Minnesota Daily: California Game Could Change a Few Minds

By C.J. Spang

Read the entire article here.

 

Excerpt:

“The Gophers do have a chance to do that on Saturday at California. The Bears were a team that I, like many, felt was overrated entering the season, and Tennessee had no problem proving us right.  But 23rd-ranked California is still an above-average team that will have a ravenous crowd on their side, which should be great preparation for Big Ten road games at Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State.  Plus, they have Heisman-hopeful Marshawn Lynch, who had the NCAA's seventh-best rushing yards per game average at 124.6. The junior running back is also the second-leading returning rusher in the NCAA this season.  Then there are the scenario factors. Cal is coming off a 35-18 loss to Tennessee last Saturday, which could be really good for Minnesota or really bad.

Either the Bears will come out super-psyched for their home opener, with added vengeance because of their season-opening loss, or they could mimic what the Gophers did in 2003 after their fourth-quarter collapse against Michigan and come out in shambles their next game and watch all their season hype get flushed down the toilet.  No matter which Cal team shows up, it's on Minnesota to set the tone for their season and maybe change a few people's opinions in the process.”