B1G schedule breakdown - Minnesota

I will be going through the schedules for every B1G team.  I will be breaking down each teams schedule under the following categories: games in which the team will be heavy favorites, games in which the team will be heavy underdogs, favorable matchup games, and unfavorable matchup games.  Using these categories I will predict a total number of victories.  Today we start with Minnesota.

Games in which Minnesota will be heavy favorites:

New Mexico State

North Dakota State

Games in which Minnesota will be heavy underdogs:

@USC

Nebraska

@Michigan State

Wisconsin

Favorable matchup games for Minnesota:

Miami (Ohio)

Illinois

Unfavorable matchup games for Minnesota:

@Michigan

@Purdue

Iowa

@Northwestern

Summary:

Since Tim Brewster is no longer coaching the Gophers they “should” be able to handle a team from the Dakota’s without too much trouble.  With that being said the non conference schedule is not a walk in the park.  The Gophers have to open the season in the Coliseum against USC, which is still no easy task, sanctions or no sanctions.  Lane Kiffin has managed back to back Top 5 recruiting classes despite severe NCAA penalties, which have resulted in losses of scholarships, and 2 years of Bowl ineligibility.  Led by QB Matt Barkley the Trojans will provide an almost impossible test for Minnesota to pass in the debut.  Miami (Ohio) won’t be easy either, they won the MAC last year, beating the Jerry Kill led Northern Illinois Huskies in the MAC championship game.  The RedHawks will be led by former Michigan State assistant Don Treadwell, who guided the Spartans while Head Coach Mark Dantonio was away from the sidelines due to an illness.  

The B1G schedule will be tricky for the Gophers because most of their match up games are on the road.  Minnesota only has one game on their B1G schedule in which they look like the favorite (Illinois @ TCF Bank Stadium), and even that is arguable.

I think Jerry Kill will guide the Gophers to one or maybe even two upset victories, but in the end the Gophers will fall just shy of bowl eligibility with five wins.