College Football
Previews - NCAA Football Handicapping - Preview 2006 Betting
Minnesota
Golden Gophers 2006 Preview
Online
Predictions By:
Matt Fargo Minnesota Golden Gophers
Football Preview Matt Fargo remains the NUMBER
ONE handicapper in 2005 at the Professional Handicappers
League --- get
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Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be
here before you know it so that means getting
an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season.
Knowing the teams now will save you time in August
and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp
of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from
worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.
Fargo’s Take
- One of the best rushing teams in the
country could turn into a very average rushing
team. Minnesota has averaged at least 200 ypg
on the ground in each of the last five years including
at least 257 ypg over the last three but that
will change this season. Laurence Maroney is playing
in the NFL, the fourth back in four years to eclipse
1,000 yards. The fourth on that list is Gary Russell,
who rushed for 1,130 yards last season as a backup
but he is academically ineligible so the Gophers
are hurting. The passing game will take center
stage but it’s the defense that needs to
start picking things up as it has increased its
points allowed in each of the last three seasons.
Minnesota has gone bowling in each of the last
four seasons and it will take an all-around effort
to make it back in 2006.
Returning Starters
on Offense – 6 The loss of the backs
is hard to overcome but the offensive line had
a lot to do with that success and the departure
of four-year starting center Greg Eslinger is
enormous. Two starters on the line do return as
does Matt Speath, one of the best blocking tight
ends in the country so if Amir Pinnix can emerge
as another Gopher threat, things could be good
once again. Quarterback Bryan Cupito will be in
his third season as the starter and since he has
improved in each of the last two years, he could
be in for a huge year. He completed over 59 percent
of his passes last year after a 47 percent completion
rate in 2004. He has also tossed just 16 interceptions
over the last two seasons. His top three receivers
are back and if the line can come close to the
minuscule three sacks allowed last year, the offense
could thrive once again.
Returning Starters
on Defense – 6 This is the side of
the ball that will determine Minnesota’s
postseason fate. The defense allowed an inexcusable
29 ppg last year, 80th in the country while the
total defense finished 90th in the nation. It
allowed over 34 ppg in Big Ten action with five
teams scoring at least 35 points. The Gophers
have had at least seven starters returning the
last four years but only six are back this season
with a lot of youngsters mixed in there. The defensive
line is extremely young and inexperienced with
only one starter back and he is a sophomore. As
many as three sophomores or freshmen are expected
to be in starting slots this season so it will
be up to the limited veterans to take the defense
over and improve in all areas. That is easier
said than done however.
Schedule
- The schedule is extremely difficult but that
is nothing new playing in the Big Ten. The non-conference
slate is a joke as always with games against Kent
St., Temple and North Dakota St. helping. The
Gophers do have to travel to California in the
second game of the season but that is the only
out of conference challenge. The Big Ten slate
is difficult as usual with four losable road games
at Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio St. and Michigan St.
The only sure win home game is against Indiana,
which is an improved team and can’t be taken
for granted. The other three games are against
Michigan, Penn St. and Iowa. That equates to seven
likely or at least possible losses so some upsets
need to occur for the Gophers to go bowling. Illinois
is off the schedule, a bad break.
You can bet on…
Minnesota will have more passing yards than rushing
yards for the first time since 2000 as it will
be up to Cupito to gain control of the offense
and flourish. He can definitely do it but it’s
up to his defense to be able to make some stops,
something it didn’t do last season. The
Gophers are 0-4 ATS the last four seasons as a
home underdog and they will be in that spot when
Michigan comes to town for their Big Ten home
opener. Making it even worse is that the Gophers
handed the Wolverines a three-point home loss
last season so Michigan will be coming in looking
for some payback. It was the first victory for
Minnesota in 16 years and could be the last for
another 16.
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