No. 11 – Minnesota
Right: Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber returns after tossing 24 touchdowns to go along with 19 interceptions, last season.
AP Photo/Paul Battaglia
This is a first in a series of previews of the 11 teams in the Big Ten in the order I predict them to finish.
MINNESOTA
Predicted finish in Big Ten: 11th, 0-8
Quickly, can you name the Big Ten school that has gone the longest without a Rose Bowl appearance?
That would Minnesota, who last played in Pasadena 47 years ago when the Golden Gophers defeated UCLA 21-3 back in 1962, led by the first African American named All-American at the quarterback position, Sandy Stephens.
But that was the golden age of gridiron glory for Gopher football as Minnesota won a national championship in 1960, and made consecutive trips to the Rose Bowl in ‘61 and ‘62. The last time the Maroon & Gold laid claim to a Big Ten championship was in 1967.
While the 60s may have been the pinnacle of Minnesota football, last season was definitely a low point after the Gophers sustained the most losses for one season in school history by going 1-11 during the 2007 campaign.
Second-year head coach Tim Brewster does have 15 starters coming back from last season as the Gophers play their 29th and final year at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome before moving into TCF Bank Stadium, an on-campus facility seating 50,200 fans.
Sophomore quarterback Adam Weber returns as a starter after passing for 2,895 yards and 24 touchdowns as a freshman last season. But he also threw 19 interceptions a year ago, a number that has drop as the Gophers ranked last in the Big Ten in turnover margin (-15). Weber is also the top returning rusher after gaining 617 yards on 146 carries with five more scores in 2007.
Junior Eric Decker, who hauled in 67 passes for 909 yards and nine TDs last year, is Weber’s top returning receiver.
Defensively, the Gophers are led by senior inside linebacker Deon Hightower, who recorded 70 stops last season.
Minnesota has four very winnable games to start the season before traveling to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes in both team’s Big Ten opener on Sept. 27. While the Gophers may enter Ohio Stadium with a record of 4-0, they may not win another game the rest of the season.
One thing is for sure, if Minnesota wants to be competitive during conference play, the defense has to vastly improve. Last season, the Gophers finished dead-last in the Big Ten and at or near the bottom among all 119 Division I-A teams in all four major statistical categories. Minnesota ranked 109th in scoring defense (36.7 ppg), 114th in rushing defense (229.3 ypg), 115th in passing defense (289.3 ypg), and 119th in total defense (518.7 ypg).
Big Ten Schedule
Sept. 27 @ Ohio State, Loss
Oct. 4 vs. Indiana, Loss
Oct. 11 @ Illinois, Loss
Oct. 25 @ Purdue, Loss
Nov. 1 vs. Northwestern, Loss
Nov. 8 vs. Michigan, Loss
Nov. 15 @ Wisconsin, Loss
Nov. 22 vs. Iowa, Loss
