Big Ten Power Rankings - Week 6 Thread

BleedGopher

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Hoosier Maven is first out of the gate:

4. Minnesota (5-0) *** Last week: 6
Last week: Beat Illinois 40-17

This week: Nebraska (4-2) at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. ET, (TV: FoxSports1 or BTN)

The skinny: OK, it’s time to finally give the Gophers some props here. I’ve often said that I haven’t been overly impressed by their wins, but they do just keep on winning, and that’s saying something. Beating Illinois isn’t necessarily a chest-pounding moment, but watching Minnesota rush the ball for 332 yards was impressive. Up they go, for now.

https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/big-ten-power-rankings-week-6

Go Gophers!!
 




Buckeyes Wire chimes in:

7. Minnesota (Last week 7)

Rodney Smith rushed for a career-high 211 yards and a touchdown as Minnesota defeated Illinois, 40-17, on Homecoming at TCF Bank Stadium. The Golden Gophers are now 5-0 for the first time since 2004...

What? You thought we’d move the Gophers up after remaining undefeated. Nope. Not yet. This team still has a lot of holes and has more smoke and mirrors than a KISS and magic show rolled into one. Let’s see what happens against Nebraska next week eh?

https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/2...-power-rankings-week-6-ohio-state-buckeyes/2/

Go Gophers!!
 


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Hodger chimes in:

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Go Gophers!!
 

Free Press chimes in:

7. Minnesota (5-0)

Last week: 7. Minnesota made its debut in the coaches poll this week. But there is considerable skepticism about whether the Golden Gophers are for real. None of the opponents Minnesota have defeated are ranked above 74 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, which measures each team’s overall strength. Should Minnesota beat Nebraska on Saturday, it still won’t silence the doubters.

Next up: vs. Nebraska, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, FS1.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...power-rankings-michigan-minnesota/3893211002/

Go Gophers!!
 

MLive.com chimes in:

4. MINNESOTA (5-0)

Last week, it was the Tanner Morgan show. This time it was Rodney Smith taking care of things on the ground, with 211 yards on 24 carries in a 40-17 win over Illinois. Morgan completed just nine passes, but three of them were for touchdowns. Shannon Brooks also added 111 on the ground. For the Gophers, it's their first 5-0 start since 2004. Can they make it through October undefeated? (Last week: 6)

https://www.mlive.com/sports/g66l-2...gan-state-no-match-for-ohio-state-either.html

Go Gophers!!
 



I dont understand the two rankings that has Sparty ahead of us. I'm fine with the notion that it is tough to know what to do with a team that has no losses, but also hasn't beaten any really tough teams yet. But surely we should be ahead of a team with two losses that also hasn't beaten a good team yet
 

I dont understand the two rankings that has Sparty ahead of us. I'm fine with the notion that it is tough to know what to do with a team that has no losses, but also hasn't beaten any really tough teams yet. But surely we should be ahead of a team with two losses that also hasn't beaten a good team yet

We are a tough team to get a read on so I am not surprised to see us perhaps behind some teams we shouldn't be at this point. Those looking beyond the box score will see a couple of dominant wins over Big Ten teams in Purdue and Illinois. Of course both those teams are struggling as well so that knocks it back down a peg.

We played a decent non-conf schedule but didn't win the games in convincing fashion. Fresno is 2-0 since playing us and SDSU has gone 4-0 with double digit wins in all 4 games. That said, when they look at the Jackrabbits most still just see FCS and discount it some.

It is what it is, just keep on winning and the rest will take care of itself.
 

Is this the first recorded example of a Gopher football coach inspiring 'coach envy' from another B1G team's fans?

Hey — in your face, Illinois; we got your coach!

Not sure, but the next step in this process (with more success) is for the coach envy comments to evolve to "you don't deserve your coach and he will leave" comments. You know the Gophers will have gathered more success and attention when the speculation over Fleck's next coaching job will start.
 

I get that Iowa had trouble but as far power rankings not sure I'd put them behind us unless they fall off the face of the earth.
 



I get that Iowa had trouble but as far power rankings not sure I'd put them behind us unless they fall off the face of the earth.

Iowa is a tough comparison for us. ISU might be a better win than any we have (though that's certainly debateable), and they have a loss we dont to a team that is better than any we have played, so that invites the "we haven't lost, but would we be able to say that if we played Michigan like they did" argument. I'd probably put Iowa ahead of us right now, but I dont think us ahead of them is indefensible.
 

Iowa is a tough comparison for us. ISU might be a better win than any we have (though that's certainly debateable), and they have a loss we dont to a team that is better than any we have played, so that invites the "we haven't lost, but would we be able to say that if we played Michigan like they did" argument. I'd probably put Iowa ahead of us right now, but I dont think us ahead of them is indefensible.

The trough part with ISU is that it is really hard to know what to make of that rivalry type game. I generally count those as "always tough" games because even when ISU stinks they are capable of rising up to meet Iowa at times and we've seen Iowa be just fine when a stinky ISU does well against them.
 

Even as a life long Gopher fan who has seldom seen 5-0, I couldn't even think of ranking us higher than 6th at this point.

1. OSU
2. Whisky
3. Penn State
4. Michigan
5. Iowaste
6. GOLDEN GOPHERS!
7. Michigan State

Massive drop-off followed by the rest.

Hard to say if we are part of the drop-off or part of the upper tier at this point. I guess Nebraska would be atop the drop-off teams, so this week should provide us some more info. However, a close win against Nebraska doesn't elevate us to the upper tier. A big win might in the polls.

Go Gophers!
 

Iowa is a tough comparison for us. ISU might be a better win than any we have (though that's certainly debateable), and they have a loss we dont to a team that is better than any we have played, so that invites the "we haven't lost, but would we be able to say that if we played Michigan like they did" argument. I'd probably put Iowa ahead of us right now, but I dont think us ahead of them is indefensible.

+1
Makes sense to rank Iowa ahead of us at this point based on the schedules we have played but based on the eye test I don't think they are all that far above us. To this point the only teams in the BIG that have been truly impressive are Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.
 

FanSided chimes in:

In this week’s Big Ten power rankings, we look at the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers and examine if they’re actually good or just lucky.
Alright, look, as the season began, I wasn’t convinced Minnesota would turn out to be a good team. Through the first three weeks, Minnesota managed to scrape by, beating South Dakota State by a touchdown, Fresno State in overtime and Georgia Southern by three points. Now, at roughly the halfway point of the 2019 season, Golden Gophers have reached a point where it’s impressive to still be undefeated.

That doesn’t mean Minnesota is a great team, but it looks to be a pretty good one. There are four unbeaten teams left in the Big Ten right now, and Minnesota happens to be one of them. Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State are the three other unblemished teams in this conference right now.

5. Minnesota

Minnesota, I am admittedly impressed that you’ve made it to this point and are still undefeated. Given your first three games of the season, I was unimpressed with your 3-0 record. The Golden Gophers have a legitimate shot at making it to 6-0 with their upcoming game against Nebraska. Minnesota may not be a great team by any stretch of the imagination, but remaining undefeated after five games deserve some recognition. Remaining undefeated after six games would earn even more respect.

https://fansided.com/2019/10/07/big-ten-power-rankings-minnesota-good/

Go Gophers!!
 

FanSided chimes in:

In this week’s Big Ten power rankings, we look at the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers and examine if they’re actually good or just lucky.

I still don't understand this line of thinking. I think the Gophers have been on the wrong end of many more fluky plays this season. I don't get how they've been "lucky" in these games. If anything, they've been unlucky.
 

I still don't understand this line of thinking. I think the Gophers have been on the wrong end of many more fluky plays this season. I don't get how they've been "lucky" in these games. If anything, they've been unlucky.

We were lucky when SDSU fumbled the ball, that was an unforced error but besides that, I agree.
 

It's aggressive to be ranking Minnesota ahead of teams like Iowa and Michigan State. I don't agree with that at all. We're still pretty solidly a bottom half team in the B1G.
 

It's aggressive to be ranking Minnesota ahead of teams like Iowa and Michigan State. I don't agree with that at all. We're still pretty solidly a bottom half team in the B1G.


Based on what?


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It's aggressive to be ranking Minnesota ahead of teams like Iowa and Michigan State. I don't agree with that at all. We're still pretty solidly a bottom half team in the B1G.

So you think we should be ranked 8th or lower?? That's nuts. Who would be in the Top 7 if not us?

Also, at what point this season will you feel that we deserve to be in the Top 7?
 

So you think we should be ranked 8th or lower?? That's nuts. Who would be in the Top 7 if not us?

Also, at what point this season will you feel that we deserve to be in the Top 7?

I would put Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa ahead of us for sure which puts us at #7.

Then you could make arguments for Indiana and Maryland which could drop us as far down as #9.

If Minnesota beats Nebraska this week then I will reassess.
 
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Based on what?


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While I do NOT agree with the poster’s take that we are “solidly a bottom half of the Big 10 team,” I’m not sure we are top 5 either. We need to close the deal and win the next three games before thinking like that. If we get to 8-0 with Penn State coming here, we are at worst probably the 5th best team in the league, and then we’ll see where we stack up against the upper half after running the gauntlet at the end.

But if we truly are a top half team, we should be able to take care of business the next three weeks. We’ll see......


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I would put Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa ahead of us for sure which puts us at #7.

Then you could make arguments for Indiana and Maryland which could drop us as far down as #9.

If Minnesota beats Nebraska this week then I will reassess.

You just lost your credibility. Maryland lost to Temple and got absolutely shredded at home by Penn St. You think they're arguably better than the Gophers? Because they beat Rutgers and Syracuse??

Also, just FYI, being ranked #7 in a 14-team conference is not "solidly a bottom-half team". Hyperbole much?
 

IMHO, to get respect nationally that they'll deserve they must win out the next three and upset Penn State. Also, the Gophers as a team seem to get better in small increments each game.

They really cannot take any team for granted this season. Barring any injuries, we have lots to look forward to this special season.

Maybe then, Game Day will finally come to The Bank for the Penn State Game!
 

You just lost your credibility. Maryland lost to Temple and got absolutely shredded at home by Penn St. You think they're arguably better than the Gophers? Because they beat Rutgers and Syracuse??

Also, just FYI, being ranked #7 in a 14-team conference is not "solidly a bottom-half team". Hyperbole much?

Have you watched Maryland's offense when it's clicking this year?
Yeah, their defense sucks and their offense is boom-or-bust, but when they are on, they are a damn good team.
 






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