This was our big chance for a big season - and it's gone.

Nope......Illinois mauled us on both lines.
They did, but we had a lead at one point in the second half despite that. I imagine we throw for more than 21 yards in that game if CRAB is playing.
 

This season was a wash when CRAB went down. Everyone said with Kirk C. back, that we would be fine. Crab laying on the ground was the end of a chance to win the west.

We beat Iowa and Purdue with CRAB. It's too bad, but it is football.
I don't believe this.

I don't think one player like that makes that significant of a difference. Especially with how much we run the ball.

If we had Mo, then we win the Purdue game.

I can't refute it and so you of course can believe whatever you want. I don't believe it
 

Buncha cry babies in here. These are the best gopher teams I can recall.
 


Just think, Iowa will be winning the West this year on a schedule similar to the Gophers schedule next year. It's not like it's impossible. Iowa played OSU, Michigan and Rutgers (granted, MSU was 1 touchdown better than Rutgers this year).

PJ needs to figure out how to beat the West opponents more than anything. Iowa has been the huge roadblock. Bielema's Illinois is now a roadblock. PJ has found success against the rest, but not when it mattered, which is the issue.

2019 - loses to Iowa and Wisconsin
2020 - nevermind
2021- loses to Illinois and Iowa
2022 - loses to Purdue, Illinois and Iowa

Effing Iowa.
MN can be Iowa next year. Have to win the right games is what it comes down to. 5 games at home next year. Team can win 8 games.

Every season brings about new stories we never envisioned.

Who envisioned Illinois?
Who envisioned Wisconsin firing their coach
Who envisioned Northestern going 0-11 after beating Nebraska
Who envisioned Iowa would be going to Indy?
Who envisioned CRAB and Morgan would be out?
Who envisioned MSU would be bad
 


Here's what's amazing to me:

Gopher Defense this season gave up 53 total points at the Bank in 2022. That's 7.5 per game.

In 4 Big 10 games they allowed 36 points. That's a 9 per game. Never more than 20. Still only went 2-2.

Had they protected home turf vs Purdue and Iowa, next week's game would not have even mattered as far as winning the West (outright).
 

Mo deserved better. 263 yards on that defense. Too bad T-Time didn't hang on to that pick!
 

When we threw it on 3rd and 1, only to attempt the field goal on 4th and 1….

I mean, he just never learns. If you were going to try a field goal, then run it on 3rd and 1. So tired of seeing the same game mismanagement over and over.
This. It is absolutely asinine to throw the ball on 3rd and 1, and then try to kick the field goal.

My God.....it felt like we ran the ball 864 times in a row at points during the season. And NOW......NOW......NOW on 3rd & 1, in this game....in this spot...... you are going to get cute and try to throw the ball?! And follow that up with a FG attempt, instead of going for it?!

Absolute stupidity.

Completely terrible play-calling and game management. You deserve to lose when you do stupid shit like that.

I feel just awful for Mo. Guy is one of the biggest warriors I've ever seen on a college football field. He'll be remembered as a legend. He deserved to walk off that field a winner on Saturday.
 

As the old timers say “it’s running down our pants leg”. Pretty much describes this season - lots of possibilities. No guts, no glory.
 



Back to the title of the thread and OP.


Look how perfectly the 2022 Big Ten West was set up for Minnesota to win the division.

- Nebraska is historically bad
- Iowa and Wisconsin started the year out, and still largely are, as bad as they've been since the West was formed
- we had owned Purdue and Brohm going into this year
- NW could end up with 1 win, for the first time in a very long time/ever?
- Illinois is in year 2 of a new coach
- @ Penn St is tough, but @ MSU ended up being easy and Rutgers was easy. 2 out of 3 from the East is usually as good as it gets.

It was never going to get better set up for us to win the division, than this.


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We weren't going to win the Illinois and Penn State games. Just wasn't going to happen.


But we easily could've won the Purdue and Iowa games. With momentum from a nice win yesterday, we roll into Madison. 10-2 is an awesome regular season and easily wins the division.



Nope. We're looking at 7-5 or if we somehow turn it around and keep the axe 8-4.

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We'll never have this opportunity again. Divisions are going away, so we'll have to compete directly with USC, Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, and all the rest to win the conference.


Tough to see Minnesota ever getting a trophy from the Big Ten, again.

College football doesn't distribute talent in any kind of way that even comes close to resembling "fair". The talent you need to win the Big Ten, is almost never going to choose to come to Minneapolis, Minnesota. No matter who the coach is or what "culture" is installed.


And the few blue-chips that do grow up in the Cities, want out.
Donate more to the NIL collectives, if you don't it's your fault we suck
 







So, so disappointing. We HAD it! We HAD it twice! Mo was able to run almost at will through the vaunted Iowa defense. We let Petras have his best game of the season. They do this to me every. damn. year.
 

for those of us lucky enough to attend inperson. The whole game was awesome. Not the ending but everything else was grand. Wait the line to the can at halftime was not awesome.
 

It won't be years and years, because there will not be a Big 10 West beyond 2023.
I’m just saying outside of OSU, Michigan, and somewhat PSU, no one is head and shoulders better than us. Can still have good seasons.
 

I’m just saying outside of OSU, Michigan, and somewhat PSU, no one is head and shoulders better than us. Can still have good seasons.
USC is probably better suited for future success, though if the NFL comes a knockin' for Lincoln Riley that could fall apart.

I think Chip Kelly has UCLA at least on solid footing, for now. Could just be a flash in the pan though.
 







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