College Football Power Rankings: Minnesota rockets up to No. 4

I care more about wins and losses. The rankings will take of themselves if the team takes care of business. Nonetheless, if the Gophers have a hole in their resume from a rankings perspective, it's getting a road win against a winning team (even if wins at Fresno and Purdue are nothing to sneeze at). That win can happen this week if the Gophs beat a good Iowa team. It will be tough.
 

"INSERT NAME OF BIG TEN TEAM" is 9-0 (6-0 Big Ten) with a win against a Top 4 team and one of only a handful of undefeated P5 teams left in the country.
 

Eye test meaning, when you use your eyes, can you read the word "Georgia" or "Alabama" on the uniform.


To be slightly more serious, eye test usually means does your team have a prolific offensive attack? Are you a high-flying fast team with high talented skill positions and lack of mistakes.

If anyone watches the Gophers recently, they would actually be a strong "eye-test" team.
We're not the plodding running game, barely tolerable passing game typically associated with Big Ten football.


The point that people do not even have to watch now. This statement was more relevant last week when they were at 17. This does not have to do with the present anymore.

This week, people can look at schedule and box scores only and not have a logical reason to put them below 3 or 4.
 

Get ready to hear this phrase a LOT during and after this week's CFP: Eye Test.

As in:

"Yes, Minnesota may have a better resume, but Alabama and Georgia are better based on the eye test."

SMH

Yes, you may hear that THIS week. But if the Gophers take care of business and beat a ranked Iowa, Northwestern on the toad and a ranked Wisconsin, that argument will no longer be a valid one. They can’t use it.

Take care of Iowa first please!!!!


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As a long-time Gopher fan - let me explain some people's attitudes.

We are indoctrinated by years of experience to always think the worst is about to happen. have a big lead at halftime....waiting for the 2nd-half collapse. Start the season 7-1......wait for the team to fall apart when they face the big boys at the end of the season.

So when we see the Gophers playing really well and getting national acclaim, we're really happy. BUT - at the same time, that little voice is still whispering in the back of our ear......."These are the Gophers you're talking about......They'll screw it up......They always screw it up......"

It's like you are wishing for a new bike for Christmas....and you wind up getting socks and underwear. Gopher fans are indoctrinated to not ask for too much or hope for too much, because we've had our hopes crushed so many times. So when people are talking about the CFP and National championships, that little voice is saying......"don't get too cocky or too happy......the football Gods will never let the Gophers win it all......."

That little voice is a b*stard. I want to tell him to go f*ck himself, but even if I believe in the Gophers 99%, there is still that 1% of doubt.

Well put and to be fair, that's how it is with all MN sports. This city is seemingly just cursed when it comes to good teams finishing the season out strong.
 


I never expected to hear/read a statement like this one found in the opening paragraph.

"We go into this week with a statement we never thought possible: Minnesota is more likely to go to the College Football Playoff than Alabama."

The euphoria of this statement is overwhelming.

Ski-U-Mah!!
Row the Boat!!!
Go Gophers!

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There are some very nice, extremely well-intentioned folks in our fan base who are really, REALLY uncomfortable with raised expectations and setting higher goals.

So true. It is even worse on the basketball side. Some fans are actually happy with 9-11 in the conference if that is good enough to make the tourney. These coaches are hired and paid to achieve excellence. Conference titles, Rose Bowls, playoffs in football. Conference titles, elite 8's, final 4's in hoops. Sweet 16 is just ok, that only requires two wins. Conference titles requires 15-5 or better. Other schools have hired coaches who got those things done. Fleck demands excellence in the culture he built.
 

It is weird to suddenly be in this stratosphere - a place we perhaps should be in a week from now. Iowa will be tough at home in November. Still, we could lose to both Iowa and Northwestern and still go to Indianapolis by beating the Badgers in Minneapolis (not that I recommend that route).
 





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