Minnesota Golden Gophers 2018-19: Predictions & Preview (Record: Wins 5, Losses 7)

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Minnesota Golden Gophers 2018-19: Predictions & Preview (Record: Wins 5, Losses 7)

per Pollack:

Record: Wins 5, Losses 7
Week 1: Minnesota 39, New Mexico State 30 (W)
Week 2: Minnesota 30, Fresno State 27 (W)
Week 3: Minnesota 38, Miami (Ohio) 27 (W)
Week 4: Bye
Week 5: Minnesota 23, Maryland 21 (W)
Week 6: Minnesota 21, Iowa 30 (L)
Week 7: Minnesota 10, Ohio State 35 (L)
Week 8: Minnesota 21, Nebraska 24 (L)
Week 9: Minnesota 42, Indiana 35 (W)
Week 10: Minnesota 20, Illinois 28 (L)
Week 11: Minnesota 31, Purdue 42 (L)
Week 12: Minnesota 14, Northwestern 31 (L)
Week 13: Minnesota 20, Wisconsin 41 (L)

https://coed.com/2018/08/08/minnesota-golden-gophers-2018-19-predictions-preview/

Go Gophers!!
 

I see he’s real positive on our defense this year
 

Conclusions aside, was that piece written for a middle school newspaper?
 

I can definitely see 5-7, but man it would be a gut punch to start 4-0 and finish out the way Pollack predicts above. Lose to Illinois, lose by double-digits to Purdue, get smoked again by both NW and Wisc. Ouch.

3 weeks, people! Can't come soon enough!
 

Conclusions aside, was that piece written for a middle school newspaper?

What’s wrong with it? :rolleyes:

“Fresno State and the Maryland games are adamant to pick, but we give Fleck the benefit of the doubt and figure his defense will make final stops in those games. Here’s where the roller coaster effect will come into play, as they would be lucky to win just one game in Big Ten play. With this crazy, but expectable scenario taking place, the Golden Gophers would finish with another 5-7 record for the second straight year, leaving them just outside of bowling season.”
 


i'll gladly take the over.
 

I think 5-7 is most likely, but 6-6 is way more likely than 4-8.
7-5 is probably more likely than 4-8.

According to this, our offensive improves from 22.08 pts per game to 25.75,
But our defense goes from 22.83 pts per game to giving up 30.91 points per game.

Hard to win games averaging that many points against you.
 

He has us losing to Illinois??

But he does have us beating Fresno at home. That's not going to be a gimme. If we beat Fresno at home, that could be the different between 6-6 and a bowl game (+15 extra practices) and 5-7 sitting at home.

Pretty much similar to the Maryland game last year. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Would've been in a lower bowl game, with a good chance to end the season on a winning note rather than the sourness of the two awful shutouts.
 

Conclusions aside, was that piece written for a middle school newspaper?

It sounded like it was written by a bot scanning this season and last season's schedule. Somehow a season preview that gets specific enough to predict the final score of each and every game doesn't mention one single player by name.
 



What’s wrong with it? :rolleyes:

“Fresno State and the Maryland games are adamant to pick, but we give Fleck the benefit of the doubt and figure his defense will make final stops in those games. Here’s where the roller coaster effect will come into play, as they would be lucky to win just one game in Big Ten play. With this crazy, but expectable scenario taking place, the Golden Gophers would finish with another 5-7 record for the second straight year, leaving them just outside of bowling season.”

Grantland Rice, Frank Deford, Dan Jenkins...Max Pollack?
 

It sounded like it was written by a bot scanning this season and last season's schedule. Somehow a season preview that gets specific enough to predict the final score of each and every game doesn't mention one single player by name.

Outside of the top teams that's what all the National "Preseason Predictors" all do. Far too many teams out there to follow them closely.

It's why bettors have a real good chance at the Sportsbooks the first 2-3 weeks of the season. Even the bookmakers have trouble figuring out what's going on before they actually start playing the games.
 


Grantland Rice, Frank Deford, Dan Jenkins...Max Pollack?

There's three ways to write. The right way, the wrong way, and the Max Pollack way, which is the wrong way, but FASTER!
 





I don't have high expectations for year one. Fresno and Maryland can easily flip against us while Illinois could flip for us.
We are young. Closer to a junior college roster in regard to age. It will be hard to compete with older teams. 5-7 seems about right and maybe optimistic.
 

Not to disparage the author of the preview - but I went to "coed.com" and it's this odd assortment of sports and pop culture stuff - movies, TV, etc. Also had a "coed" of the day, with pictures of some reasonably hot chick. This does not strike me as a site for serious sports fans.
 

Not to disparage the author of the preview - but I went to "coed.com" and it's this odd assortment of sports and pop culture stuff - movies, TV, etc. Also had a "coed" of the day, with pictures of some reasonably hot chick. This does not strike me as a site for serious sports fans.

I opted not to click on the link at work due to the title of the web page and assuming it wasn't really work appropriate.

The only game I really have a beef with is the Illinois game. I'm just not sure what anyone sees in Illinois that makes them think they'll be competitive this year. I'm not saying they couldn't win - stuff happens. I'm just not sure how you predict that as if it's the most likely outcome.

Outside of that, as someone with no stake or strong knowledge of the team, I don't know how he was going to come up with a different conclusion. If I worked for a national outlet I'd probably have them at 5 wins too. I'm personally rating it at 6 wins +/- 1 win. Don't see 8 wins very likely, don't see 4 wins very likely. A number of good/bad things would have to happen to get to either. I'm hoping I'm wrong and it's 8+, but I don't see it happening right now.
 

Program interest would be in the dumps if the season played out like this. Dang...Hate to even think about it. The only way I would take a 5-7 season is if we snuck a Top 20 rival win out of it.
 



6-6. We go 2-1 in non-con, losing to Fresno State. In B10 we beat Purdue, Illinois, Indiana and either Maryalnd or Iowa. We win the bowl, ending 7-6 (which is not really all that good).
 


6-6. We go 2-1 in non-con, losing to Fresno State. In B10 we beat Purdue, Illinois, Indiana and either Maryalnd or Iowa. We win the bowl, ending 7-6 (which is not really all that good).

Getting into a bowl, ANY bowl, will be massive.

- highlights the program to the nation of casual fans and recruits, who get to watch on ESPN
- 15 extra practices, this is huge!
- chance to end the season with a win


Would absolutely declare 7-6 at the end of this season to be a victory.
 

Week 10: Minnesota 20, Illinois 28 (L)

S2vt.gif
 

Illinois is pretty bad and Purdue might be the most overrated team in the country IMO
 


Fleck & Co. eliminate the 9-win argument going 8-4 (5-4), but also extend the Wisky streak another year, and are unranked at season's end.

In line for a trip back to Citrus but for 2015 appearance, Gophs get snubbed for Outback berth and passed over for Holiday due to 2016 appearance. End up at TaxSlayer Gator Bowl New Year's Eve, where Gophs win in a complete rout, taking out the frustration of another loss to the Badgers on SEC team ranked in top 20.
 

Not a chance our defense will be that bad. Good LB depth + Winfield Jr back + Florida (Williamson) and Bama (OJ Smith) transfer. I envision our defense being decent, actually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 




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