Media Prediction Thread: Iowa at Minnesota

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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CFN is first out of the gate:

What’s Going To Happen
The Minnesota offense won’t be able to do enough. This is going to be a low-scoring fight that will go by in a flash. Both teams will try to run the ball, but Iowa will have a wee bit more success, and it’ll be able to get the passing game going far better than Minnesota will.

This won’t be a total clunker like the Maryland game was, but Minnesota won’t have any answers in the second half.

Fearless Prediction
Iowa 26, Minnesota 16

https://collegefootballnews.com/2018/10/iowa-vs-minnesota-fearless-prediction-game-preview

Go Gophers!!
 

Hawkeye Nation chimes in:

HOWE I SEE IT: The injuries of Smith and Winfield impact Minnesota more than they would some other teams because it’s so young. We’ll see this week just how much the other guys have grown up with a tough task of playing a physical Hawkeye squad.

While both of these teams enter action at 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten, Iowa has played two strong Power 5 teams in Wisconsin and Iowa State. It has a veteran quarterback while the Gophers have a true freshmen walk-on facing an imposing defensive front.

Minnesota will try to ugly this one up. Unfortunately for it, the Hawkeyes are comfortable in that format.

This game might stay close for a bit with the Gophers’ feeding off the homecoming crowd, but I can’t see them being able to hold up against Iowa for 60 minutes.

PREDICTION: IOWA 24, Minnesota 12

https://www.hawkeyenation.com/footb...eyes-head-to-minnesota-looking-to-bounce-back

Go Gophers!!
 


I just hope we stay within 21
 



BleedGopher said:
Hawkeye Nation chimes in:

HOWE I SEE IT: The injuries of Smith and Winfield impact Minnesota more than they would some other teams because it’s so young. We’ll see this week just how much the other guys have grown up with a tough task of playing a physical Hawkeye squad.

While both of these teams enter action at 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten, Iowa has played two strong Power 5 teams in Wisconsin and Iowa State. It has a veteran quarterback while the Gophers have a true freshmen walk-on facing an imposing defensive front.

Minnesota will try to ugly this one up. Unfortunately for it, the Hawkeyes are comfortable in that format.

This game might stay close for a bit with the Gophers’ feeding off the homecoming crowd, but I can’t see them being able to hold up against Iowa for 60 minutes.

PREDICTION: IOWA 24, Minnesota 12

https://www.hawkeyenation.com/footb...eyes-head-to-minnesota-looking-to-bounce-back

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

DANG! We picked up a BIG win somewhere along the way.
 






Athlon chimes in with a more detailed prediction:

Final Analysis

We saw Iowa go toe-to-toe with Wisconsin, and the Hawkeyes probably should have beaten the Badgers. This is an extremely talented on both sides of the ball, and if everything is clicking, this game shouldn't be close. A lot will depend on whether or not Minnesota can protect young quarterback Zack Annexstad and sustain a couple of scoring drives early. I'm just not sure that's possible, especially against an Iowa front seven that boasts talent like defensive end A.J. Epenesa. Look for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to exploit the loss of Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., giving Stanley the green light to force the ball downfield early and often. When Minnesota has the ball, Iowa will pin its ears back and come after the freshman signal-caller. This game will likely get ugly in a hurry.

Prediction: Iowa 34, Minnesota 13

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...innesota-golden-gophers-prediction-picks-2018

Go Gophers!!
 

Stewart Mandel The Athletic

Iowa (-7) at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN
The Gophers got their fans’ hopes up early on that this wouldn’t be the dire rebuilding season many were predicting by starting 3-0, but then they went and lost 42-13 at Maryland. Star RB Rodney Smith is out for the season. The Gophers should play better at home — especially with the greatest trophy in all of sports on the line — but Iowa’s defense should dominate the game. Iowa 20, Minnesota 10
 

BleedGopher said:
Athlon chimes in with a more detailed prediction:

Final Analysis

We saw Iowa go toe-to-toe with Wisconsin, and the Hawkeyes probably should have beaten the Badgers. This is an extremely talented on both sides of the ball, and if everything is clicking, this game shouldn't be close. A lot will depend on whether or not Minnesota can protect young quarterback Zack Annexstad and sustain a couple of scoring drives early. I'm just not sure that's possible, especially against an Iowa front seven that boasts talent like defensive end A.J. Epenesa. Look for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to exploit the loss of Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., giving Stanley the green light to force the ball downfield early and often. When Minnesota has the ball, Iowa will pin its ears back and come after the freshman signal-caller. This game will likely get ugly in a hurry.

Prediction: Iowa 34, Minnesota 13

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...innesota-golden-gophers-prediction-picks-2018

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Any interaction with Iowa is ugly. Just sayin'...
 

BleedGopher said:
Athlon chimes in with a more detailed prediction:

Final Analysis

We saw Iowa go toe-to-toe with Wisconsin, and the Hawkeyes probably should have beaten the Badgers. This is an extremely talented on both sides of the ball, and if everything is clicking, this game shouldn't be close. A lot will depend on whether or not Minnesota can protect young quarterback Zack Annexstad and sustain a couple of scoring drives early. I'm just not sure that's possible, especially against an Iowa front seven that boasts talent like defensive end A.J. Epenesa. Look for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to exploit the loss of Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., giving Stanley the green light to force the ball downfield early and often. When Minnesota has the ball, Iowa will pin its ears back and come after the freshman signal-caller. This game will likely get ugly in a hurry.

Prediction: Iowa 34, Minnesota 13

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...innesota-golden-gophers-prediction-picks-2018

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

There won't be a student in the stands (2nd half) if that happens.
 



It's not even worth speculating on this game. A road embarrassment against a full strength team doesn't make the season. A home game against a good Iowa team should tell us a whole lot more.
 

stocker08 said:
It's not even worth speculating on this game. A road embarrassment against a full strength team doesn't make the season. A home game against a good Iowa team should tell us a whole lot more.
Click to expand...

100%. Especially with Nick Connelly passing the day before I'm not sure the team was mentally together for the MD game.
 

Thomasthetank said:
100%. Especially with Nick Connelly passing the day before I'm not sure the team was mentally together for the MD game.
Click to expand...

Right. I still think the Fresno game should be the barometer at this point.
 
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FireDaveLee said:
Stewart Mandel The Athletic

Iowa (-7) at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN
The Gophers got their fans’ hopes up early on that this wouldn’t be the dire rebuilding season many were predicting by starting 3-0, but then they went and lost 42-13 at Maryland. Star RB Rodney Smith is out for the season. The Gophers should play better at home — especially with the greatest trophy in all of sports on the line — but Iowa’s defense should dominate the game. Iowa 20, Minnesota 10
Click to expand...

This feels about right to me. I have a very hard time envisioning MN scoring more than about 13 points without a gimmick or some luck. I sure hope I'm wrong, of course. Some of the more shocking victories in TCF history have been over Iowa. Let's hope we see another!
 

MGGopher said:
This feels about right to me. I have a very hard time envisioning MN scoring more than about 13 points without a gimmick or some luck.
Click to expand...

True, but it's not inconceivable that Iowa won't score much either: 17 against Wisconsin, 13 against Iowa State. They blew the game against Norther IL open in the second half but had only 3 pts. at half. Iowa has won the last three games against Minnesota by 7, 7, and 5.
 


Whole College Gameday crew just picked Iowa. Let's prove em wrong.
 

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