Is there any chance this is a trap game?

Tlsbhansen

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I think we are all expecting a comfortable Gophers victory, and that scares me a bit. I am just wondering if given the weather we may have to rely on our run game...which to date has not been a strong suit. As a Minnesota sports fan, I am always fearing that my expected hopes will be met with disappointment. Just hoping it isn't this weekend!
 

IMO:

The Gopher's don't have trap games. Great teams have trap games.

There's no reason / reasonable POV to not take every game seriously. If we were Ohio St.... I could see it being "more" understandable that someone would do that.

If we take Illinois lightly we're just dumb.
 

With the possible exception of Rutgers (and even then, see 2016), every single Big Ten game is a non-zero chance of losing.

They all have at least as much money as we do. They all, with the exception of Nebraska, have at least as good (usually better) access to the Great Lakes recruiting areas, not to mention they all recruit nationally as well. They all have good players and at least some great players in positions, they all have high-paid coaching staffs, all have great facilities (or are in the process of upgrading them).
 
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Agree that we don't have trap games at this point because if we are taking any team lightly then something is wrong. We have won 4 games by a combined 20 points, we can't look past anybody right now.

We should beat Illinois, but we should have beaten them last year as well. I am sure the coaches will remind the players of that fact numerous times this week.
 

I hate the term "trap game." It seems to be a euphemism for "I am afraid our team and coaching staff will do an inadequate job getting prepared or motivated for a game we should win." "Trap" makes it sound like some exogenous factor that the gophers have no control of could happen to them.
 


I hate the term "trap game." It seems to be a euphemism for "I am afraid our team and coaching staff will do an inadequate job getting prepared or motivated for a game we should win." "Trap" makes it sound like some exogenous factor that the gophers have no control of could happen to them.

ex·og·e·nous

/ˌekˈsäjənəs/
adjective
adjective: exogenous


  • relating to or developing from external factors.







 

This is clearly a game Minnesota should win. If the Gophers lose this game, it will be an indication that the team is not yet ready to achieve their goal.

The teams that win championships will take care of business against lesser teams most of the time. You don't have to crush them, but you have to win. If you can't do that, then you're probably not ready to be a champion.
 
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I don't think this team will be taking lightly after the first four games. I also don't think a little rain generally has such drastic impact on the passing game that much. If it impacts anyone's passing game, it probably would impact Illinois more. Their passing offense already isn't very good, ranked at #104. Illinois' passing yards given up per game is #102 with them giving up 261 yards per game. I think the Gophers will attack them through the air until the running game opens up.
 





I don't know how they could look at the result last year and have this be a trap. They could still lose - but trap implies they were looking ahead to Nebby or completely underestimated Illinois, and I do not believe that will happen.
 

Found this definition for "Trap game":

A trap game is a game played against an opponent generally deemed to be easy to defeat. As a result a person or team may not prepare as thoroughly as they would for a formidable opponent. Often this attitude and its attendant lack of preparation lead to a loss.

In another version, it defined a "Trap Game" as a team that overlooks an easier opponent because they are facing a better opponent or a rival the following week.

So, I have to answer Yes. This could be a trap game for the Gophers.

As other have said, it should not be a trap game IF the Gophers are prepared and ready to play. But, if anyone thinks Illinois is a cake-walk, or they're looking ahead to Nebraska, then it could be a trap game. That is entirely up to the players and coaches.
 



This opponent not only upset them last year but embarrassed them. It is homecoming. The four wins to date against supposed lesser opponents have all been close. There basically is no reason to fall asleep on this opponent. If the Gophers take Illinois lightly, they are poorly coached.

If the Gophers lose, it won't be because this game was a trap. It will be because South Dakota State and Georgia Southern were signs this team just isn't that good yet.
 

The first four games all went down to the wire, so this one could, too. Last year Illinois pasted over 50 on us, and they have a lot of talent, so I'm not confident of a victory. Also, it looks like rain, which could mess up both sides. Another nail-biter is a possibility. Illinois is a big play team, and so are we. Would love to see the Gophers finally put one away.
 

Found this definition for "Trap game":

A trap game is a game played against an opponent generally deemed to be easy to defeat. As a result a person or team may not prepare as thoroughly as they would for a formidable opponent. Often this attitude and its attendant lack of preparation lead to a loss.

In another version, it defined a "Trap Game" as a team that overlooks an easier opponent because they are facing a better opponent or a rival the following week.

So, I have to answer Yes. This could be a trap game for the Gophers.

As other have said, it should not be a trap game IF the Gophers are prepared and ready to play. But, if anyone thinks Illinois is a cake-walk, or they're looking ahead to Nebraska, then it could be a trap game. That is entirely up to the players and coaches.

I feel like if someone puts 50 on you the previous year ... I'd be really skeptical about "generally deemed to be easy to defeat".
 

If they get trapped, it's the coaches fault for not showing them last year's tape enough.

Fact is, there are no trap games this year until past Penn State! There isn't a team good enough to look ahead to until after PSU.

Schedule Remaining:

Oct 5: Illinois - 2nd easiest conference game, but are you really looking ahead to Nebraska who I fully expect to lose to NW? I say no. Oh, scoreboard from last year, much?
Oct 12: Nebraska - Umm, Rutgers is next, so no looking past the Huskers.
Oct 19: @Rutgers - Biggest trap game possibility IMO. Winning against Rutgers is like death and taxes. However, we got crushed by the Terrapins last year!
Oct 26: Maryland - Nothing to look forward to combined with a terrapin team that puts the terra in terrible!
Nov 2: Bye
Nov 9: Penn State - Too good of an opponent to look ahead to Floyd.
Nov 16: @Iowa - Too big a rivalry game to look past.
Nov 23: @ NW - Would a Gopher team really look past an away game at NW? No way, well maybe, OK, it could happen. Cause next comes the AXE!!!!!
Nov 30: Wisconsin - Never ever could be a trap game! Win and you get THE AXE, laid, inebriated, legend status, etc.
 
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We got clobbered last year by them. Clearly not a trap game.
 

If they get trapped, it's the coaches fault for not showing them last year's tape enough.

Fact is, there are no trap games this year until past Penn State! There isn't a team good enough to look ahead to until after PSU.

Schedule Remaining:

Oct 5: Illinois - 2nd easiest conference game, but are you really looking ahead to Nebraska who I fully expect to lose to NW? I say no. Oh, scoreboard from last year, much?
Oct 12: Nebraska - Umm, Rutgers is next, so no looking past the Huskers.
Oct 19: @Rutgers - Biggest trap game possibility IMO. Winning against Rutgers is like death and taxes. However, we got crushed by the Terrapins last year!
Oct 26: Maryland - Nothing to look forward to combined with a terrapin team that puts the terra in terrible!
Nov 2: Bye
Nov 9: Penn State - Too good of an opponent to look ahead to Floyd.
Nov 16: @Iowa - Too big a rivalry game to look past.
Nov 23: @ NW - Would a Gopher team really look past an away game at NW? No way, well maybe, OK, it could happen. Cause next comes the AXE!!!!!
Nov 30: Wisconsin - Never ever could be a trap game! Win and you get THE AXE, laid, inebriated, legend status, etc.

Rutgers is way more of a trap game than Northwestern is.
 

IMO:

The Gopher's don't have trap games. Great teams have trap games.

There's no reason / reasonable POV to not take every game seriously. If we were Ohio St.... I could see it being "more" understandable that someone would do that.

If we take Illinois lightly we're just dumb.

Post of the Day!
 


Last year it was a crap game.

dr-mccoy-and-captain-kirk-approve.gif
 

This opponent not only upset them last year but embarrassed them. It is homecoming. The four wins to date against supposed lesser opponents have all been close. There basically is no reason to fall asleep on this opponent. If the Gophers take Illinois lightly, they are poorly coached.

If the Gophers lose, it won't be because this game was a trap. It will be because South Dakota State and Georgia Southern were signs this team just isn't that good yet.

Yup, this is pretty much it. We learn a little more about the team every week, but there are still a ton of question marks. The Illinois game will be another data point.
 

Gophers hammer by 3 touchdowns. You heard it here first. They are ready for a breakout and Illinois is just the type of terrible, no effort squad that it's going to happen to. 5-0 and ranked 25th going into their game. With Nebraska next week.

Row it baby.;)
 

1,000 % percent this can be a trap game for the Gophers. Coaches can preach until they are exhausted about the things an opponent does well that you must stop etc. Players at any level choose not to listen, they in all their infinite wisdom know better.

If it was easy to discern it was happening you would remedy the symptoms. Pretty hard to know what exactly is going on in the minds of your players. Once you enter a game with an improper mindset it’s very difficult to reverse course during the game. For that to happen you need to be much more athletically talented than your opponent.

Very, very easy for the Gophers to overlook Illinois. “They ain’t very good” “We only lost last year because our defensive coordinator was clueless “ “it’s a home game” “it’s Homecoming” “We got this”

Pretty fine line to discern between confident and prepared and zero respect for your opponent.

How good you are or have been makes zero difference. Players have their own thoughts how good they are. At different times your players are not sure they could beat Carleton. Other times they want Alabama...”If they were on our schedule I know we’d beat em”. Fine line, all in cycles that are hard to predict. You try to pump them up and tell them how good they are. They don’t quite see it, but they do win and then at some point it skips to bring on Alabama and somebody like Illinois steals your lunch.
 

Remember “brick by brick,” Illinois is another brick which leads us into Nebraska. Illinois puts “only” seven in the box. We become the running team we thought we were all along. 200 on the ground Saturday.
 


1,000 % percent this can be a trap game for the Gophers. Coaches can preach until they are exhausted about the things an opponent does well that you must stop etc. Players at any level choose not to listen, they in all their infinite wisdom know better.

If it was easy to discern it was happening you would remedy the symptoms. Pretty hard to know what exactly is going on in the minds of your players. Once you enter a game with an improper mindset it’s very difficult to reverse course during the game. For that to happen you need to be much more athletically talented than your opponent.

Very, very easy for the Gophers to overlook Illinois. “They ain’t very good” “We only lost last year because our defensive coordinator was clueless “ “it’s a home game” “it’s Homecoming” “We got this”

Pretty fine line to discern between confident and prepared and zero respect for your opponent.

How good you are or have been makes zero difference. Players have their own thoughts how good they are. At different times your players are not sure they could beat Carleton. Other times they want Alabama...”If they were on our schedule I know we’d beat em”. Fine line, all in cycles that are hard to predict. You try to pump them up and tell them how good they are. They don’t quite see it, but they do win and then at some point it skips to bring on Alabama and somebody like Illinois steals your lunch.

I disagree.
 

Usually when people throw out the words trap game, they are looking for excuses in case they lose. Hate the term also, speaks to people incapable of taking responsibility. If you lose, own it. But I don’t think the gophers lose this one, hopefully they are ready.
 

Are we contenders or pretenders?

If we're a good team, we'll beat Illinois at home. If we lose to Illinois in our stadium, it means we aren't as far along in Year 3 as I for one had hoped we would be. It wouldn't be the end of the season, but it would mean dialing back expectations, yet again... and that's a posture that's all too familiar for Gopher fans.

Just win this game.
 




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