If Minnesota wins next 3

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MNVCGUY said:
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.
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I have a feeling that Nebraska beats Iowa this year. Iowa is the number one rival for Husker fans. If Nebraska can score as it usually does, and limit the screw ups it normally makes, it can beat Iowa.
 

Go Gophs said:
In this scenario, every game matters for bowl position. Say we win the West and lose the BT championship. We want to be considered ahead of other teams in our conference.

Play to win 100%.
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It isn't even about bowl positioning. There is just simply no scenario where a Minnesota coach would dare rest players and essentially throw away a game against Wisconsin. It would be career suicide to not make every effort to win that game. Division or bowl positioning don't really matter with the axe on the line.

I am sure there have been years where Wisconsin has had the division locked up before the game against us. And there is no way their coaches would even consider resting players.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
I have a feeling that Nebraska beats Iowa this year. Iowa is the number one rival for Husker fans. If Nebraska can score as it usually does, and limit the screw ups it normally makes, it can beat Iowa.
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I agree, IF Nebraska takes care of the football they have a great shot of beating Iowa, and Wisconsin for that matter. However we all know that with Nebraska taking care of the ball isn't always the thing they do best.
 

MplsGopher said:
Would Fleck be tempted to "rest the starters" in that scenario?

That would be maddening, in a sense. I doubt they would do that ... but maybe they should?
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Pass the pipe bro.
There is no way! You should be banned for a good hour for this post.
Would Michigan rest players against tOSU if they had the East locked up? They’d burn the khakis right off of Harbaugh!
When it comes to Wisconsin, I’m kind of Woody Hayes. Why’d you go for two at the end of the game when you were up by twenty coach? Cause i couldn’t go for three!
 

Gophergrandpa said:
I have a feeling that Nebraska beats Iowa this year. Iowa is the number one rival for Husker fans. If Nebraska can score as it usually does, and limit the screw ups it normally makes, it can beat Iowa.
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I could see it, especially since Nebraska has them at home instead of having to play them at Kinnick. They actually have played Iowa very close during the Frost era.
 



boofbonser said:
I could see it, especially since Nebraska has them at home instead of having to play them at Kinnick. They actually have played Iowa very close during the Frost era.
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Iowa pretty much plays everyone close.

They have a very conservative approach on offense and win with ST and defense.

That said, and as others have noted...if they don't force TOs, it usually a one score game.

If Morgan throws less than three picks, Gophs can beat them.
 

Frost is our go to guy. Nebbie takes down at least one of the two and maybe both. Squawks at Lincoln most likely.

If they win both Frost is proclaimed both BIG and National Coach of Year by Lincoln paper.
 







swingman said:
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So....if Wisconsin beats Iowa.....we'd probably need to beat both.....or be pulling for Nebraska against the team that we don't beat. If Iowa beats Wisconsin....we take down Iowa for the West (assuming no other mess ups). Seems like a pretty obvious rooting interest here.
 



stocker08 said:
So....if Wisconsin beats Iowa.....we'd probably need to beat both.....or be pulling for Nebraska against the team that we don't beat. If Iowa beats Wisconsin....we take down Iowa for the West (assuming no other mess ups). Seems like a pretty obvious rooting interest here.
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We would like Iowa to win, then beat Iowa, Illinois, northwestern, Indiana,

I have a sneaking suspicion at least one of the top 3 will lose a game or two to an underdog still
 

I just hate the idea that the defacto West championship would be located in Iowa City, giving them that massive home advantage and in a place where the Gophers typically find a way to play poorly.

Once Iowa beats Wisconsin ... that's it, there's no turning back. We're locked into that matchup. We're locked into all the pressure being on that one game.

(Assuming no crazy crap happens)


At least if Wisc beats Iowa, then there are all kinds of possibilities still open. Including of course that we still go down to Iowa City, relaxed, and beat them.
 

Some guy said:
We would like Iowa to win, then beat Iowa, Illinois, northwestern, Indiana,

I have a sneaking suspicion at least one of the top 3 will lose a game or two to an underdog still
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The Nebraska games are far and away the most dangerous games on paper for Iowa and Wisconsin in terms of games against other teams. None of ours are particularly scary but obviously we all know our team is capable of playing poorly against inferior teams.

I just have this feeling Nebraska is going to factor into this race big time down the stretch.
 

Some guy said:
We would like Iowa to win, then beat Iowa, Illinois, northwestern, Indiana,

I have a sneaking suspicion at least one of the top 3 will lose a game or two to an underdog still
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I think the Gophers can 100% win out. But if we win the next four and have the West locked up prior to the Wisconsin game.....that would be great. Then the boys can stomp down on a team that has less motivation.
 

stocker08 said:
I think the Gophers can 100% win out. But if we win the next four and have the West locked up prior to the Wisconsin game.....that would be great. Then the boys can stomp down on a team that has less motivation.
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I agree. But if wisconsin beats Iowa, we wouldn’t have it wrapped up. Hence I want Iowa to beat wisconsin
 


This is pretty easy. It's better for the Gophers if Wisconsin wins. That's about the only path to a West championship that DOESN'T require a win at Iowa.
Iowa winning at Wisconsin does little for the Gophers chances.
This isn't complicated.

The Gophers could be all alone in 1st Saturday night. Case closed.
 


USAF said:
This is pretty easy. It's better for the Gophers if Wisconsin wins. That's about the only path to a West championship that DOESN'T require a win at Iowa.
Iowa winning at Wisconsin does little for the Gophers chances.
This isn't complicated.

The Gophers could be all alone in 1st Saturday night. Case closed.
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If wisconsin beats Iowa, it requires the gophers to go unbeaten the rest of the way unless you think Iowa loses another game
 

USAF said:
You might. I don't.
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If you hate Iowa more than Wisconsin....I can understand that. If you think it's better for the Gophers on the path to a West title if Wisconsin wins....I don't understand you.
 

Some guy said:
If wisconsin beats Iowa, it requires the gophers to go unbeaten the rest of the way unless you think Iowa loses another game
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That's the exact opposite of the situation.
If Wisconsin and Minnesota win Saturday, the Gophers have sole possession of 1st and can win the division in multiple ways. Including not having to win at Iowa.
If Iowa wins, there is virtually no path to the division outside of winning at Iowa.
 


This is the first time in several years that I will be rooting for Scott Frost and the Husker to have success in one and hopefully two B1G West games.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I agree, IF Nebraska takes care of the football they have a great shot of beating Iowa, and Wisconsin for that matter. However we all know that with Nebraska taking care of the ball isn't always the thing they do best.
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I give Nebraska credit for two categories of screw ups. One is turnovers, to which you allude. But Nebraska also has an uncanny ability to take penalties at crucial junctures which kill drives and extend opponents’ drives. All team do so, of course, but Nebraska just seem to do it more and with more devastating effect.
 

If Iowa wins. We have to win in Iowa. The only way this isn't true is if Iowa loses to Nebraska and another game. VERY VERY UNLIKELY. We would need them with three total losses and us 2 because they would have head-to-head tiebreaker.

I hate WI though, so I'm almost better with Iowa winning and having everything ride on that one game.

Here's the positive story for each scenario:

1. Iowa wins. Wisconsin falls by the wayside and they are done. It's just MN and Iowa talk for a couple weeks.

2. Wisconsin wins. More room for error. We have a 1 game lead until we play these other games. More likely scenario for chaos and a more interesting "race" to the finish.
 

USAF said:
You have that backwards.
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How so? If Iowa wins.....Wisconsin has three losses and would no longer control their own destiny. The Badgers losing is the best case scenario for the Gophers.
 

USAF said:
This is pretty easy. It's better for the Gophers if Wisconsin wins. That's about the only path to a West championship that DOESN'T require a win at Iowa.
Iowa winning at Wisconsin does little for the Gophers chances.
This isn't complicated.

The Gophers could be all alone in 1st Saturday night. Case closed.
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Iowa winning at Wisconsin essentially eliminates Wisconsin.

And while it would look cool to be in first alone, when there is still a month of season left which includes your 2 biggest games, being in first at the end of October really doesn't matter.
 

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