Gophers get first Big 10 win

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

In what an optimist would call a defensive struggle and what a pessimist would call an ugly game the Gophers got their first Big 10 victory over Illinois yesterday at TCF Bank Stadium.

What happened?

Afte Kobe Mccrary four-yard run put the Gophers up 17-10 with 4:20 left in the game.  Nine seconds later LB John Celestin returned an interception 31 yards for the winning score as Illinois scored a touchdown with .23 seconds left to pull within the final of 24-17.  With the win, the Gophers improved to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten.  They will travel to Iowa City next Saturday to take on the Hawkeyes.  The Illini will welcome first-place Wisconsin to Champaign next Saturday.

On Offense

I am not going to lie the Gophers had absolutely no passing game in this one.  Demry Croft made his first start for the Gophers, and it was a struggle.  He went 5-15 for 47 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions along with 32 rushing yards.  The key to the win was the combination of Rodney Smith who had 19 carries for 103 which was good.  However, the star of the game was senior Kobe Mccrary who had 24 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown.  Mccrary got an opportunity because Shannon Brooks missed the game due to injury.  Star Wide Receiver had two catches for 27 yards and a TD.  This is a hot take, but if they still had  Mitch Leider with the running backs, wide receivers, and defense the Gophers could win 8-10 games in my opinion.  Therefore going forward the key is developing a QB, and many think it will be 2018 recruit Brennan Armstrong from Ohio.  We shall see, but the quarterback play this year has set the program back.

On Defense

I thought the defense played well in this one.  Holding the Illini to just 282 total yards.  Anytime you can keep an opponent under 300 yards you are doing a good job.  Carter Coughlin had a big game for the Gophers.  Coughlin the much-heralded recruit is making the change from linebacker to pass rushing defensive end.  Coughlin picked up two sacks in this one.  The Gophers forced two turnovers so that is big going forward.

Whats Next

The Gophers have a big rivalry game next Saturday against Iowa.  The Gophers are 4-3 and need to find a way to get two wins out of five.  With these games tell me where you see them getting two wins.

At Iowa
at Michigan
vs Nebraska
at Northwestern
vs Wisconsin
I see them stealing one with Nebraska and possibly Northwestern, but I don't see a bowl game in the Gophers future this year, and the fan base should not lose faith in PJ Fleck as it would not have mattered who the head coach was.  The Gophers had two things going against them that are hard to overcome.  Young as over half the roster is either Freshman or Sophmore and even less that have played.  The other honestly is they don't have a capable QB on their roster.  You're not going to win many games without competent QB play, and I believe eventually it will get better, but probably not this year.