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Minnesota Golden Gophers
Nov. 11.
Minneapolis, MN.
Record/Rank: 6-6/3-5
TV: ESPN U
Tickets: link here for tickets!

2006 Schedule

8/31 at Kent St
W, 44-0
9/9 at Cal
L, 17-42
9/16 TEMPLE
W, 62-0
9/23 at Purdue*
L, 21-27
9/30 scUM*
L, 14-28
10/7 JOEPA*
L, 27-28 ot
10/14 at Wisky*
L, 12-48
10/21 N DAKOTA ST
W, 10-9
10/28 at Ohio St*
L, 0-44
11/4 INDIANA*
W, 63-26
11/11 at MSU*
W, 31-18
11/18 IOWA*
W, 34-24
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
* Conference Game
ALL TIMES EASTERN

2005 Schedule (7-5/4-4 Big Ten)

9/1 at Tulsa
W, 41-10
9/10 COLORADO ST
W, 56-24
9/17 FLA ATLANTIC
W, 46-7
9/24 PURDUE*
W, 42-35 ot
10/1 at Penn St*
L, 14-44
10/8 at scUM*
W, 23-20
10/15 WISKY*
L, 34-38
10/29 OHIO ST*
L, 31-45
11/5 at Indy*
W, 42-21
11/12 MSU*
W, 41-18
11/19 at Iowa*
L, 28-52
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
* Conference Game
ALL TIMES EASTERN

2004 Schedule (7-5/3-5 Big Ten)

9/5 TOLEDO
W, 63-21
9/11 ILLINOIS ST.
W, 37-21
9/18 at Colorado St.
W, 34-16
9/25 N'WSTERN*
W, 43-17
10/2 PENN ST.*
W, 16-7
10/9 at Michigan*
L, 24-27
10/16 at MSU*
L, 17-51
10/23 ILLINOIS*
W, 45-0
10/30 at Indiana*
L, 21-30
11/6 at Wisconsin*
L, 14-38
11/13 IOWA*
L, 27-29
vs Alabama
(Music City Bowl)
W, 20-16
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
*Big Ten Conference games
ALL TIMES EASTERN

2003 Schedule (10-3/5-3 Big 10)

8/30 TULSA
W, 49-0
9/6 TROY ST. W, 48-7
9/13 at Ohio
W, 42-20
9/20 LA.-LAFAYETTE
W, 48-14
9/27 at Penn St.*
W, 20-14
10/4

at N'wstern*
W, 42-17
10/11

MICHIGAN*
L, 35-38
10/18 MSU*
L, 38-44
10/25 at Illinois*
W, 36-10
11/1 INDIANA*
W, 55-7
11/8 WISCONSIN*
W, 37-34
11/15 at Iowa*
L, 22-40
12/30 vs. Oregon,
Sun Bowl		 W, 31-30
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
*Big Ten Conference games
ALL TIMES EASTERN

2002 Schedule (8-5/3-5 Big 10)

8/31 SW TEXAS ST.
W, 42-0
9/7 at La.-Lafayette
W, 15-11
9/14 TOLEDO
W, 31-21
9/21 BUFFALO
W, 41-17
9/28 at Purdue*
L, 15-28
10/5 ILLINOIS*
W, 31-10
10/12 NWSTRN*
W, 45-42
10/19 at MSU*
W, 28-7
11/2 at Ohio St.*
L, 3-34
11/9 MICHIGAN*
L, 24-41
11/16 IOWA*
L, 21-45
11/23 at Wisconsin*
L, 31-49
12/30 vs. Arkansas
(Music City Bowl)
W, 29-14
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
*Big Ten Conference games
ALL TIMES EASTERN

2001 Schedule (4-7/2-6 Big 10 )

8/31 at Toledo L, 7-38
9/8 LA-LAFAYETTE W, 44-14
9/29 PURDUE* L, 28-35 (ot)
10/6 at Illinois* L, 14-25
10/13 at N'western* L, 17-23
10/20 MSU* W, 28-19
10/27 MURRAY ST. W, 66-10
11/3 OHIO ST.* L, 28-31
11/10 at Michigan* L, 10-31
11/17 at Iowa* L, 24-42
11/24 WISCONSIN* W, 42-31
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
*Big Ten conference game

2000 Results (6-6 overall)

  LA-MONROE
W, 47-10
  OHIO
L, 17-23
  at Baylor
W, 34-9
  at Purdue*
L, 24-38
  ILLINOIS*
W, 44-10
  PENN ST.*
W, 25-16
  at Ohio St.*
W, 29-17
  at Indiana*
L, 43-51
  N'WESTERN*
L, 35-41
  at Wisconsin*
L, 20-41
  IOWA*
W, 27-24
  vs NC St. (Micronpc.com Bowl)
L, 30-38
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
*Big Ten conference game

Gamebreakers

82 - WR - Ernie Wheelwright - Jr
84 - WR - Logan Payne - Sr
89 - TE - Matt Spaeth - Sr
29 - RB - Amir Pinnix - Jr
3 - QB - Bryan Cupito - Jr
92 - DL - Steve Davis - So
6 - LB - Alex Daniels - So
23 - SS - Dominic Jones - So
15 - CB - Jamal Harris - Jr
4 - FS - Trumaine Banks - Jr
31 - PK - Jason Giannini - So

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Strengths/Weaknesses

OFFENSE: 6 returning starters
DEFENSE: 6 returning starters

Rating Scale
(5 = strong, 1 = weak)

POSITION
RATING
OL
3
WR/TE
4
QB
3
RB
2
DL
2
LB
3
DB
3
K/P
2/3
K/P RET
3
COACH
3

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History vs. Minnesota

MSU leads, 25-15-0 (.625)

Year
W/L/T
MSU
Opp
H/A
1950
W
27
Minnesota
0
H
1953
W
21
Minnesota
0
A
1954
L
13
Minnesota
19
A
1955
W
42
Minnesota
14
H
1956
L
13
Minnesota
14
A
1957
W
42
Minnesota
13
H
1958
L
12
Minnesota
39
A
1961
L
0
Minnesota
13
A
1962
L
7
Minnesota
28
H
1967
L
0
Minnesota
21
A
1968
L
13
Minnesota
14
H
1969
L
10
Minnesota
14
H
1970
L
13
Minnesota
23
A
1971
W
40
Minnesota
25
H
1972
L
10
Minnesota
14
A
1975
W
38
Minnesota
15
A
1976
L
10
Minnesota
14
H
1977
W
29
Minnesota
10
A
1978
W
33
Minnesota
9
H
1979
W
31
Minnesota
17
H
1980
W
30
Minnesota
12
A
1981
W
43
Minnesota
36
H
1982
W
26
Minnesota
7
A
1983
W
34
Minnesota
10
H
1984
W
20
Minnesota
13
A
1985
W
31
Minnesota
26
H
1986
W
52
Minnesota
23
A
1989
W
21
Minnesota
7
H
1990
W
28
Minnesota
16
A
1991
W
20
Minnesota
12
H
1992
W
20
Minnesota
15
A
1995
W
34
Minnesota
31
H
1996
W
27
Minnesota
9
A
1997
W
31
Minnesota
10
H
1998
L
18
Minnesota
19
A
2001
L
19
Minnesota
28
A
2002
L
7
Minnesota
28
H
2003
W
44
Minnesota
38
A
2004
W
51
Minnesota
17
H
2005
L
18
Minnesota
41
A

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The Skinny on the Gophers 2006:

Phil Steele: 42nd nationally/8th Big Ten
Schedule Strength: 22nd
Sporting News: 54th nation/7th Big Ten
Street & Smiths: 8th Big Ten
Sports Illustrated: 62nd/10th Big Ten
Coach: Glen Mason (58-50, 9 yrs; 117-114-1 overall, 19 yrs)
Series: MSU leads 25-15-0
Homefield: The shitty Metrodome (64,172)
Website: www.gophersports.com/
Factoids: Minnesota last won a Big Ten title in 1967. The Spartans won 17 in a row against these guys from 1977-1997; now they've lost 4 of the last 6.
Best Player: TE Matt Spaeth is the best TE in the Big Ten, maybe the country. Minny keeps churning out quality tight ends, and he's the next great one.
Best 2005 win: Minny finally beat scUM for the first time in about 15 years. And it was beautiful.
Worst 2005 loss: Joe Pa kicked Glen Mason's rear last year in Happy Valley, 44-14. It was uglier than the score.
2006 key game: The Oct 14 game at Wisky could be the opportunity to get Minny into a winning record in Big Ten play. Their schedule is brutal, so they need momentum somewhere.
2006 biggest pitfall: Oct. 28 at Ohio State. Coming off a virtual bye week against Division 1-Playoff foe North Dakota State, they next have to play Division 1-Bowl and Big Ten BCS title contender Ohio State. That is a bitch-slap of reality.
2006 biggest creampuff(s): Didn't I just mention Division 1-Playoff ND State? They Gophers once again dumb down their schedule.
Biggest weakness: The defensive line was a sieve last year, and it has just one returning starter (Steve Davis) to a squad that had just 15 sacks last year (that IS more than MSU). They will have to try to slow the bleeding.
Biggest strength(s): The passing game was strong last year, and should be just as strong this year. QB Bryan Cupito has experience under his belt and has four receivers returning -- wideouts Ernie Wheelwright, Logan Payne, and tightend Matt Spaeth.
Road Trip to Minneapolis: Best bar - hands down, it is Stand Up Frank's in North Minny: "like the name states, there is no place to sit; but you're lucky to be standing before the end of the night." Also known as the "Best Place To Pretend I'm Not Mayor"; Best grub - the BBQ Pork Hoagie roasted in their King Scotch Ale at Town Hall Brewery; Best local brew - Summit Pale Ale.
Minny famous alums: Wow, check out this list: Eddie Albert (Green Acres), Loni Anderson (WKRP), Bob Dylan, Peter Graves (Mission Impossible), Garrison Keillor, Robert Vaughn (Man from UNCLE), Yanni, Herb Brooks (1980 USA hockey coach), Bud Grant (NFL Vikings), Kevin McHale (NBA Celtics), Bronco Nagurski (NFL Bears), Alan Page (NFL Vikings), Dave Winfield (MLB Yankees), Harry Reasoner (CBS News), Eric Seareid (CBS News), Hubert Humphrey (Vice President), Walter Mondale (Vice President), Deke Slayton (astronaut), Walter Brattain & John Bardeen (nobel laureates who developed the transistor),
Minny interesting facts: The REAL U of M invented the first heart pacemaker, the black box flight recorder, and the heart-lung machine. Oh yeah, the average temperature in Minny is 18 degrees in December, 12 in January, and 18 in February. Burrrrrr. No wonder they tore down the old Met; the ES misses them old Vikings games with Bud Grant roaming the sidelines with icicles out of his nose.

Chance to win: 3 of 5 shot. Rating scale. This scale seems to be permanently fixed on a 3-of-5 against Minny; both programs are mired in decades of mediocrity, with the Gophers getting the upper hand of late (but just above mediocre, whereas MSU is just below mediocre). The ES said last year, "The Spartans match up well against an iffy Minnesota defense... Stanton should be able to have his way keeping the Gopher defense guessing -- as he did in 2004. Put this one in the W column, although the schizophrenic nature of the Spartan history wouldn't surprise the ES if MSU got its tail kicked in this game -- for no good reason other than the Spartans' inability to put together a full season."

Well, despite the prediction for success, I was right that MSU turned schizophrenic and got its tail kicked. What will it be in 2006? Who the hell knows. At this point late in the season, the wheels will have either fallen off the bus, or MSU will be in contention for a good season. Unbelievably, this has the potential to be a critical game for John L Smith's future. He loses to Minny, at home, and he likely is a goner.

Minny has a weak defensive front, and a weak linebacking corps... but their secondary is experienced and solid. SS Dominic Jones is one of the more talented in the Big Ten, he's got good speed and reads well. So, Stanton can make them pay with his legs and with a good running game to keep them off balance in the trenches. The playbook says to open up the pass with the run in this game.

MSU's secondary will have its hands full with the talented Minny receiving crew. Can MSU get a pass rush going to pressure QB Caupito into some bad decisions? Probably not. But, the running game won't provide for as balanced of a Gopher attack, so MSU won't likely have to guess as much. It's time to blitz in this game, baby. MSU needs to get to the QB, and get to him often. But, they'll get burned, too.

The Gopher kicking game returns, with the sophomore pair of placekicker (Giannini, 13-19 FG) and punter (Kuzcek, 39.4 avg) each with a year's experience under their belt.

Bottom line: this is a game tailor-made for coach Smith to screw up. Barring unforseen injury, MSU has the hosses to match up well for a W. We had the hosses last year too, and got our butt kicked. But, it's at home this year, so give us the W in a shoot-out, something like 35-31.

Projection: Minny isn't as experienced in the trenches this year as it was last year, and it also doesn't have the running game. Add in a brutal Big Ten schedule with sure losses (5 losses) to Cal, scUM, Ohio State, JoePa and Iowa. Toss up games (1 or 2 wins) are to MSU, Wisky and Purdue. Gimmes (4 wins) are over Kent State, Indiana, Temple, and N Dakota St. Add it up, and it looks like a 6-6 record, and 2-6 in the Big Ten. That's a big time down year for Minny, and the Gophers will have to wait until their new stadium gets built until 2009 to be any good... 'cause they play in a rat hole and along with Indiana are just about the most uninspiring program in college football.

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2005 Statistics

MSU OFFENSE MINNY
372 Points 398
33.8 Points/Game 36.2
     
5470 Total Yards 5476
497.3 Total Yards/Game 497.8
     
2220 Rush Yards 3079
201.8 Rush Yds/Game 279.9
453-4.9 Attempts - Avg. 559-5.5
     
3250 Pass Yards 2397
295.5 Pass Yds/Game 217.9
381-252-13 Att-Comp-Int 2295-167-9
66.1% Comp %