A recent preseason poll predicted the Gophers would finish second in the Big Ten West this upcoming season.
The results, released Friday from an annual Cleveland.com poll of Big Ten conference media members, revealed a near-unanimous pick for Ohio State to win the conference. But the Gophers received 14 first-place votes in the Big Ten West, finishing behind Wisconsin.
Subsequently, the second-most predicted Big Ten championship game was the Gophers against Ohio State, with the Buckeyes prevailing. There was also one vote for Penn State beating the Gophers in the final.
Check out the entire poll here.
The poll also favorites to win the Big Ten's postseason awards for offensive and defensive player of the year. The Gophers didn't have any representatives on the defensive side, with Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons the unanimous top pick, but two made the offensive rankings.
Gophers receiver Rashod Bateman finished third, including one first-place vote, with quarterback Tanner Morgan right behind in fourth. Every other first-place vote went to Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. Purdue receiver Rondale Moore was second.
Bateman is the reigning Big Ten Receiver of the Year with 1,219 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 60 catches last season. Morgan set single-season passing records for yards (3,253), touchdown passes (30) and completion percentage (66%, 210-of-318) in the Gophers' 11-2 year.
Here is the whole list.
