College football analyst believes Minnesota is a Top 25 team

nitramnaed · Aug 25, 2021

Per Saturday Tradition:
Minnesota might be going under the radar nationally for the most part, but an analyst has emerged who’s rowing the boat for the Gophers.

Minnesota is currently unranked in the AP and USA Today polls. That’s a mistake according to 247Sports’ Josh Pate.

Minnesota is coming off a 3-4 season in the shortened 2020 campaign. This regression came after Minnesota posted an 11-2 record in 2019, as they tied for first in the B1G West and knocked off Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

Pate is predicting host Minnesota will upset defending B1G champion Ohio State in the season opener.

Via 247Sports:

“Now here’s the way it probably happens. It would have a lot to do with probably an undervaluation of Minnesota’s roster because they return pretty much everyone and they got gutted by COVID last year. So you have a lot of experience returning combined with an undervalued roster because a lot of it didn’t get to see meaningful playing time last year. You also on the Ohio State side of things all likelihood have C.J. Stroud making not only his first start but it’s a road start.”

That’s a bold prediction. If Minnesota pulls that off, it’s almost certain they’ll get ranked.

Minnesota-Ohio State will be a primetime matchup on Sept. 2 (8 p.m. EST/FOX).