Minnesota Football: Predicting the Gophers’ record in 2020

Predictions in a season like this seem especially ridiculous, because who knows what the hell is going to happen this weekend or any other Saturday this fall with the cloud of COVID-related uncertainty looming over everything. But you know what? These are ridiculous times, so it only makes sense that we lean into the ridiculousness.

And I’m certain some will find the season predictions of our staff to be ridiculous.

Things to note:

• So much for tempering expectations. It is TDG tradition for Ustreet to predict an undefeated season every year, but GoAUpher and HipsterGopher are both throwing caution to the wind and placing Minnesota among the ranks of the unbeaten at year end. Three other staff members are not far behind, predicting a 7-1 finish for the Gophers.
• The TDG staff over/under for the season is at 6.9. Nice.
• GopherNation is the only staff member predicting a loss to Michigan in the season opener.
• The most popular loss is Wisconsin, with 5 of 10 staff members predicting that the Gophers will leave Camp Randall without Paul Bunyan’s Axe. The next most popular loss is Iowa, with zipsofakron and I (begrudgingly) expecting a Hawkeyes win.
• Both GopherNation and I are predicting a loss to Illinois in Champaign. Neither of us will be taking questions at this time. Thank you.
• Only mowe0018 has Maryland down as a loss. Hmm. What does he know?

The part where we explain ourselves

GoAUpher: Ok look, this is the full homer take. I think Minnesota is capable of winning each game. In my head, I’m not sure they actually do. I think the most likely losses are exactly the games you’d expect: Michigan, Iowa, or Wisconsin. I think the most likely non-COVID caused upset for Minnesota would be a loss to Purdue. In the end, I’ve just decided to embrace the optimist within. I mean, in the end I doubt they get all the games played anyway so what do I have to lose?

gopherguy05: I honestly don’t know what to expect, but we will go with gut feeling. Just cant go 8-0. I’m a Minnesotan after all.

Blake Ruane: Yes, a loss to Illinois. Minnesota’s youth and inexperience at linebacker is going to burn them at some point in the first half of the season, and I think the Fighting Illini have the skill players to do it. Champaign has also not been kind to the Gophers in recent years. And I think Iowa is the actual favorite to win the West, not Wisconsin. But the Badgers have the easier schedule. It remains to be seen whether Paul Chryst’s crew can rebuild their offense enough to take advantage of it.

Ustreet: Same every year.

zipsofakron: Wouldn’t be a proper Gophers season without some real bummers of losses to your top rivals.

WhiteSpeedReceiver: We shouldn’t be doing full-season predictions for 2020, because everything can change in a blink of an eye. But you know what? Let’s have some fun while we can.

mowe0018: Got to think one surprise loss in there.

HipsterGopher: I’d like to dedicate my predictions to the Nebraska fans that made them possible.

Share your predictions in the poll below and in the comments!