Can Minnesota Win Another National Championship?

Donate To GopherHole


Hey, some guy at USCHO.com just asked me if my parents dropped me on my head as an infant. Instead of crying like a baby about it like you are doing, I responded with a funny comeback, or at least funny to ME, lol.

I mean seriously, lighten up!!!
 


KillmeNow said:
Hey, some guy at USCHO.com just asked me if my parents dropped me on my head as an infant. Instead of crying like a baby about it like you are doing, I responded with a funny comeback, or at least funny to ME, lol.

I mean seriously, lighten up!!!
Click to expand...

Dropped, spiked, potato potato.
 


GophersInIowa said:
I once won the National Championship 6 seasons in a row with the Gophers in NCAA Football 2007 on PS2. So it can happen.
Click to expand...

I was pretty dominiant myself in one of later versions. Trick was to recruit the 5 star kids no other school recruited
 

KillmeNow said:
I think the Iowa's and MSU's and Wisconsin's have not had that incredible QB, and possibly not great coaching? They've had decent QBs, QBs that can win lots of games, just not against the best defenses in the country. And they haven't had good enough coaching to be able to make the adjustments needed to beat the best teams.
Click to expand...

Not great coaching? Are you drunk? The entire reason that those teams are good is due to their coaching. I would say it is not a coaching thing as to why they can’t win titles and instead Zeke Elliott and Joey Bosa being NFL players and way too good when MSU, Iowa, or Wisconsin face them in a title game.

As for QB, we could get a good one, no doubt. I think you’re underestimating how easy that is. Are Cousins, Cook, Hornibrook, Tolzien, Stanzi, Brethard “good” in your eyes? We could find plenty of guys like that.

How many really good NFL/college QBs have come out of (born and raised) the upper Midwest in the past few decades? Wentz and Romo are all that I can think of, and both were unheralded/not highly recruited. All of the dominant college QBs and NFL ones come from huge population states and/or warm states.

Fleck could unearth a high NFL draft pick out of nowhere or he could win with a Connor Cook caliber QB, but I don’t see it as incredibly likely that we start winning and he walks into Florida and leaves with a 5-Star dual-threat QB. Those guys don’t come to this part of the country.
 

RickDornsby said:
Not great coaching? Are you drunk? The entire reason that those teams are good is due to their coaching. I would say it is not a coaching thing as to why they can’t win titles...
Click to expand...

So that's a "No" then.
 

Iceland12 said:
So that's a "No" then.
Click to expand...

We can still win a title. The path is probably Fleck turning the program into MSU or Wisconsin and a few dominoes tip our way. Oregon (Nike) may be an exception to this, but there’s a reason why Penn State and Ohio State and Michigan (State, too) are really good: population. They draw from a huge population. We don’t have a base of several 5-Star recruits that want to “stay home” every year.

Illinois has a big population but it dispersed, similar to New York. Oklahoma is basically Texas.

Anyways, yes, we could win one...but it won’t be done in the way of building an Ohio State or Alabama super NFL factory where 5-Star QBs are begging Fleck to play in Minnesota.
 



I honestly don't think the U can ever win a National Championship again because the NCAA is a joke. Take your hatred of Wisconsin out of the picture - they went through the Big Ten undefeated and weren't even able to crack the top 4 until the very end. If Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State went through the regular season undefeated they would be #1 in the country. The difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota the last 20 years is night and day and Wisconsin still doesn't get respect. They had a tougher schedule and a better loss (whatever that means) than Alabama and it didn't get them anything. For a school like Minnesota to come out and reach the playoffs would be very rare. If Minnesota rose to the top the national media would only talk about how it is a bad year for the Big Ten.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I honestly don't think the U can ever win a National Championship again because the NCAA is a joke. Take your hatred of Wisconsin out of the picture - they went through the Big Ten undefeated and weren't even able to crack the top 4 until the very end. If Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State went through the regular season undefeated they would be #1 in the country. The difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota the last 20 years is night and day and Wisconsin still doesn't get respect. They had a tougher schedule and a better loss (whatever that means) than Alabama and it didn't get them anything. For a school like Minnesota to come out and reach the playoffs would be very rare. If Minnesota rose to the top the national media would only talk about how it is a bad year for the Big Ten.
Click to expand...

I like this guy!

Good pessimists are often right.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I honestly don't think the U can ever win a National Championship again because the NCAA is a joke. Take your hatred of Wisconsin out of the picture - they went through the Big Ten undefeated and weren't even able to crack the top 4 until the very end. If Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State went through the regular season undefeated they would be #1 in the country. The difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota the last 20 years is night and day and Wisconsin still doesn't get respect. They had a tougher schedule and a better loss (whatever that means) than Alabama and it didn't get them anything. For a school like Minnesota to come out and reach the playoffs would be very rare. If Minnesota rose to the top the national media would only talk about how it is a bad year for the Big Ten.
Click to expand...

Wisconsin's lack of a marquee victory (beat NW when they weren't ranked, beat a Michigan team that was barely ranked) is what did them in. I'm sure when they made their schedule BYU was a decent team, but they were bad this year.

For the Gophers to make it, we would have to have a schedule that includes victories over at least 2 of Penn St., Michigan, or Ohio State.
 

Word said:
Wisconsin's lack of a marquee victory (beat NW when they weren't ranked, beat a Michigan team that was barely ranked) is what did them in. I'm sure when they made their schedule BYU was a decent team, but they were bad this year.

For the Gophers to make it, we would have to have a schedule that includes victories over at least 2 of Penn St., Michigan, or Ohio State.
Click to expand...


Not necessarily...If the west is good one year and we somehow escape undefeated we'd be alright. Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, NW could all be 8 or 9 win teams and we could beat them all. That could be 4 wins vs ranked teams not to mention whoever we play from the east.

I personally don't think I'll live to see Minnesota make the football playoff even if it extends to 8 teams. I think too many things stack up against us not even including the MN sports curse.
 



tmvander said:
[/B]

Not necessarily...If the west is good one year and we somehow escape undefeated we'd be alright. Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, NW could all be 8 or 9 win teams and we could beat them all. That could be 4 wins vs ranked teams not to mention whoever we play from the east.

I personally don't think I'll live to see Minnesota make the football playoff even if it extends to 8 teams. I think too many things stack up against us not even including the MN sports curse.
Click to expand...

OK - yeah maybe undefeated, including Big Ten title. I guess I was thinking more of Wiscsonsin's 1-loss situation this year (but didn't clearly say it).
 

tmvander said:
[/B]

Not necessarily...If the west is good one year and we somehow escape undefeated we'd be alright. Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, NW could all be 8 or 9 win teams and we could beat them all. That could be 4 wins vs ranked teams not to mention whoever we play from the east.

I personally don't think I'll live to see Minnesota make the football playoff even if it extends to 8 teams. I think too many things stack up against us not even including the MN sports curse.
Click to expand...

Vikings this year, Twolves this year, Lynx .... what curse??? :cool:
 

Word said:
Wisconsin's lack of a marquee victory (beat NW when they weren't ranked, beat a Michigan team that was barely ranked) is what did them in. I'm sure when they made their schedule BYU was a decent team, but they were bad this year.

For the Gophers to make it, we would have to have a schedule that includes victories over at least 2 of Penn St., Michigan, or Ohio State.
Click to expand...

Yea, I don't feel bad for the Badgers at all. And I wouldn't feel bad if the same thing happened to another team in their situation. Maybe it was partially bad luck, but they played a ridiculously easy schedule during the season. Every semi-tough regular season game was at home -- not a single one of their road opponents even made a bowl game. Bama's regular season included three road games against bowl teams and another at a neutral site. And finally, Wisconsin had their shot against Ohio St and couldn't take advantage.
 

Wisconsin had the best shot in ages to make it to the championship playoff with a 12-0 regular season only to be derailed by tOSU in the B1G title game.

Wisconsin is a case study into how difficult it is for any team in the B1G West. The B1G East has a huge advantage in their location to large population megapolis to the northeast, southeast, and the rust belt not to mention their proximity to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, etc...

It is entirely possible that Wisconsin can get there maybe next year by winning the B1G title.

Never say never. It is still quite possible for Minnesota to be at the level of a Wisconsin and once in a while to make a playoff push. However, they have to keep PJ Fleck for the long haul like Kirk Ferentz in Iowa.

It really boils down to the Gophers coaching abilities after they can get top 25-30 recruits regularly. They have to be able to recruit better than their B1G West competitors.

It will be three or four years just to see how good the Gopher football team under Fleck will be. It takes a long time. If he leaves, the cycle of coaching changes will start all over again. Nebraska is figuring that out with their own coaching carousel.
 


If we can't, why are we still watching? It's definitely a long shot. And I'll be looking for at least a win over Wisconsin before looking ahead. But much like other Power 5 football fans, I want my team to win the big one in my lifetime.
 


Not in my lifetime-Im 69. I witnessed the last one in 1960. Two generations of fans have come and gone and mostly witnessed futility. Fleck has proved nothing yet. Im not holding my breath
 

Sadly, time is not on a lot of people's side. That is why a B1G Title of any kind in the next four years will be so precious. I hope to goodness that we do not reach a seventy-year drought!
 

It actually seems easier now than it has in past decades because of the big ten restructuring and the CFB playoff:

1. win the very win-able big ten west
2. get lucky and win big ten title game
3. 9 times out of ten this gets you a playoff berth
4. beat some overrated SEC teams and house the natty

BOOM we're back
 

theTurning said:
It actually seems easier now than it has in past decades because of the big ten restructuring and the CFB playoff:

1. win the very win-able big ten west
2. get lucky and win big ten title game
3. 9 times out of ten this gets you a playoff berth
4. beat some overrated SEC teams and house the natty

BOOM we're back
Click to expand...

Agree that B10 restructuring makes it easier but CFP and B10 title game make it tougher. That’s 3 games you have to win where you may be an underdog instead of maybe running the table a la Wisconsin and the BCS having no choice but to put the undefeated B10 team in and winning that 1 natty game.
 

The Natty cart is way way way ahead of us.

Let's.... let's have some really good seasons to start... worry about the natty later.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
The Natty cart is way way way ahead of us.

Let's.... let's have some really good seasons to start... worry about the natty later.
Click to expand...

Yeah never know. We've latched our cart to an equus asinus with a very long neck that can reach the carrot.
 

The B1G West isn't a joke. On any given year Wisky, Iowa, NW, and now the Huskers can compete on a very high level. Winning that is that real hurdle. After that ceiling is broken we will be off and running. If PJ is as good as advertised he will win as he gets his talent in place. The IMG pipeline has to be established and 3 to 5 players a year need to come here. We have to find absolutely dominant DLmen. We could win the West this fall if we have impact players coming in. We might have. VV is the main key. If PJ is the guy we will win a NC within 10 years, maybe 5. I plan to see it happen again. If he isn't? Back to scratch.
 

Jmarksor said:
Not in my lifetime-Im 69. I witnessed the last one in 1960. Two generations of fans have come and gone and mostly witnessed futility. Fleck has proved nothing yet. Im not holding my breath
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to investigate the average graduating year of Gopher fans, and how it breaks down by decade. Could do it for season ticket holders, all regular ticket buyers (buy 1+ tickets per year over the past 3+ years), and all Gopher fans total.

Guess is that, especially as you work back from all fans towards season ticket holders, that the average graduating year gets older and older. In other words, more and more fans like the quoted above, who are hanging on, hoping against hope for at least another strong Wisconsin-esque run, if not a Big Ten championship, in their time left.

If Fleck doesn't get that in the next 5+ years, and then (assuming that doesn't happen) the next coach doesn't get that in the following 5+ years ..... we could really see a decent chunk of fans lost. And wonder what that would do to the overall fan base.
 

hungan1 said:
Wisconsin is a case study into how difficult it is for any team in the B1G West. The B1G East has a huge advantage in their location to large population megapolis to the northeast, southeast, and the rust belt not to mention their proximity to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, etc...
Click to expand...

Yeah, that is an important point. Also I'm pretty sure there are a lot of really good football players in Ohio and Pennsylvania. So that's a built in advantage for OSU and PSU.

I know Mason tried to recruit from Ohio, with some limited success.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I once won the National Championship 6 seasons in a row with the Gophers in NCAA Football 2007 on PS2. So it can happen.
Click to expand...

I think I did it 15 years in a row! Of course, I recruited 24 5* every year and a throw in 4*, of which I think maybe 5 of the recruits were from Minnesota. Hawaii was definitely Gopher country!

It's a lot more possible now that the Athlete's Village is nearly complete than it was between 1961-present!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom