If Minnesota wins next 3

That'd be an interesting question: Which would disappoint some fans more, 11-1 with the one loss being to WI or 1-11 with the one win over WI. Probably some fans wouldn't like either season.
This came up a lot during the 2019 season since the team went 11-2 with the only losses being to Iowa and Wisconsin.

Anyone disappointed in an 11 win season is nuts, no matter who you beat to get to 11. That is not easy to do and doesn't happen often.
 

I'm confident we win this one comfortably if we play well.

Northwestern is well coached and will play hard. But yeah, this current version of Northwestern is not on the level of some of the good teams they have had in recent years.

As Illinois proved on Saturday, anything can happen. But if our guys play well, this one won't be close.
Almost every team in the country is well coached and plays hard
 

This came up a lot during the 2019 season since the team went 11-2 with the only losses being to Iowa and Wisconsin.

Anyone disappointed in an 11 win season is nuts, no matter who you beat to get to 11. That is not easy to do and doesn't happen often.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’d rather be 2-11. But 8-5 with the two victories, yes.
 

Almost every team in the country is well coached and plays hard
Agreed, in the minority Steve Addazio's Colorado State Rams would like a word with you after their field goal blunder this week.
 

Almost every team in the country is well coached and plays hard
Not really sure what else you are looking for. We should beat Northwestern this weekend, have been very clear on that.

Pat Fitzgerald does a great job getting his teams to play above their talent level, they have won the West in 2 of the last 3 years with talent that on paper should not have been able to compete for the division title, much less win it.

So it is tough to take anything for granted against a team like Northwestern. That said, this looks like a down year for Northwestern and if our guys go out there an play well we should be celebrating our 4th straight victory around 6:00 on Saturday.
 


Root for Iowa...we will have to beat them to win the conference anyway but it would likely eliminate Wisconsin and make it a 2 team race.

This. I don't understand how some posters can't figure this out.
 

This. I don't understand how some posters can't figure this out.
I think the Kinnick factor scares a lot of our fans. But yeah, Iowa winning helps us the most since it does basically eliminate Wisconsin.
 

This. I don't understand how some posters can't figure this out.
A Wisconsin win and a a Gopher win puts the Gophers in first place by themselves in the B1G West. That would mean 1 more loss for Iowa somewhere would mean the Gophers could lose at Iowa and still win the West.
I think the Gophers beating Wisconsin at home is more likely than beating Iowa on the road.
If Iowa wins Saturday, the Gophers most likely HAVE to win at Iowa.
 

This. I don't understand how some posters can't figure this out.
Maybe thinking that Wisc would be easier to beat than Iowa, so we can more likely beat Wisc but not Iowa? IE, need someone from the West to give Iowa a loss and Wisc might be the only team to do it?
 



A Wisconsin win and a a Gopher win puts the Gophers in first place by themselves in the B1G West. That would mean 1 more loss for Iowa somewhere would mean the Gophers could lose at Iowa and still win the West.
I think the Gophers beating Wisconsin at home is more likely than beating Iowa on the road.
If Iowa wins Saturday, the Gophers most likely HAVE to win at Iowa.
This makes sense to me.
 

I think the Kinnick factor scares a lot of our fans. But yeah, Iowa winning helps us the most since it does basically eliminate Wisconsin.

For good reason. Gophs haven't won there since 1999 if I recall correctly. Maybe I change my mind as the season progresses, but I think there's a higher probability of a home win vs. Whiskey than a win at Kinnick.

Regardless, while watching the game, it's impossible for me to root for Whiskey...ever. I can't do it.
 

For good reason. Gophs haven't won there since 1999 if I recall correctly. Maybe I change my mind as the season progresses, but I think there's a higher probability of a home win vs. Whiskey than a win at Kinnick.

Regardless, while watching the game, it's impossible for me to root for Whiskey...ever. I can't do it.

A humble request: please don't call them "Whiskey".

Whiskey is a delicious beverage. Don't ruin it by conflating it with Wisconsin.
 




A Wisconsin win and a a Gopher win puts the Gophers in first place by themselves in the B1G West. That would mean 1 more loss for Iowa somewhere would mean the Gophers could lose at Iowa and still win the West.
I think the Gophers beating Wisconsin at home is more likely than beating Iowa on the road.
If Iowa wins Saturday, the Gophers most likely HAVE to win at Iowa.
Can see this scenario as well. In the end I look at it like this.

Given - we have to take care of business against Northwestern, Illinois, and Indiana. No sure things but all very winnable games. If we do that:

If Iowa beats Wisconsin - We have to beat Iowa and then the result of the Wisconsin game at the end of the year wouldn't factor in to the West race.

If Wisconsin beats Iowa - We have to beat both Iowa and Wisconsin.

This of course assumes Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin don't drop other games along the way. Both Iowa and Wis have to play Nebraska and I think the Huskers could give them a battle (especially Iowa). If we work off the idea that Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin are all going to win their other games. Then in the head to head round robin Iowa winning over Wisconsin is the easiest path for us because we only have to win one of the two rivalry games to win the division as opposed to both.

Good chance we are all going to become big Nebraska fans for the final 2 weeks of the year as they have the potential to be a big factor in the West race in those final 2 matchups.
 

Wisconsin losing doesn’t help us as much as Iowa losing. Currently, we and Iowa are tied for first place with a 3-1 record, and both Wisconsin and Purdue are one game behind at 2-2. If we and Wisconsin both win, we will be in first place alone, with both Iowa and Wisconsin one game behind.

The Gophers being all alone in first place will be the best result after the weekend.
 

A Wisconsin win and a a Gopher win puts the Gophers in first place by themselves in the B1G West. That would mean 1 more loss for Iowa somewhere would mean the Gophers could lose at Iowa and still win the West.
I think the Gophers beating Wisconsin at home is more likely than beating Iowa on the road.
If Iowa wins Saturday, the Gophers most likely HAVE to win at Iowa.
Maybe thinking that Wisc would be easier to beat than Iowa, so we can more likely beat Wisc but not Iowa? IE, need someone from the West to give Iowa a loss and Wisc might be the only team to do it?

What am I missing here? Iowa beating Wisconsin would basically eliminate them from West contention. At that point.....the game in Kinnick would probably be the deciding factor.
 

What am I missing here? Iowa beating Wisconsin would basically eliminate them from West contention. At that point.....the game in Kinnick would probably be the deciding factor.
Just compare the two scenarios:

i) Iowa beats Wisc, we'll assume Minn beats Wisc, and so the defacto title game is Minnesota vs Iowa in Iowa City

ii) Wisc beats Iowa, we'll assume Iowa beats Minn, but given the tie-breakers the defacto title game is Minnesota vs Wisconsin in Minneapolis.

Which of these two do you think is easier for us to pull off?


Note: I don't know for fact that the tie-breakers would work out this way, but they would need to do for this comparison to be valid. Perhaps we also need to assume that Iowa loses one more game in scenario ii, not sure.
 

Wisconsin losing doesn’t help us as much as Iowa losing. Currently, we and Iowa are tied for first place with a 3-1 record, and both Wisconsin and Purdue are one game behind at 2-2. If we and Wisconsin both win, we will be in first place alone, with both Iowa and Wisconsin one game behind.

The Gophers being all alone in first place will be the best result after the weekend.

No. That wouldn't be the best case scenario. As MNVCGUY said....if Wisconsin beats Iowa....then a loss to either of those teams would give them the head to head tie breaker against us. If Iowa beats Wisconsin.....that will be their third loss. The Gophers losing to them would not give them the West crown.
 

Just compare the two scenarios:

i) Iowa beats Wisc, we'll assume Minn beats Wisc, and so the defacto title game is Minnesota vs Iowa in Iowa City

ii) Wisc beats Iowa, we'll assume Iowa beats Minn, but given the tie-breakers the defacto title game is Minnesota vs Wisconsin in Minneapolis.

Which of these two do you think is easier for us to pull off?


Note: I don't know for fact that the tie-breakers would work out this way, but they would need to do for this comparison to be valid. Perhaps we also need to assume that Iowa loses one more game in scenario ii, not sure.

If Iowa beats Wisconsin.....they'll have three losses. That would make them irrelevant in the title race assuming that the Gophers or Iowa don't lose a game that they will be favored in.
 

If Iowa beats Wisconsin.....they'll have three losses. That would make them irrelevant in the title race assuming that the Gophers or Iowa don't lose a game that they will be favored in.
And the defacto title game will be in Iowa City.

You can try to ignore that all you want, but that is your problem.
 

I like the other plan — the one where Minnesota beats Iowa and Wisconsin.

This is a nice opportunity, especially considering the fact that, while both Iowa and Wisconsin are pretty solid this year, neither looks unbeatable.

I think I'll go with that scenario: Let's just beat 'em both.
 

Who gets the West in this scenario?? Curious

Minnesota has losses to Ohio St and Iowa
Iowa has losses to Purdue and Wisconsin
Wisc has losses to Michigan and Minnesota

Assume Purdue has 3+ losses and that Ohio St runs the table. I feel like Iowa has the "worst" loss and Wisc has a head-to-head loss with Gophers, here. Therefore, Gophers get it??
 


And I've known my fair share of solid Becky's

Wow. You just made me go down Memory Lane, and... you're right! What is it about that name? Pretty much every Becky I've known is/was the type of girl you loved to spend your time with.

That's rather amazing...
 



And the defacto title game will be in Iowa City.

You can try to ignore that all you want, but that is your problem.

The thing that you are missing is that if Iowa loses.....they'll still only have two B10 losses. They'd have the tie breaker over the Gophers if they win that game. Only difference in this scenario....is that Wisconsin is still alive and could win the West in the final game of the year. In both of these scenarios.....the Gophers will need to win at Kinnick.
 

Who gets the West in this scenario?? Curious

Minnesota has losses to Ohio St and Iowa
Iowa has losses to Purdue and Wisconsin
Wisc has losses to Michigan and Minnesota

Assume Purdue has 3+ losses and that Ohio St runs the table. I feel like Iowa has the "worst" loss and Wisc has a head-to-head loss with Gophers, here. Therefore, Gophers get it??
  1. If only two teams remain tied after any step (or sub-step), the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative. If three or more teams remain tied after any step, move to next step in tiebreaker with remaining tied teams.
1. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
(a) Example: East 1 is 2-0 in games between the tied teams with wins over East 2 and 3 - East 1 would be the representative.
2. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.

Because we would have the same winning percentage in division as Wisconsin and we won the head-to-head we are in.
 


  1. If only two teams remain tied after any step (or sub-step), the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative. If three or more teams remain tied after any step, move to next step in tiebreaker with remaining tied teams.
1. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
(a) Example: East 1 is 2-0 in games between the tied teams with wins over East 2 and 3 - East 1 would be the representative.
2. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.

Because we would have the same winning percentage in division as Wisconsin and we won the head-to-head we are in.
Thank you Purdue!!!

Does mean that they need to get another loss, though. Would be crazy if they were also in a four-way tie.
 




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