it is how you play that matters most.


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Someone needs to attack Spoofin on something new soon...I'm getting sick of the "*" and "secretly wanting the Gophers to fail" responses. j/k
 

Someone needs to attack Spoofin on something new soon...I'm getting sick of the "*" and "secretly wanting the Gophers to fail" responses. j/k

I would appreciate that as well. It has been too long. Funny how putting one person on my ignore list can change things.
With that said, some takes are too precious to ever let go.


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We are currently ranked 39 on S&P+ With the 15th ranked defense and 94th ranked offense. However, these rankings take 2016 into account through the first 6 weeks (as I imagine the human polls do...). We were initially around 60 and have made huge gains the last couple weeks so it stands to reason we have been playing at a top 20 something level thus far. Similarly, the trends up and down vs last year are interesting. Nebraska is getting worse for example as the data points come in.

Maryland 66 and Purdue 72 which is an improvement for Purdue. Michigan State is at 37. NW 40th, Iowa 43rd, Nebraska 42nd. Illinois 88. Wisconsin 5...Michigan 9.

Our recent opponents MTSU 96, OSU 93, Buffalo 113. Oof. That's not good...

Western Michigan nosediving at 78. They lost a ton off that team.
 


Beat Wiscy and GH Land will be all smiles. :cool02:
 






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