BleedGopher
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per Zack:
“We knew that the Rose Bowl was probably not going to be an opportunity, or the Cotton Bowl, based on our last game of the year,” said Fleck, who did oblige the fan’s picture request. “But we had a tremendous season, and we knew that this could have an opportunity to happen. We felt like the best chance was to go to the Outback Bowl, which the University of Minnesota has never been to, which, it’s just another ‘never.’ It’s another way to be able to create something that our program has not experienced.”
Though you could still feel a tinge of disappointment over losing out on a shot at the biggest bowls in the voices of Fleck and his players as they spoke Sunday, they’re also right that the consolation prize is still a major moment for a program that doesn’t typically rub elbows with the sport’s elite. One year after needing a win in Madison in the final regular-season game just to get to the Quick Lane Bowl against Georgia Tech, Minnesota will kick off against Auburn at the same time that Michigan kicks off against Alabama in Orlando — not bad company.
“The level of our bowl game has completely changed,” Fleck said. “No disrespect to who we played last year, it’s just now you’re playing one of the top 12 teams in the country in Auburn and you know what they bring to the table, and one of the best bowl games you can possibly go to that’s not a New Year’s Six bowl.”
Aside from their good standing in what’s generally considered the nation’s best conference, Auburn might just boast the best resume of any team the Gophers have faced this season. They beat the other Rose Bowl team — Oregon — in the season opener and last week ended any hope perennial contender Alabama had of making it to the playoff. Their three losses are all to top-10 teams — No. 1 LSU, No. 5 Georgia and No. 9 Florida.
“When you look at what they did to Alabama at the end of the year and kind of shook up that College Football Playoff,” Fleck said, “it doesn’t surprise you. It’s Gus Malzahn’s team, they’re physical, they’re fast, they’re big, they’re strong — typical top-of-the-SEC-type team.”
theathletic.com
Go Gophers!!
“We knew that the Rose Bowl was probably not going to be an opportunity, or the Cotton Bowl, based on our last game of the year,” said Fleck, who did oblige the fan’s picture request. “But we had a tremendous season, and we knew that this could have an opportunity to happen. We felt like the best chance was to go to the Outback Bowl, which the University of Minnesota has never been to, which, it’s just another ‘never.’ It’s another way to be able to create something that our program has not experienced.”
Though you could still feel a tinge of disappointment over losing out on a shot at the biggest bowls in the voices of Fleck and his players as they spoke Sunday, they’re also right that the consolation prize is still a major moment for a program that doesn’t typically rub elbows with the sport’s elite. One year after needing a win in Madison in the final regular-season game just to get to the Quick Lane Bowl against Georgia Tech, Minnesota will kick off against Auburn at the same time that Michigan kicks off against Alabama in Orlando — not bad company.
“The level of our bowl game has completely changed,” Fleck said. “No disrespect to who we played last year, it’s just now you’re playing one of the top 12 teams in the country in Auburn and you know what they bring to the table, and one of the best bowl games you can possibly go to that’s not a New Year’s Six bowl.”
Aside from their good standing in what’s generally considered the nation’s best conference, Auburn might just boast the best resume of any team the Gophers have faced this season. They beat the other Rose Bowl team — Oregon — in the season opener and last week ended any hope perennial contender Alabama had of making it to the playoff. Their three losses are all to top-10 teams — No. 1 LSU, No. 5 Georgia and No. 9 Florida.
“When you look at what they did to Alabama at the end of the year and kind of shook up that College Football Playoff,” Fleck said, “it doesn’t surprise you. It’s Gus Malzahn’s team, they’re physical, they’re fast, they’re big, they’re strong — typical top-of-the-SEC-type team.”
It may not be the Rose Bowl, but the opportunity is still huge for the Gophers
A New Year's Day bowl against an SEC blueblood gives P.J. Fleck's Gophers a chance to put a triumphant stamp on their historic season.
theathletic.com
Go Gophers!!
