Gopher football: see you next year

Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

Rest in peace, Gopher football. This season is over.

Don’t get me wrong: we’re still going to cover the remaining six games in the schedule, but if there is a good time to predict that the 2012 Gopher football team will fall short of a bowl bid this season, that time is now.

Northwestern scored all their points in the first half before the rain picked up into the second half, but the Gophers only managed to put up a field goal in the third quarter, losing 21-13 at TCF Bank Stadium – a disappointment to the students who attended the homecoming game.

This game didn’t sell out compared to the last home game against Syracuse. It could have been because of the weather forecast or it could have just been that fans are starting to come back to reality and see that these Gophers are no different than the team from last year (except for the fact that they have already one more win than last year).

The Wildcats ran all over the Gophers, creating a turnover and putting up a touchdown all within the first 11 seconds of the game.

While a couple of weeks ago, I was almost convinced Max Shortell could be a good replacement for injured starting quarterback MarQueis Gray, I am convinced Shortell is not an immediate fill at that position.

The latter portions of the Western Michigan and the Syracuse game were statistical anomalies for Shortell, who looked good in both winning efforts, but once conference play started, Shortell and the rest of the Gopher offense has had trouble scoring the ball, putting up only 13 points in both losing efforts.

Shortell’s throws were awful and he fumbled twice in the final drive for the Gophers with a chance to tie the game with a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

While the Gophers defense held Northwestern under 300 total yards, I would like to credit as much of that to the soggy weather.

The defense let Northwestern running back Venric Mark run through them without so much being touched while allowing Kain Colter to throw 10-10 for 63 yards.

With Wisconsin next Saturday and games against Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State to close the season, I would be surprised if the Gophers become bowl eligible by season’s end.

Bottom line is that Gray needs to come back from injury.

The team looked good when he was under the center, including a great 25-yard touchdown run, but I think the Gophers can squeeze out one more win by New Year (two more wins maximum) if Gray can play well and stay healthy.

If they can get two more wins, well, six wins and a bowl bid will be enough to declare a successful season for Gopher football nation, but Jerry Kill’s team definitely does not deserve to be among the top teams in the conference.