Media Predictions: Minnesota Golden Gophers Vs. Colorado Buffaloes

IceBoxGopher

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Picks and Parlays has the Gophers winning 49-3
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are rolling through the first part of the season and will continue that trend this week. Minnesota will dominate this game in every aspect as they will again coast to an easy win. Take Minnesota to again defend their home field as they roll to their third victory of the season.
 

Picks and Parlays has the Gophers winning 49-3
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are rolling through the first part of the season and will continue that trend this week. Minnesota will dominate this game in every aspect as they will again coast to an easy win. Take Minnesota to again defend their home field as they roll to their third victory of the season.
They were pretty close last week.
 

The Daily Gopher has Minnesota winning 34-10
This is a complete mismatch for Colorado. Their offense is stuck in neutral and there is no reason to believe they’ll be able to find much traction against the Gophers’ stout defense, and Minnesota’s ground game should have ample room to run against the Buffaloes’ listless front seven.

OddShark’s score prediction is 36-5
Minnesota will win, cover the spread and the total will go under
 

Buffaloes Wire (USA Today) has Minnesota winning 41-20
Colorado will be facing its biggest line so far this season, coming in as a 27.5-point underdog to the Gophers. The over/under is also relatively low for a college game at 46.5 points. I think it will be tough to stay under that 46.5, so the over is the bet for me. I am unsure if Colorado can stay within that point total but I will go the positive route and go with Colorado at +27.5.
 

Buffaloes Wire (USA Today) has Minnesota winning 41-20
Colorado will be facing its biggest line so far this season, coming in as a 27.5-point underdog to the Gophers. The over/under is also relatively low for a college game at 46.5 points. I think it will be tough to stay under that 46.5, so the over is the bet for me. I am unsure if Colorado can stay within that point total but I will go the positive route and go with Colorado at +27.5.
Interesting that this writer thinks Colorado will basically double its offensive point total against Gophs. AF might have a good defense, but I don't think TCU's is even close to the Gophs.
 


College Football News has Minnesota winning 37-13
Karl Dorrell is a good football coach and there are too many decent players for the team to be this awful. It’ll come up with a few early scores to make it look like something is about to turn, and then Minnesota will go on a pounding scoring march.

And then another, and then another. There’s no getting cute here. The Gophers will win on brute force.


Scores and Stats is predicting a 37-10 Minnesota victory
Colorado was overrun last week by Air Force, 41-10, as the Falcons rushed for 435 yards. Slowing down Minnesota's outstanding running back Mo Ibrahim is the next challenge for Karl Dorrell's program.

Ibrahim has rushed for 262 yards in his first two games and has been a catalyst for the Minnesota offense.
 

Weird but I kinda think the predictors who think the Buffs score more than 10 points are big dinks!
 

If PJ and KC let the passing game operate as a full part of the offense, as they did against Western Illinois, then the 27.5 point spread is very beatable. Would love to go into MSU with three game stats of 140+ points scored on offense and 20 or less surrendered on defense. Would like to enter MSU match with confidence in all phases of our game. And would like to exit MSU with even greater confidence.
 

41-10 Minnesota with Colorado getting a TD in the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter to cover and make everyone who had the Gophers covering throw a tantrum at sports books across the country
 



Bleacher Report has Minnesota winning 35-7

All three writers at Buckeyes Wire (USA Today) are predicting a Minnesota victory

Sports Book Wire (USA Today) has Minnesota winning 45-14
Morgan and Fleck have the Gophers 2-0 and while those games were against lowly competition in New Mexico State and Western Illinois, Colorado is not any better than either of these teams.
While Colorado is not good, it will at least get to 10. With this total only being at 46.5, Minnesota will put this one over by scoring 40.
 


The hosts for the Colorado Daily preview both picked Minnesota to win, one prediction was 40-13 and the other was 41-10.

The Seattle Times has the Gophers winning the game
We have been burned twice by Colorado’s incompetence on offense, first against TCU and then Air Force. (The Buffs scored 23 points, total, in the two games.) If CU covers, good for those gutsy enough to take all the points. We will believe it when we see it.

All three writers at Spartans Wire (USA Today) are picking Minnesota

Both writers for Cal News (Fan Nation) have Minnesota winning
JAKE: Who knows who will be the Buffs’ quarterback this week; all we know is he will struggle. A huge spread, but . . . Pick: Minnesota
JEFF: Hard to believe, but Colorado may be the best team the Golden Gophers have faced this season. Yes, better than either New Mexico State or Eastern Illinois. But the Buffs are 126th nationally in scoring. Pick: Minnesota

All nine writers for Trojans Wire (USA Today) are predicting a Minnesota win
 




The site Scoop Duck has Minnesota winning 31-14
Show us a pulse Colorado. A sign of life. Something.

LineUps is predicting a Gophers victory
I think Minnesota wins this game and wins it BIG. P.J. Fleck truly has a good culture building at Minnesota and they want to show that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten West. He is also not a coach that will take an off week against a less superior team and will make sure his team gives 110 percent.

The Minnesota defense was one of the best in the country last season in PPG and YPG let up and they are already showing that again early this season. Colorado still hasn’t been able to figure out their offense yet with QB J.T. Shrout who threw for only 51 yds against Air Force as well as an interception. It’s not a good matchup for Colorado’s defense as well as I’ll jump into in the next column. 27.5 points is a wide margin but all the numbers are pointing to this one being a blowout.

The over at 46.5 could be something worth taking as well as I don’t believe Minnesota will show any shortage of scoring. If Colorado is able to at least get some points on the board that should be able to help get the over because I believe Minnesota might be able to get close to the line on their own. My pick: Minnesota -27.5
 

Black Shoe Diaries (SB Nation) has Minnesota winning 38-17
The Gophers ran all over Colorado last season, to the tune of a 30-0 drubbing. I don’t know that they’ll shut out the Buffaloes two seasons in a row, and I don’t know that the Gophers will score at will against a Power 5 opponent, even if that opponent happens to be winless Colorado.

Land Grant Holy Land (SB Nation) is predicting a 45-14
Nobody should take Colorado football seriously as long as they have Karl Dorrell as their head coach. The Buffaloes have lost their first two games of the season to TCU and Air Force by a combined score of 79-23. Colorado is allowing 377 rush yards per game so far this season.

Some of that high total is because they played Air Force, but Minnesota has Mohamed Ibrahim and Trey Potts, which is going to make it another long day for the defense of the Buffaloes.
Last year the Golden Gophers beat Colorado 30-0 in Boulder. Even though Colorado will score this year, Minnesota is gonna win by about the same margin.
 



Pioneer Press has Minnesota winning 42-6
Gophers offense vs Colorado defense: Minnesota is No. 1 in the nation with an average of 582 yards per game, while Colorado is 104th at 428 allowed. U offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said it’s too early for anyone to say the U has a great offense or defense. Edge: Gophers

Gophers defense vs. Colorado offense
: Minnesota is No. 1 in the country with 142 yards allowed per game, while Colorado is 125th at 255 yards gained. … Sanford has played two quarterbacks through two games (J.T. Shrout and Brendon Lewis) and neither have had much success with one combined passing touchdown and one interception. Edge: Gophers

Prediction: Sanford might relish the opportunity for revenge against his former employer, but he does not have the players to dent what appears to be the makings of another stout Gopher defense.


Here are the predictions from the Daily Gophers (SB Nation)
  • GoAUpher has Minnesota winning 45-13. I’m looking forward to a win in person.
  • GopherGuy05 is predicting a 38-7 Minnesota win. Should be another nice game for the Gophers. Colorado lost by 30 to Air Force last week, so I’m guessing we can at least match that.
  • GopherNation has the Maroon and Gold winning 31-9. More of the same thing we have seen for the past two games. There will be a lot of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
  • HipsterGopher has Minnesota winning 146-0. In 1904, Minnesota beat Grinnell 146-0, the biggest margin of victory in program history. I hope they blow past it this Saturday.
  • Mowe0018 is going with Minnesota winning 45-10. Really depends on how back-ups are handled and when the pedal is taken off the gas.
  • UStreet is taking Minnesota 35-7.
  • White Speed Receiver has the Gophers winning 52-0. Sorry about that, Mike Sanford Jr. Now let’s see some more Athan Kaliakmanis and make more jokes about a quarterback controversy.
  • WildCatToo is predicting a 35-10 Minnesota win. The Gophers’ ground game is going well. Meanwhile, nothing is going well for Colorado.
  • ZipsOfAkron is going with a 35-3 Minnesota win. I think it was Mr. Burns who said “I’d trade it all for just a little more.”
 

Pioneer Press has Minnesota winning 42-6
Gophers offense vs Colorado defense: Minnesota is No. 1 in the nation with an average of 582 yards per game, while Colorado is 104th at 428 allowed. U offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca said it’s too early for anyone to say the U has a great offense or defense. Edge: Gophers

Gophers defense vs. Colorado offense
: Minnesota is No. 1 in the country with 142 yards allowed per game, while Colorado is 125th at 255 yards gained. … Sanford has played two quarterbacks through two games (J.T. Shrout and Brendon Lewis) and neither have had much success with one combined passing touchdown and one interception. Edge: Gophers

Prediction: Sanford might relish the opportunity for revenge against his former employer, but he does not have the players to dent what appears to be the makings of another stout Gopher defense.


Here are the predictions from the Daily Gophers (SB Nation)
  • GoAUpher has Minnesota winning 45-13. I’m looking forward to a win in person.
  • GopherGuy05 is predicting a 38-7 Minnesota win. Should be another nice game for the Gophers. Colorado lost by 30 to Air Force last week, so I’m guessing we can at least match that.
  • GopherNation has the Maroon and Gold winning 31-9. More of the same thing we have seen for the past two games. There will be a lot of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
  • HipsterGopher has Minnesota winning 146-0. In 1904, Minnesota beat Grinnell 146-0, the biggest margin of victory in program history. I hope they blow past it this Saturday.
  • Mowe0018 is going with Minnesota winning 45-10. Really depends on how back-ups are handled and when the pedal is taken off the gas.
  • UStreet is taking Minnesota 35-7.
  • White Speed Receiver has the Gophers winning 52-0. Sorry about that, Mike Sanford Jr. Now let’s see some more Athan Kaliakmanis and make more jokes about a quarterback controversy.
  • WildCatToo is predicting a 35-10 Minnesota win. The Gophers’ ground game is going well. Meanwhile, nothing is going well for Colorado.
  • ZipsOfAkron is going with a 35-3 Minnesota win. I think it was Mr. Burns who said “I’d trade it all for just a little more.”
This is unrealistic. PJ will call of the dogs once we go up by 120.
 

The Star Tribune is predicting a 34-10 Minnesota victory
While the Gophers eventually get a chance to play an opponent from the Power Five convention, the Buffaloes seem unprepared to take on a tough challenge. They have proven to be incredibly vulnerable to runs, and this is where the Gophers excel. If they stack the box to stop the run, Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarokka has an array of pass patterns to call and athletes to work with. Morgan has completed 73% of his dice, and backup Athan Kaliakmanis is well-prepared to step up if needed.

Then there’s the matchup of Colorado’s offense against the Gophers defense. Sanford has an equally long job ahead of him, and the Buffaloes still don’t have the athletes to consistently challenge good teams. And on Saturday, Sanford will face a deep, experienced defense coordinated by Joe Rossi, who has advanced the Gophers’ defense over the past two seasons into one of the nation’s best. Sure, Sanford may know the Minnesota personnel from his two years in Minneapolis, but does he have the players who can solve that defense?

My Expectation: Although the Gophers can’t match their average of 50 points per game or even cover 27½ points, by which time they will have another working effort and go 3-0. will improve.


All of the contributors at Off Tackle Empire (SB Nation) are picking the Gophers
  • Misdreavus79: The crimes against humanity in this one might make [redacted] [redacted]. Minnesota 55, Colorado 0
  • Thumpasaurus: This is yet another game where my picking the B1G team against the spread is more about how terrible I think the opponent is. Colorado has a legit claim to the title of Worst P5 Football Program with Kansas on the rise.
  • MaximumSam: Karl Dorrell is still a head coach. How about that. Minny 31, Colorado 12
  • Kind of...: Buffaloes are dogshit. Minnesota’s D is rolling. 38-7 Gophers.
  • RockyMtnBlue: I live less than 20 minutes from Folsom Field and I’m telling you: CU is not good at the footballing. Minnesota 38, Colorado 3
  • MNW: At least this year Minnesota won’t have lost to Bowling Green. Gophers, 38-7.
 

GopherIllustrated (247 Sports) has Minnesota winning 34-13
I want to believe that Minnesota has another large margin on victory in this game, as the Buffaloes are not in a good place right now. They've been blown out in each of their first two games, and the seat is getting hotter and hotter under head coach Karl Dorrell as his offense continues to sputter. And their defense is struggling to stop the run, just one week after being on the field for 74 plays against a triple-option team.

If Colorado gets points early, this could be a lot closer game than many fans want. But I genuinely have little confidence that the Buffs' offense will be able to move the ball consistently and that they can stop Minnesota's rushing attack for 60 minutes.

Minnesota gets out of the non-conference undefeated with a massive showdown against No. 9 Michigan State next week.
 

Colorado's only chance of scoring a lot of points is if Minnesota scores quickly each time we get the ball.
 




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