Media Prediction Thread: Maryland at Minnesota

BleedGopher

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Athlon first out of the gate:

Final Analysis

A couple of weeks ago, I would have told you I was really looking forward to this game. It had all the makings of a competitive matchup between two up-and-coming teams coached by two of the best young head coaches in the land. But with Maryland's current issues at quarterback and the Terrapins’ inability to do a whole lot offensively against UCF last weekend, I'm thinking this thing gets ugly real quick. Minnesota has improved with each passing week. The Gophers have had two weeks to regroup and prepare to take on their Big Ten slate. I fear the Terps may be nothing more than a bit of choppy water as P.J. Fleck’s squad keeps rowing their boat through a winning season. I like Conor Rhoda and Tyler Johnson to pace the Minnesota offense in the first half with a couple of big plays through the air. The Gopher defense should dominate a Maryland offense that appears to be in a state of chaos. In the second half, Minnesota will lean on its solid rushing attack to milk the clock and cap off a sound win at home.

Prediction: Minnesota 38, Maryland 6

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...ta-golden-gophers-preview-and-prediction-2017

Go Gophers!!
 


Did I wake up in an alternate universe? Athalon and Dingdong pick the gophers? Talk about implausible!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

College Football News: Minnesota vs. Maryland Prediction

One Reason Why Minnesota Will Win:

UCF was able to run without a problem.

QB McKenzie Milton led the team with 94 yards, but everyone got to have some fun with nine different Knights combining for over six yards per carry with 250 yards and three scores.

Minnesota should be able to barrel away.

The running game hasn’t had any problems so far, even if it’s not explosive. The Gophers are able to average over 50 carries a game by pounding and pounding some more – just like UCF did.

And then there’s the Maryland quarterback problem.

Max Bortenschlager was thrown to the wolves against UCF when Hill got hurt, and he threw two picks – with a pick six – and couldn’t push the ball down the field. Did the Terp running game pick up the slack? 37 carries for 42 yards.

What’s Going To Happen:

Minnesota is going to go Minnesota.

Second in the nation in time of possession, and going against a team that’s among the worst in the country in third down conversions and is almost as bad at stopping third down plays, the Gophers will always have the ball.

That’ll mean Bortenschlager will have to throw to win, and then bad things will happen.

Final Score:

Minnesota 32, Maryland 14
 



One Reason Why Minnesota Will Win:

UCF was able to run without a problem.

QB McKenzie Milton led the team with 94 yards, but everyone got to have some fun with nine different Knights combining for over six yards per carry with 250 yards and three scores.

Minnesota should be able to barrel away.

The running game hasn’t had any problems so far, even if it’s not explosive. The Gophers are able to average over 50 carries a game by pounding and pounding some more – just like UCF did.

And then there’s the Maryland quarterback problem.

Max Bortenschlager was thrown to the wolves against UCF when Hill got hurt, and he threw two picks – with a pick six – and couldn’t push the ball down the field. Did the Terp running game pick up the slack? 37 carries for 42 yards.

What’s Going To Happen:

Minnesota is going to go Minnesota.

Second in the nation in time of possession, and going against a team that’s among the worst in the country in third down conversions and is almost as bad at stopping third down plays, the Gophers will always have the ball.

That’ll mean Bortenschlager will have to throw to win, and then bad things will happen.

Final Score:

Minnesota 32, Maryland 14

Pretty much nails it. I think Gophs will have at least one more score...TD or FG.
 

We haven't been able to run "at will." I am hoping we impose that will this Saturday. Can't Wait
 

Who's Will and why are we running at him?
 

Bortenschlager sounds like something you would eat at a German restaurant. And wash down with a dark beer.
 





Have a funny feeling about this game - that it will be closer. Hope not.

That's years of Viking and Gopher football talking.

Of course anything could happen- college football and we've all seen nutty events - but it would be pretty demoralizing to lose at home to a team with a spotty defense playing their third stringer at signal caller. Some might say that would lead to neagative momentum, although others don't believe in it. Fleck cannot lose this one. Luckily I think the team is confident and the Terrapins are probably close to mortally demoralized. Don't let them up off the mat.
 

SB Nation

Minnesota 29, Maryland (+12) 22 (Saturday, 12:00 PM ET, FS1)
 





don't forget how difficult a trip this is for the Terps.

they will have to overcome some real obstacles just to get here, like Gophs did going to Oregon

they have to get the team to Baltimore (which can be a traffic nightmare), fly over 1,100 miles, may have to deal with heavy MSP traffic to get to TCF as 35W and tons of other streets are under repair, they have to deal with a time change

Maryland has no familiarity with the city or stadium, first time ever playing here. Maryland will have very limited fan support.

as PJ said, people don't realize how difficult these long trips can be.
 

don't forget how difficult a trip this is for the Terps.

they will have to overcome some real obstacles just to get here, like Gophs did going to Oregon

they have to get the team to Baltimore (which can be a traffic nightmare), fly over 1,100 miles, may have to deal with heavy MSP traffic to get to TCF as 35W and tons of other streets are under repair, they have to deal with a time change

Maryland has no familiarity with the city or stadium, first time ever playing here. Maryland will have very limited fan support.

as PJ said, people don't realize how difficult these long trips can be.

You forgot dehydration.
 


Are they coming out for the national anthem? I hear you get dehydrated doing that.

He vaguely referenced it in the MD press conference.

It would be awesome if he addressed dehydration (even if off hand) at all press events from now on.
 

Are they coming out for the national anthem? I hear you get dehydrated doing that.

I caught that in the press conference too and did an internal eyeroll. But whatever magic pre-game ritual the coach thinks works is his to dictate and if it works, it works. On a selfish note, I tend to get to my seat just in time for the national anthem, so I as a fan like having the team come out after.
 


Are they coming out for the national anthem? I hear you get dehydrated doing that.

Air dehydration and then standing the extra ten minutes. In the old days ther would be guys cramping up before the final stanza. Smart move all around by Fleck. Save the legs.
 


The Big Lead chimes in:

Maryland at MINNESOTA (-12.5): The Terrapins lost quarterback Kasim Hill to a season-ending injury, then got waxed 38-10 by UCF in College Park. P.J. Fleck’s defense has made it nearly impossible for opposing teams to row over the goal-line, holding them all under 14 points. The Gophers aren’t blessed with explosive gamebreakers but won’t need to post very many points to cover. Bank on a demoralized Maryland team getting run over in the second half. Minnesota 31, Maryland 10.

http://thebiglead.com/2017/09/27/college-football-picks-against-the-spread-row-that-boat-minnesota/

Go Gophers!!
 

CSN Chicago chimes in:

Maryland at Minnesota, 11 a.m., FS1

Minnesota has not played anyone of significance yet (sorry Gary Andersen), which makes P.J. Fleck’s crew a bit of a mystery heading into Big Ten play. But here’s the thing: Maryland is decimated. This is nowhere close to the same Terps team that piled up points on Texas in Week 1. Maryland’s top two quarterbacks are now out for the season with injuries, meaning the No. 3 guy on the depth chart, Max Bortenschlager, will have to figure out a way to get the Terps down the field against Big Ten defenses. That proved mighty difficult against a good UCF team last week, when the typically prolific Maryland rushing attack was held to just 42 yards and the team failed to reach the 200-yard mark on offense.

There’s not too much I can say about Minnesota coming off a 3-0 non-conference run other than if the Gophers are as good as they were pegged to be in the preseason — and the last two wins, by a combined score of 82-17, have indicated they might be — then they could be well on their way to that very possible 8-0 start.

The pick: Minnesota

http://www.csnchicago.com/big-ten/p...ay-unbeaten-week-5-big-ten-previews-and-picks

Go Gophers!!
 

ESPN chimes in:

Maryland at Minnesota, noon Saturday, FS1

VanHaaren: You have to feel bad for Maryland, seemingly on the rise, losing two quarterbacks to ACL tears. Minnesota still has some issues, but I have a tough time picking the Terps in this game without Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill. Gophers coach P.J. Fleck mentioned that Tom Brady was once a backup to Drew Bledsoe, saying that Maryland's backup could be outstanding, but the Terps went from putting up 107 points in the first two games to 10 in the game against UCF. Minnesota 24, Maryland 17

Murphy: This will be the new Gophers' toughest test to date, and it would have been a bit tougher had they met a couple of weeks ago. The Terps lose some athleticism at the quarterback position, but nothing in the experience column. This game comes down to typically electric runner Ty Johnson (only 25 yards last week) making some big plays. Maryland 28, Minnesota 24

Sherman: A bad situation for Maryland, which opened the year with so much promise in that win at Texas, but now has hit a wall after the season-ending diagnosis for Hill, who was a difference-maker in the Terps' system. The Gophers' stout defensive play continues. Minnesota 23, Maryland 7

http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/pos...5-picks-will-nebraska-bottom-out-in-champaign

Go Gophers!!
 

The Big Lead chimes in:

Maryland at MINNESOTA (-12.5): The Terrapins lost quarterback Kasim Hill to a season-ending injury, then got waxed 38-10 by UCF in College Park. P.J. Fleck’s defense has made it nearly impossible for opposing teams to row over the goal-line, holding them all under 14 points. The Gophers aren’t blessed with explosive gamebreakers but won’t need to post very many points to cover. Bank on a demoralized Maryland team getting run over in the second half. Minnesota 31, Maryland 10.

http://thebiglead.com/2017/09/27/college-football-picks-against-the-spread-row-that-boat-minnesota/

Go Gophers!!

No coincidence on using Row and Bank I assume?
 

Deinhart is not a MN fan. Not much nice to say. But he can't get enough of Iowa.
 






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