Gophers need more than P.J. Fleck's 'one-week championships' with Iowa showdown nearing

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck calls it a one-game championship season. It's a catchy little phrase intended to get his players to focus on the preparation to be successful that particular week and not look ahead.

We get it. Young men need direction and focus so the entire room can sweat the small stuff before Saturday comes. Secure the blinders. Stay in the moment. Don't worry about potential big matchups later in the season.

So far, the Gophers have won the Miami (Ohio) championship, Colorado championship, Purdue championship, Nebraska championship and Maryland championship. Whew. The trophy case must be overflowing with all these weekly titles.

Except for a big misstep against Bowling Green, the Gophers have used this approach to craft a 5-2 record as they enter Ryan Field on Saturday to take on Northwestern.

Fleck can say what he wants to keep his lads from peeking down the schedule. That doesn't mean everyone else has to.

The Gophers can keep creeping into the West Division championship conversation, especially heading into back-to-back games they should win against teams from the Land of Lincoln. It's a clear path to a big game Nov. 13 at Iowa, where their fate will be in their own hands.

The Gophers need to lay waste to the Wildcats on Saturday, then pulverize a beatable Illini team next week to set up a showdown with the Hawkeyes. In addition to the division being on the line, it will be an opportunity to reclaim the rivalry trophy for the first time since 2014. Floyd of Rosedale has spent so much time in Iowa the poor guy is paying taxes.

Two wins get the Gophers to one big showdown. That would be well-deserved development for a team that has had to bat back adversity to get to this point.

They lost Mo Ibrahim — one of the top running backs in the country — in Week 1 with a lower leg injury. Trey Potts, his replacement, was lost for the season in Week 5 with an undisclosed injury. The remainder of the running back room has responded.

Bryce Williams rushed for 127 yards against Nebraska. The next week, Ky Thomas rushed for 139 yards and Mar'Keise Irving added 105 in a victory over Maryland. It hasn't been pretty. The passing game has sputtered at times. But the Gophers have improvised and navigated around two injuries that could have derailed the season.

The Gophers have gained 210 yards a game on the ground, fourth-best in the conference. A formidable blocking game — one that sometimes will feature six or seven offensive linemen on the field — has made this possible. It's time to salivate about what Saturday could offer, as Northwestern has the worst rushing defense in the Big Ten, yielding 218.3 yards a game. The 3-4 Wildcats aren't defending their West title very well, and the Gophers have a chance to walk out of Ryan Field with a proper result.

Illinois is playing Rutgers this weekend, a week after after upsetting Penn State in an NCAA-record nine overtimes. Then the Illini travel to Huntington Bank Stadium in a week. Head coach Bret Bielema, 3-5 in his first season, has discovered that the Illini passing game does not exist. Like the Gophers, the Illini has a "barge" package of seven linemen, two tight ends and one running back that Penn State had no answers for.

Both Northwestern and Illinois can be had, which will send the Gophers to Kinnick Stadium with a 7-2 record.

Go ahead P.J., stick with your weekly title chasing. There are juicy matchups against Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin waiting for them at the end of the season - with a bigger prize at stake.