2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers: What Did We Learn? (Part One)

Here is the first part of a series where I try my hardest to break down the 2008 Gophers. It's a look back at a season of ups and downs, and a look ahead to a new start on campus.

Let's start with the good news. 

The 2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team started out 7-1. They beat Bowling Green on the road, spoiled Illinois' Homecoming week, and finally vanquished the demons of West Lafayette. Their only loss before November came to an Ohio State team that was finally finding their offensive identity.

At best, the Gophers were going to their first Rose Bowl since 1961. At worst, at least they had a bowl berth. On top of this, the team was playing out it's final season in the HHH Metrodome, a stadium that became synonymous for uneven and disappointing play.

Then, reality set in.

Minnesota started off November by blowing a trap game against Northwestern on a fluke misplay by their most consistent player, Eric Decker. As an encore, they were completely dominated in a game they should have been fired up to play against a (then) 2-7 Michigan team.

Without Decker, they fought to a 21-7 lead on the road at Wisconsin, only to give up 28 points in the second half and lose 35-32. Coming home for the final game in the Metrodome, with Floyd of Rosedale on the line against Iowa, a great rivalry game was expected. Quickly, it became clear that this was not in order, as the Hawkeyes outrushed the Gophers 222-7 and won 55-0.

In the cooling-off period that comes between the regular season and the bowl weeks, several things become clear about the 2008 Golden Gophers. As usual, feel free to express you accolades or curses towards my opinion...

-The wins just are not that impressive.

At the time they were played, a number of early victories looked good, or at least encouraging. Naturally, the Northern Illinois and Montana State games were not ever going to be considered program-changing contests, but Florida Atlantic was expected to compete for a Sun Belt title, and Bowling Green was treated like the Red River Shootout by ESPN, due to the 2007 outcome (a 32-31 BGSU win). 

In Big Ten play, the opening loss to Ohio State was expected, and it was not as ugly as it could have been. Then came the three straight wins (my parenthesis show the reaction of the media).

-Home vs. Indiana 16-7 (Holy hell, the Gophers just beat a Big Ten bowl team from last year!!! Sure, they were 2-2, but we beat them! This team might have a shot at respectability!)

-At Illinois 27-20 (Holy Hell, we just beat the Rose Bowl team from last year! On the road! At their homecoming! Boy, that Tim Brewster is a Maverick, isn't he? And how about that defense?! Oh wait, this always happens...Just wait until we lose at Purdue again.)

-At Purdue 17-6 (HOLY HELL!!!!!!!! WE JUST WON AT PURDUE!!!! Nevermind that the team couldn't move the ball against a 2-5 team that gave up 38 points to Notre Dame, this team is Rose Bowl bound!!!!)

Ok, so it was a bit much, but you get the point. Those wins simply do not look as good as they did. 

-The losses were bad, but not terrible.

When it was all said and done, the Gophers lost five games to teams with a combined 37-23. Take out the Michigan game (which was the definition of a young team falling apart), and that number goes to 34-14.

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