Sloppy Tuneup

Gophers 38

Northwestern 22

In a week the Gophers play a game with implications bigger than any game in my lifetime.

But first they had to get past a terrible Northwestern team. The term "trap game" has become comically overused, but this time it applies.

They sure didn't play the first quarter like they were looking past anybody. This thing was 21-0 in a blink. It was a bludgeoning. 

And then it wasn't. 

Look, I never once felt this game was ever in doubt. And the Wildcats never got it closer than 12 points after that opening burst. But the Gophers played a very poor game the last 3 quarters.

The offense never wavered that much. Tanner Morgan threw one awful pick, but they always moved the ball. Problem was so did Northwestern. They even lost their starting QB, but after 21-0 they just kept staying on the field. Now, they don't have players who can make big plays, but those 6 and 7 yard type plays add up too. The Gophers defense really struggled to get off the field.

This won't fly next week. Wisconsin will crush the Gophers next week if this is the kind of defensive performance they put on that field.

So it all comes down to next week. The contrast of what a win will mean versus what a loss will mean is about as big as you can find. 

A win means a Big Ten West title, a trip to the Big Ten championship game, with a chance at the college football playoff, and at worst a damn good chance at the first trip to the Rose Bowl since the early 60s. Oh, and you get to keep the axe and will have back to back wins over the Badgers for the first time since the early 90s.

A loss means that a 10-2 season would feel like a.massive disappointment. No west title. I suppose a tiny chance at a Rose Bowl.would still exist, but more likely you're going elsewhere. And worst of all, you lose the axe and have your dream season ruined by your biggest rival.

The Fighting Flecks rose to the moment against Penn State, but this game means way more. It is such a classic setup for Minnesota sports heartbreak.