'Cats open at minus 3 vs. Minny
- Thread starter No Chores
- Start date
Letdown week, trap game, lots of injuries, we often seem to play poorly after getting ranked. I don’t like it. But this team, despite not having the best record in the Fitz era they have gotten it done despite key guys going down. I hope they finish strong with 2 wins going into Indy.
This makes a lot of sense.
Line says NU -9 at Ryan. Not sure I’d like that line at all.
Lay-off game for me.
Obvious trap game:
Biggest factors:
1) Weather in Minnesota will probably be terrible (like Purdue's game at Minnesota)
2) We just won the Big Ten West and are now getting ranked by AP at #24 and likely by CFP
3) Tons of injuries to our secondary
We're favorites, and I'll pick us to win with confidence, but never guarantees in this sport.
Biggest factors:
1) Weather in Minnesota will probably be terrible (like Purdue's game at Minnesota)
2) We just won the Big Ten West and are now getting ranked by AP at #24 and likely by CFP
3) Tons of injuries to our secondary
We're favorites, and I'll pick us to win with confidence, but never guarantees in this sport.
Important game for Minnesota as they need one more win to be bowl eligible and are at Wisky the last game of the year. But I believe we come out and play well. I understand how this could be a letdown game, but I see a team that is really focused right now and has found an identity.
I wouldn’t bet it, but I think the Cats win by about 2 TD’s.
I wouldn’t bet it, but I think the Cats win by about 2 TD’s.
It's time for the Cats to grow up! Play like the champs and the favorites. Win 38-0.
Yeah I want us to finish these two games like last year. Would love 2 big wins with no injuries.
Agree and why some think it's better if we are dogs, is a loser mentality. Cats by 12 or more.
Minny is a significantly worse team than the one we thumped last year. Nothing to see here...
Purdue came out thinking they would have their way with them without any effort and it showed. We will not be similarly surprised or unprepared.
Purdue came out thinking they would have their way with them without any effort and it showed. We will not be similarly surprised or unprepared.
I too like being a slight dog on the road. We tend to play better that way. But in any event, we have been playing well on the road
Blot out Saturday's unicorn game vs. Purdue and it is easy to see. Lolillinois dominated them.
Minnesota is NOT worse than the team we played last year that essentially had NO quarterback. They have been scoring lots of points but their defense has also been giving up a lot. Hopefully, we can pound them with our improved run game and hit some big plays against them like Nebraska and Illinois did. They have been better at home beating a good Fresno State team as well as Indiana and Purdue. No cakewalk here!
ill take the wins as well, provided we rest Hall, most CBs, McGee and every other player that is at least slightly banged up.
These last 2 weeks should be like scrimmage games to get quality reps for our younger players. I wouldnt be against starting Marty or Smith at QB.
These last 2 games hold no value since we are already bowl qualified.
If we win the BIG then its the Rose Bowl. If we lose, then any other bowl is a letdown.
What if we lose our last 4 after we play not to lose against two poor teams? How would everyone feel then? Way, way worse I would think, with the whole West sucks narrative in full force. I think easy lopsided wins give us much more mojo going into the “Ship” than any kind of excuse ridden loss.
Agree - and I don't think Fitz will go into turtle mode attempting to "save something" for the championship. If we limp into it, so be it. They will have battled the entire season and that won't go unnoticed.
You beat me to it. Not saying Minnesota is a good team, but they have been tough at home this year with their only loss to Iowa when Iowa was really playing well. Some nice wins too as you mentioned. This will not be an easy game, but I feel we are really in a nice groove right now and expect us to win with the same formula of playing a close game for a half, getting a little bigger lead in the 3rd and then running out the game with Bowser in the 4th. But if we don't come to play, there's absolutely no doubt we could lose. A lot on the line for Minnesota right now as they are trying to become bowl eligible.
Play to win. But let Hall and some banged up CBs and DLs heal up. Dont run bowser 25 times.
Bowser's going to aim for 100+ yards against each of Minnesota and Illinois.
Let's just hope it's in 15-20 carries each game. He's too important to the offense to lighten his load unless we're winning big, and we can let Hanaoka and the others take some of the load at that point.
Let's just hope it's in 15-20 carries each game. He's too important to the offense to lighten his load unless we're winning big, and we can let Hanaoka and the others take some of the load at that point.
Bowser is our MVP. If he gets hurt, we get thoroughly abused and embarrassed in Indy. He is the real deal and if he gets injured in a meaningless game then that's ridiculous. We have no depth or elite players if he gets hurt.
When their best QB threat on offense is their Wildcat QB, they essentially have no QB. Again. And their defense is signficantly worse than it was last year. Indiana and Purdue both played terribly against them; I watched the Indiana game it its entirety and wished I hadn't; it was the worst football game I had seen between two teams in quite some time. They got soundly defeated by Illinois, who is a horrific mess of a team. I would be really surprised we broke our long road winning streak in the BIG to them, particularly as well as we are playing.
I am hopeful that Thor still has a burr under his saddle about losing to WMU
I do
I do
Lots of people thinking that we basically mail in this game combined with Minnesota fighting for a bowl game.
I still think we should win easily; hard time imagining a Fitz team just coming out totally flat in a game like this.
NU has never lost the week after clinching the West.
The 2018 Cats can beat almost any team.
The 2018 Cats can lose to almost any team.
The 2018 Cats have not shown they can "run up the score" on any team. Yet.
I will take the Cats playing all out, a good game from Thorson, and any kind of win.
And no more injuries.
This will not be an easy game no matter who we rest or don't rest. The weather will play a factor, their new freshman quarterback is playing much better for several games, they have excellent wide receivers and the defense is coming around. We should win but it won't be a walk in the park.
I agree. Just go 1-0 this week. But to be underdogs as ranked B1G West champs is an insult.
I don't expect a 39-0 win like last year (that was sweet!) but it would be nice to bury them decisively.
you do realize seth Green isn't our be QB right? Look up or Freshman QB, & Wr's & RB's
Yeah, the story on this line is motivation - the pros feel NU is playing for nothing and that Minny is playing for bowl eligibility. Also a feeling the NU’s 6-4 record is a total mirage.
I may lay off still, but a shift further toward NU will make a bet possible.
I may lay off still, but a shift further toward NU will make a bet possible.
There's someone your freshman QB will meet. Very nice guy from Massachusetts.
The pessimistic view: NU has never won the week after clinching the West.
