That was rain falling Sunday afternoon, not the sky.
A day after the Gophers suffered their first loss under first-year coach P.J. Fleck, a mistake-filled 31-24 setback against Maryland in the Big Ten opener, gloom and doom was the theme on social media.
That's understandable after an undefeated team loses a game in which it was a double-digit favorite according to the Las Vegas number-crunchers. Remember, "fan" is short for "fanatic," so measured responses after a frustrating loss shouldn't be expected. The first "Fire PJ" mention even showed up in this beat writer's Twitter feed.
But what was lost Saturday was a game, not the season — unless you were expecting an undefeated record and a run to the Rose Bowl. Instead, we saw what the Gophers are: a team with flaws, one that is transitioning under a new coach and a squad that must improve as its quality of competition does.
On many counts, the Gophers' loss on Saturday was a case of water finding its level. Here's why:
Charmin-soft nonconference schedule
Turns out, the Gophers' closest nonconference game — a 17-7 season-opening win over Buffalo — was against the team expected to be the weakest.
The Bulls, a Mid-American Conference bottom-feeder last year, were a pest for the Gophers into the second half before Minnesota got late separation. Buffalo (3-2) is on a three-game winning streak and could be a factor in the MAC.
Oregon State, which the Gophers rolled 48-14 in Corvallis, ranks with Baylor, Rutgers and Missouri among the worst Power Five teams. The Beavers (1-4) are giving up 46.4 points per game, which ranks 128th out of 130 FBS teams. And Middle Tennessee (2-3) has been a shell of itself after losing the heart and soul of its offense — quarterback Brent Stockstill and wide receiver Richie James.
The increase in quality from the nonconference foes to Maryland was apparent Saturday, especially on defense. The Terrapins took away the Gophers' bread and butter, holding them to 80 rushing yards.