The preseason expectations for the Minnesota Gophers football team seem to be at an all-time high in the state of Minnesota – but that’s not the case for the rest of the conference’s media members.
With the Big Ten Media Days next week in Chicago, the media people that cover the conference put together their annual preseason poll, and the Minnesota Gophers were picked fifth – not in the conference, but in the seven-team West Division.
The unofficial poll is put together by Cleveland.com �� take a look here.
Big Ten West Division
- Iowa 265 (33)
- Nebraska 206 (3)
- Wisconsin 194.5 (2)
- Northwestern 171.5 (1)
- Minnesota 132 (1)
- Illinois 76.5
- Purdue 46.5
While the Pioneer Press didn’t pick the Gophers to win the West, they do believe Minnesota will finish better than fifth. They picked the Gophers to finish second.
“The Gophers had to play the Buckeyes and Wolverines in crossover games last season. This year, with the implementation of a nine-game conference schedule, Minnesota will face Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers from the East division.”
How do prognostications look in the East Division?
Big Ten East Division
- Ohio State 260.5 (31)
- Michigan 241 (14)
- Michigan State 195.5 (1)
- Penn State 155.5
- Indiana 110
- Maryland 81.5
- Rutgers 52
While Ohio State is the popular pick to win the conference again this year, Sports Illustrated notes that the Cleveland.com preseason poll has never picked the winner correctly in it’s four seasons.
