Start of season: what did you hope for?

OldBob53

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7-5? 8-4? 9-3? Better than 9 - 3?
 



7-5? 8-4? 9-3? Better than 9 - 3?

I believe I predicted 9-3. A few weeks ago I posted that that prediction was looking to be too conservative.

Now? We just defeated the team that had been arguably our toughest remaining opponent (regular season). Seems to me the sky is the limit now.
 

I remember quite a few posters predicting the Gophers would be 8-0 heading into the Penn State game and I thought that was a wildly optimistic prediction. Yet, here we are 9-0 after the Penn State game.
 


Expected to be 8-0 or maybe 7-1 with a surprise stumble somewhere going into yesterday. Didn't think Penn State would be as good as they are so had that as a win. Think I had our final regular season record either 10-2 or 11-1.
 

I think I was hopeful for 9-3. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be in a spot where 10-2 would feel like a missed opportunity.
 

I am a crazy optimist and even I think that 10-2, which I predicted, is too conservative. I think we all suffer a hangover from previous Gopher football seasons and it is time we let go of the negatives.
 




It's scary that 10-2 in the regular season would now be a massive disappointment. If someone had offered me that at the start of the season I'd have been elated.
 


I said 9-3 as my prediction...but "hope"? Rose Bowl!
 

Honestly, I was thinking 7-9 wins.
 



My official prediction was 8-4 and I figured that would be another step forward for the program.

However, on more than one occasion I posted comparisons to the mid 90’s breakout Northwestern team that beat Notre Dame and made it to the Rose Bowl. I kept saying the Gophers had a strong enough team that if they could get some luck they could surpass my prediction. So my official prediction was wrong but I at least considered this could happen.

What has played out has been everything I could hope for.
 

I most certainly did not think we'd be in any discussion of the CPF and thinking about the Rose Bowl as a consolation prize. A win next week and I'll have to start re-imagining my holiday travel plans.
 

Then: 9-3 and in the mix for the West felt about right heading into the season. 8-0 felt possible looking at the schedule but figured we would drop 1 along the way.

Now:11-1 with a very real chance of going 12-0. If our offense plays clean over the final 3 games (don't stop ourselves with turnovers, mistakes) there is nobody left on our current schedule that can keep up with us. Iowa and Wisconsin have strong defenses but our offense is a special mix with the Offensive Line playing at a really high level with playmakers all over the field and a QB who is incredibly smart and rarely makes bad decisions. Let's go!
 

My hope was for the Gophers to be in the AP top 25 at the end of the season (post bowl game). I was thinking this would probably be in the 9-4 or 10-3 range. I was a little worried as the Gophers wrapped up their nonconference games, but WOW - have they been awesome in Big Ten play!
 

It's scary that 10-2 in the regular season would now be a massive disappointment. If someone had offered me that at the start of the season I'd have been elated.

me too. Heck, I would have taken 7-5 if we keep the axe and win back Floyd.
 

I predicted 10-2 officially, but deep down felt we could go 12-0. But everyone else seemed to be predicting 7 or 8 wins and I figured I was being my normal WAY TOO head in the clouds self when it comes to the Gophers. I always seem to overestimate their chances, so I went with the most conservative prediction I could.

So pleased I was wrong, so far. I mean, I pegged the PSU game as one of those 2 losses, and the other loss a game we should win that we don't, which could still happen. Hope I continue to be wrong about our losing 2 games!!! :)
 

I predicted 8-0 start and a 10-2 finish.
I was pretty worried after 3 games but see now I was being impatient. I’m currently thinking 10-2 wasn’t giving the team enough credit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I said 8-4 to 10-2 assuming Winfield and Morgan stayed healthy.
I thought we would be more consistent at beating mediocre teams this year.
I thought northwestern would be down (they are)
I thought Penn state would be down (they are not)
 

Does yesterday happen if this miracle doesn't happen? This is still unbelievable. Just think where we all were just 2 months ago.
 



9-3 regular season while winning Floyd and retaining the Axe. Now winning Floyd and retaining the Axe makes it look like a 12-0 regular season.
 

I think I said 6-6, with hope for a seventh win, either during the season or in a bowl. Nine wins is way beyond what I expected.
 

Does yesterday happen if this miracle doesn't happen? This is still unbelievable. Just think where we all were just 2 months ago.

That and Winfield’s INT made me believe anything could happen this year. Tanner’s drive to beat GSU confirmed it. This team can do it all.
 

If I remember correctly, I said we would be 15-0. [emoji23][emoji1787]
Clearly my memory is bad.
I think I said we'd win 7 games and at best, 9.
I will be very happy to be wrong.
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10-2. I thought last year's team improved dramatically when Rossi became defensive coordinator after the Illinois embarassment. With the return of running backs Smith and Brooks, few losses through graduation, and a relatively favorable schedule, I thought we should be able to take another step up this year. My confidence in that belief was shaken by our performance during the non-conference schedule, but after the Maryland game I thought we were where I had orginially anticipated. We obviously have a couple of tough games in Iowa and Wisconsin coming up, and I wouldn't write off Northwestern either, but after seeing how we played against Penn State, I think we can win the next three games as well.
 

Can anyone find the prediction thread?

I think I guessed 8 wins with 10 as a best case scenario. I didn't even expect this was possible even with everything going right.
 




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