Minnesota Golden Gophers
Remaining Schedule:
Saturday, October 25th – at Illinois
Saturday, November 8th – vs. Iowa
Saturday, November 15th – vs. Ohio State
Saturday, November 22nd – at Nebraska
Saturday, November 29th – at Wisconsin
According to an Associate Professor of Statistics at the University of Wisconsin, this prediction might not be so crazy. Laura McLay claims that Minnesota has the 7th-best chance of any team in the nation to land in the playoff.
The David Cobb-led 6-1 Gophers finish off a relatively friendly stretch of Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois on Saturday before they enter a brutal November run of Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. However, assuming Jerry Kill’s team defeats the Illini, they should enter their home tilt against the hated Hawkeyes as favorites.
Iowa ran train on Minnesota during their Big Ten opener last season and also in their 2012 game in Iowa City therefore this is no given, even if Iowa is coming off an underwhelming effort at Maryland last week. The following week versus Ohio State is the game that will curb or spur Rose Bowl talk. An upset victory over the Buckeyes would leave two road games in two of the most difficult environments in college football: Nebraska and Wisconsin.
“People always overlooked us and that’s what gave us the motivation,” wide receiver K.J. Maye told the Associated Press.
Even if the Gophers are able to eek out five victories, would a 11-1 record with a loss to TCU be enough to impress the CFP Committee?
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Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports
