3. The Most Overrated Thing Was …
Penn State losing to Minnesota.
The 31-26 win over the Nittany Lions was a huge, giant, massive deal for a Minnesota program that’s not used to a whole lot of success, doesn’t normally sell out, and – at least in the last 60 years – is certainly not familiar with the rarified air of being considered a national title contender.
No. 7 in the AP poll. that’s the highest the Gophers have been since 1962.
Now, all it has to do is win two of its last three games against Iowa and Northwestern on the road and Wisconsin at home, and it’s off to the Big Ten Championship.
Get there at 12-0 or 11-1, win it, and it’s off the College Football Playoff.
Easy peasy.
But even if that doesn’t happen – Iowa could put a serious crimp in those plans this week – the win over the No. 4 team in the College Football Playoff rankings was a program-changer.
Yeah, it is possible to win big college football games in Minneapolis.
.@R_bateman2 is magic. pic.twitter.com/FII4PnXfKr
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) November 11, 2019
So why is this in the Most Overrated category?
Penn State is still alive.
If was the same thing after Georgia lost to South Carolina. It was a hit, but as long as the Bulldogs win out, they’re in the College Football Playoff as the 12-1 SEC champs.
Now, the loss to the Gophers does end the possibility of Penn State getting in if it loses at Ohio State – if it was unbeaten and gave the Buckeyes a run in a loss in Columbus, it would still be in the mix – but it realistically had to win that game, anyway.
The Nittany Lions will beat Indiana and destroy Rutgers, so it all comes down to the date in Columbus. Not saying it’ll happen, but …
Pull off the upset against Ohio State, and they have a one-game shot to make the College Football Playoff by winning the Big Ten Championship against (most likely) …
Minnesota.
Week 11 Roundup
Winners & Losers | The Really Big Thing
Most Underrated Thing | What It All Means