dpodoll68
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From Bill Connelly:
https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-coaches-michigan-state-woes-more-wild-week-9
Are we realizing how big Minnesota-Penn State is going to be?
The Big Ten is narrowly behind the SEC in terms of average SP+ rating. The usual suspects -- Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan -- are ranked pretty highly as always, but another fascinating (and run-heavy!) team has joined the party recently. After stumbling through the first month, barely beating South Dakota State, Fresno State and Georgia Southern and nearly blowing a huge lead against Purdue, Minnesota has caught fire.
P.J. Fleck's Gophers have yet to play anybody better than Nebraska -- go ahead and stock your "AIN'T PLAYED NOBODY" response cannons -- but I always say that how you've played is more important than who you've played, and Minnesota has been brilliant.
In the past four weeks, Minnesota has beaten Illinois, Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland by an average score of 42-10. I said in the preseason that the Gophers were the high-upside up-and-comer that we were pretending Nebraska was, and after a sloppy start, they have gone about proving that upside once more.
Now comes the hard part. After a bye, Minnesota plays host to Penn State in the biggest game in the 10-year history of TCF Bank Stadium. It's probably the biggest Minnesota home game in any stadium since ... 2004 (No. 18 Minnesota vs. Penn State)? 1985 (No. 20 Minnesota vs. No. 9 Ohio State)? 1968 (No. 16 Minnesota vs. No. 2 USC)? 1961 (No. 5 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Purdue)? A long time, no matter what.
https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-coaches-michigan-state-woes-more-wild-week-9
Are we realizing how big Minnesota-Penn State is going to be?
The Big Ten is narrowly behind the SEC in terms of average SP+ rating. The usual suspects -- Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan -- are ranked pretty highly as always, but another fascinating (and run-heavy!) team has joined the party recently. After stumbling through the first month, barely beating South Dakota State, Fresno State and Georgia Southern and nearly blowing a huge lead against Purdue, Minnesota has caught fire.
P.J. Fleck's Gophers have yet to play anybody better than Nebraska -- go ahead and stock your "AIN'T PLAYED NOBODY" response cannons -- but I always say that how you've played is more important than who you've played, and Minnesota has been brilliant.
In the past four weeks, Minnesota has beaten Illinois, Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland by an average score of 42-10. I said in the preseason that the Gophers were the high-upside up-and-comer that we were pretending Nebraska was, and after a sloppy start, they have gone about proving that upside once more.
Now comes the hard part. After a bye, Minnesota plays host to Penn State in the biggest game in the 10-year history of TCF Bank Stadium. It's probably the biggest Minnesota home game in any stadium since ... 2004 (No. 18 Minnesota vs. Penn State)? 1985 (No. 20 Minnesota vs. No. 9 Ohio State)? 1968 (No. 16 Minnesota vs. No. 2 USC)? 1961 (No. 5 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Purdue)? A long time, no matter what.
