Are the Gophers as good as Florida or Georgia?

John Galt said:

SEC teams generally are in the southeast part of the country. Where it’s a lot warmer and doesn’t snow. Teams from all conferences are usually playing conference games in October and November. What would you expect? Alabama to cancel their annual year end game against Auburn so they can come play the Gophers?

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What are you even talking about?
What happened to you JG?


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No

John Galt said:

SEC teams generally are in the southeast part of the country. Where it’s a lot warmer and doesn’t snow. Teams from all conferences are usually playing conference games in October and November. What would you expect? Alabama to cancel their annual year end game against Auburn so they can come play the Gophers?

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SEC teams are the only football teams FBS P5 and above who don't play in cold weather. At all other high levels of football cold/snow is at least sometimes a factor.

I don't blame the schools for that but football is way easier when you don't need to plan for the cold and snow. Every Big 10 team prepares for games when it's too cold and snowy to pass effectively. The Gophers are built in a way that even when good teams know they're running, they can still pick up yards effectively.

On the NCAA level I wish they'd spread out bowl games more and force P5 teams to play non-conference games against P5 opponents but that's a different discussion.

The SEC is also known for avoiding away nonconference games against P5 teams in general. They play far fewer than any other P5 conference even though they have an extra nonconference game compared to everyone else but the ACC. Even then, many of those were within the state. It's not just the weather; they try to avoid all away games against P5 teams. The Gophers play half as many non-home nonconference games than SEC teams and still manage to play more away ones against P5 teams than most of the SEC. It looks like the SEC is starting to schedule more in the future and unless they pull out of them, I bet we'll start to see fewer "elite" SEC teams when they have to play more tough away games every year.

Yes. The SEC has been very good at avoiding top competition with the non-conference scheduling, and they get by with it when half of the SEC teams are automatically placed in the top 25 to start each season. I also believe the SEC conference would lose some of its luster if the inter-conference scheduling was fairer.

howeda7 said:

I think MN vs Florida on a neutral field would be close to a pick-em and I'd take us. Georgia would probably be favored by about 10.

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Everyone is entitled to an opinion here, but I must disagree with you. Think we’d be 10 and 20 pt underdogs, respectively (and respectfully). And that’d be fair


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Gopherlife said:

Yes. The SEC has been very good at avoiding top competition with the non-conference scheduling, and they get by with it when half of the SEC teams are automatically placed in the top 25 to start each season. I also believe the SEC conference would lose some of its luster if the inter-conference scheduling was fairer.

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The SEC has to play tougher conference games, especially the West. Additionally, looks like Auburn, LSU, Bama have all scheduled tougher non con teams than we have. The did the UW thing on the road and neutral . If people step out of the regional bias they know the SEC is better. They recruit far better players.

In November, winter weather....the Gophers would have a chance against any of them

Notre Dame is a ****ing joke.

metrolax said:

In November, winter weather....the Gophers would have a chance against any of them

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I am pretty sure it gets almost as cold as it does here at random times in November at games vs. Missouri and Arkansas, and they might even get a cold streak at UK once in a while. They were awfully bundled up for the AP. State game Thursday night. (it is 35 degrees in Boone NC right now)

Of course, a game with weather like the TCF 2014 Ohio State game or the TCF 2013 Wisconsin game might freak out a team used to playing in FL, Al, GA or Mississippi.

Well Minnesota is solidly the worst undefeated team again so there should be no chance of beating top 7 SEC teams.

builtbadgers said:

The SEC has to play tougher conference games, especially the West. Additionally, looks like Auburn, LSU, Bama have all scheduled tougher non con teams than we have. The did the UW thing on the road and neutral . If people step out of the regional bias they know the SEC is better. They recruit far better players.

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I still think it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison. The SEC certainly doesn't schedule many games against the Big Ten, as they are only 11-9 in non-bowl games against the Big Ten since 2000, which equates to basically one voluntarily scheduled game per season. Also, I'm a little surprised that you're so focused on the SEC recruiting "far better players" when, in the basketball threads, you're much more focused on player fit and growth into the program.

Gopherlife said:

Yes. The SEC has been very good at avoiding top competition with the non-conference scheduling, and they get by with it when half of the SEC teams are automatically placed in the top 25 to start each season. I also believe the SEC conference would lose some of its luster if the inter-conference scheduling was fairer.

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Urban brought this up on Fox yesterday. He said SEC still only scheduling 8 conference games is definitely an advantage...as is the late season cream puff game. Also agree with the initial rankings. It directly affects the deckchair shuffling at the beginning of the season when P5 is playing non-con games.

PMWinSTP said:

Urban brought this up on Fox yesterday. He said SEC still only scheduling 8 conference games is definitely an advantage...as is the late season cream puff game. Also agree with the initial rankings. It directly affects the deckchair shuffling at the beginning of the season when P5 is playing non-con games.

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Not sure if it was the same episode, but Urban almost mentioned how a wished he could have gotten top offensive lineman when at Florida the way Upper Midwest teams do - one reason why the spread offense was such a good fit there. He could recruit speed all day every day from Florida but not necessarily top notch O Lineman.

John Galt said:

SEC teams generally are in the southeast part of the country. Where it’s a lot warmer and doesn’t snow. Teams from all conferences are usually playing conference games in October and November. What would you expect? Alabama to cancel their annual year end game against Auburn so they can come play the Gophers?

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Georgia and Ohio State have agreed to a home and home series. In Athens in 2030 and in Columbus in 2031.


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