Would you take Northwestern's lows if we got their highs?

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Hates Monikers

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Northwestern has won the West Division two of the past three years, but followed each by laying huge eggs. Here are their records:

2018: 9-5 overall, 8-1 conference, West champions
2019: 3-9, 1-8
2020: 7-2, 6-1, West champions
2021: 3-4, 1-3 so far

Those lows are pretty low, but I'd take them if it means we finally win the division. I'm not sure how many others here could. And, even if we SAY we could take it, could we? Actually living through the such large drops would be painful. Eventually the floor would have to rise, though, even with success thrown in.

We're almost certain to take a step back next year, IMO -- hopefully not that far back. But you never know. It sure would be nice to earn some hardware during the years we're all in.
 


Hates Monikers said:
Northwestern has won the West Division two of the past three years, but followed each by laying huge eggs. Here are their records:

2018: 9-5 overall, 8-1 conference, West champions
2019: 3-9, 1-8
2020: 7-2, 6-1, West champions
2021: 3-4, 1-3 so far

Those lows are pretty low, but I'd take them if it means we finally win the division. I'm not sure how many others here could. And, even if we SAY we could take it, could we? Actually living through the such large drops would be painful. Eventually the floor would have to rise, though, even with success thrown in.

We're almost certain to take a step back next year, IMO -- hopefully not that far back. But you never know. It sure would be nice to earn some hardware during the years we're all in.
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I would absolutely have traded where we were as a program under Mason and Kill for what Northwestern has been under Fitzgerald.

I don't think I would trade where the program is at under Fleck for Northwestern's results and potential. We have already been co-champions of the West once under Fleck and the ceiling for our program under Fleck feels higher than Northwestern's under any coach.
 


Hates Monikers said:
Northwestern has won the West Division two of the past three years, but followed each by laying huge eggs. Here are their records:

2018: 9-5 overall, 8-1 conference, West champions
2019: 3-9, 1-8
2020: 7-2, 6-1, West champions
2021: 3-4, 1-3 so far

Those lows are pretty low, but I'd take them if it means we finally win the division. I'm not sure how many others here could. And, even if we SAY we could take it, could we? Actually living through the such large drops would be painful. Eventually the floor would have to rise, though, even with success thrown in.

We're almost certain to take a step back next year, IMO -- hopefully not that far back. But you never know. It sure would be nice to earn some hardware during the years we're all in.
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Next year will be interesting. We lose a lot on oline and some key defensive players. But the skill positions will be very experienced.
 


It is true that Northwestern has been a solid program for a while. The big dips after the West championships are easier to take knowing that even before winning the division the Wildcats had some really good years. The dips are harder to take if you're looking more short term.

Here's NU's record going back farther; I'm sure most of us would take this seven-year span:

2015: 10-3, 7-2 (finished 23rd in AP poll)
2016: 7-6, 5-4
2017: 10-3, 7-2 (17th in AP poll)
2018: 9-5 overall, 8-1 conference, West champions (21st in AP poll)
2019: 3-9, 1-8
2020: 7-2, 6-1, West champions (10th in AP poll)
2021: 3-4, 1-3 so far
 

We'd like to see continuous recruiting successes. PJ's chart zig-zags. We want higher zags.;;
 





I'm surprised so many people are answering yes. If the question is asked a little different.....eg......what team in the west would you be happy emulating, the answer is usually Wisconsin - sometimes Iowa. Wisconsin's results have been better than this.
 

GVLCGopherFan said:
I'm surprised so many people are answering yes. If the question is asked a little different.....eg......what team in the west would you be happy emulating, the answer is usually Wisconsin - sometimes Iowa. Wisconsin's results have been better than this.
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But that's not the question. I would answer your question as Wisconsin ( or Iowa) I definitely would have taken NW highs and lows compared to our recent record. Rose Bowl, hell yes.
 


TNGophfan said:
But that's not the question. I would answer your question as Wisconsin ( or Iowa) I definitely would have taken NW highs and lows compared to our recent record. Rose Bowl, hell yes.
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Fair enough. The question also doesn't say anything about comparing their highs to our recent record. Maybe I'm getting greedy, but going forward, I'd not be happy with those records. I would be happy, and see no reason why, we can't be closer to what Wisconsin has done.
 





Hates Monikers said:
Northwestern has won the West Division two of the past three years, but followed each by laying huge eggs. Here are their records:

2018: 9-5 overall, 8-1 conference, West champions
2019: 3-9, 1-8
2020: 7-2, 6-1, West champions
2021: 3-4, 1-3 so far

Those lows are pretty low, but I'd take them if it means we finally win the division. I'm not sure how many others here could. And, even if we SAY we could take it, could we? Actually living through the such large drops would be painful. Eventually the floor would have to rise, though, even with success thrown in.

We're almost certain to take a step back next year, IMO -- hopefully not that far back. But you never know. It sure would be nice to earn some hardware during the years we're all in.
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Not even close.
They have been to a Rose Bowl. That’s all I want.
 



No doubt. Won the West, gone to the Rose bowl. Definitely much higher highs than the Gophers have seen in a long, long time.
 


Torres9 said:
Umm. We’ve had NW lows? So, hard yes
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I assumed from the post that it was only referring to the last few years, in which case Northwestern's last 3-9 season is much more recent than ours, and Northwestern has never had an 11 win season as far as I can tell. They went 1-2 out of conference in 2018 with a loss to Akron in the same season they won the division. Northwestern also has the advantage of not having rivals that finish in the top half of the division pretty much every year; I'm sure they don't have any feelings of futility about when they'll ever beat Illinois again. In their defense though, they have a very respectable record against Iowa and Wisconsin.

Since the start of the 2017 season until today, Minnesota has 31 wins while Northwestern has 30 wins. I think you'd have to total up wins back to the Brewster era before Northwestern started to take a significant lead in win total.
 

We have most certainly surpassed NW as a program during PJ’s tenure. The flukiness of scheduling and the CFP makes the Rose Bowl require a bit of luck along with success. Our 2019 team was better than any NW team in recent memory… and there exists a pretty clear path to the Rose Bowl for the Gophers this year… that can’t be said for NW. Maybe being upper 30s rather than a little more advanced in years factors into my equation, but I would absolutely not trade places with them. It’s really not even close.
 


MNVCGUY said:
I would absolutely have traded where we were as a program under Mason and Kill for what Northwestern has been under Fitzgerald.

I don't think I would trade where the program is at under Fleck for Northwestern's results and potential. We have already been co-champions of the West once under Fleck and the ceiling for our program under Fleck feels higher than Northwestern's under any coach.
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Of course I would not trade to go back to Mason’s pre on campus stadium days of having no on campus stadium and sharing the joint with the Twins, the Vikings and monster truck / tractor pull events which was humiliating, horrible and self defeating. But I loved watching some of Mason’s teams and offenses!

Getting the new on campus stadium, administrative support and a unique home field to defend was ultimately a huge reason Coach Fleck was attracted to the University of Minnesota job when it was open a few years ago. Let’s not kid ourselves on that point.

I believe Coach Fleck is the right man for this job and feel he has done a very good job and IS the coach who will have the program competing and WILL win a number of division championships if he stays long enough.
 
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No.
I want Minnesota’s highs. Just in my lifetime. There is no reason we can’t recruit as well or better than Wisconsin, Iowa or even Nebraska. Better city, culture, coach and a great school. We just need the sustained winning record to keep it going.
Minnesota has always had the capability of being a force in athletics. Athletics has just not had the front office support since the sixties.
It’s finally coming around and we are getting back where we should be.
 

In re/ the earlier Granma post.

No Rose Bowl for Gophers since eraly 1960s when i was still in diapers.

Sorry Granma. Nice knowing you, but you're toast!
 

I wouldn't take their record if you had to also take their fan base apathy. Even in those good years they were back page news and games we played against them in good years or following good years were in front of empty stands. At least when we have a modicum of success our fans get jacked up. I wouldn't trade the season opener atmosphere of the TCU game after Kills good year for any game played at Ryan field in the last 10 years.
 

There isn't much to think about really. It's subbing out not winning the west for winning the west while subbing out a crappy bowl game against Central Michigan for a 1-8 season.

I could handle not watching the gophers play a bowl game in Detroit or wherever that was if it meant watching them in the big ten championship the next year.
 

Otis said:
No.
I want Minnesota’s highs. Just in my lifetime. There is no reason we can’t recruit as well or better than Wisconsin, Iowa or even Nebraska. Better city, culture, coach and a great school. We just need the sustained winning record to keep it going.
Minnesota has always had the capability of being a force in athletics. Athletics has just not had the front office support since the sixties.
It’s finally coming around and we are getting back where we should be.
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I love the University of Minnesota -- and I may be in the minority -- but I would rather go to college in a smaller town where everything was focused on the university. Additionally with the great things we have in the city we also have more crime which can be a deterrent to more rural prospective students.
 

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