Biggest Game in the Jerry Kill Era?

Minnesota fans were buzzing on the Gophers until Champaign.

At 6-1, you’re supposed to just roll into Illinois and make quick work of the lowly Fighting Illini, right? Well as we know, things didn’t go according to plan. And now, the Golden Gophers need a victory against the hated Iowa Hawkeyes to keep any flame of relevancy burning. It sets up perfectly. Both teams come in at 6-2, 3-1 in the Big Ten. Both teams have shown inconsistency all year and hope to solidify their identities. And both teams flat out need a W.

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Now, I am not saying Kill hasn’t proven anything yet. This team has improved leaps and bounds since the firing of Tim Brewster, especially on defense. Also, the Gophers have an identity and stick to it. Their gonna run a lot, play the field position game and won’t allow many big plays on defense. Most often, it works because it wears down the opposing team.

“I think the situation is it gives you an opportunity, one, to go back and whether you win or lose, you go back and see what you could have done better,” said Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill. “We’re not healthy. For the next four games we play, we need all the juice we can get. I thought we were fatigued a little bit. . . . An off week kind of helps get everybody re-energized, so to speak. As I told them, right now you’re playing for something in November. That hasn’t always been the case.”

The reason this is the biggest game of Jerry Kill’s tenure at Minnesota, is because it’s year four for him. There’s no excuses anymore. If you’re going to be a serious contender, this is a perfect opportunity to prove it and you can’t let this season get away from you. Also, look at the teams that consistently find themselves in the top-25. There’s usually one common denominator: a huge home field advantage. TCF Bank Stadium can get very loud when the student section is in full force. If the Gophers can bring home Floyd of Rosedale, it would be huge for the popularity of the team around campus.

Oct 25, 2014; Champaign, IL, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers receiver Drew Wolitarsky (82) catches a pass against the Illinios Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Illinois beat Minnesota 28 to 24. Mandatory Credit: Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports

An already struggling offense will have to win without one of their offensive weapons, Drew Wolitarski, who has completions in all games but one this year. Completions are hard to come by for this team. Coach Kill elaborated Wolitarski’s sprained ankle on 100.3-FM, saying, “It’s a tough situation right now because we’re not going to have Drew Wolitarsky [against Iowa], and we may not have him the rest of the year.”

Bottom line, this game is a must win for the Gophers when it comes to making a top bowl game. If they can’t knock off Illinois and then lose at home to Iowa, how will they beat Nebraska, Ohio State or Wisconsin to end the season?

Oct 25, 2014; Champaign, IL, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Jerry Kill on the sideline during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Illinois won 28-24. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

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