The Gophers had two real opportunities at Illinois and Michigan to steal a game on the road – never an easy task in the Big Ten. Unfortunately for the 0-2 Gophers, they missed both of those chances.

But now, the schedule seemingly offers another opportunity, just around the corner. In the next three weeks, the Gophers have two home games, two on the road and then home against Northwestern. A 4-1 stretch is not out of the realm of possibility. A 3-2 stretch would even be acceptable. Both scenarios, if the Gophers take advantage of them, could put the team right back in the mix. If not, the season could be lost for good.

Let's take a look at each of the next five games:

• Wednesday against Iowa at home: It's hard to tell with the Hawkeyes. Just after Christmas, they lost to Purdue on their home court and in the weeks before dropped five non-conference games to seemingly inferior teams. How did they respond? By going to Madison and stunning No. 18 Wisconsin in its own house. It's certainly a momentous win to come off; still, 9-6 Iowa is hardly impenetrable.

• Sunday against Purdue at home: After a heartbreaker against Butler, the Boilermakers have responded with a strong three-game stretch, taking care of business against IPFW and then winning their first two conference games against Iowa and Illinois. They could very well stretch the winning streak to four playing at Penn State on Thursday, so they could come to Minneapolis on a high.

• Jan. 12 against Indiana on the road: This is one you almost have to count as a loss. After finishing 12-20 in 2010-11 and not doing much better in the previous two years, the No. 12 Hoosiers are staging a revolution. Are they back? It sure looks like it after a win over No. 2 Kentucky and most recently, knocking off No. 6 Ohio State with Jared Sullinger on the floor. Assembly Hall can be a very hostile environment and the Hoosiers – who have not yet lost a game at home – are a hostile team. The Gophers will get the best of both.

The Gophers need to convert close opportunities ahead

• Jan. 15 against Penn State on the road: These last two games on the five-game stretch are both must-wins. The Nittany Lions are the basement-dwellers of the Big Ten and have managed just six wins on their home court. As far as road wins go, the Gophers' absolutely cannot afford to lose this one.

• Jan. 22 against Northwestern at home: At 11-3, the Wildcats aren't exactly pushovers, but they've hardly played the competition the rest of the conference has. The only two real tests they've had have come against Baylor and Ohio State – and they were crushed in both. This could be the most likely pencil-in for a home win the Gophers will have until the last game of the season when they face Nebraska.