IceBoxGopher
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So, the Bell isn't exactly our favorite traveling trophy. In fact I'd put it behind the Chair, even though that one's not fully official. However, it seems like the games have been important markers for each program more than once. I went through the history of the series and here are some of the more important ones.
Game 1. 1993. No. 17 Penn State won 38-20
Nebraska was called the Big Ten’s new bully when it entered in 2011 but I think that was more true with Penn State. The Nittany Lions won two national titles in the 80s and were looking good in the 90s. Minnesota was their first test and they passed convincingly.
The only teams they lost to that season were traditional powers Michigan and Ohio State, and they ended the season ranked No. 7/8 with a Citrus Bowl win
Game 2. 1994. No. 9 Penn State won 56-4
This was a Penn State team that went undefeated and would have played in the BCS or CFP had they existed. They were good, and it showed. Not only did they stomp Minnesota, they also edged No. 5 Michigan 31-24 and knocked out No. 21 Ohio State 63-14.
Game 3. 1997. No. 1 Penn State won 16-15
Penn State won the third game, but it wasn’t a blowout like the previous two. New head coach Glen Mason was trying to right the ship and he showed that he’s doing something right, losing by just one point to the No. 1 team in the country that week.
Game 5. 1999. Minnesota won 24-23
After dropping the first four in the series, Minnesota went to Happy Valley and took down the No. 2 team in the country in an instant classic upset. The Gophers would win their most games, 8, since 1967, earn their first bowl game since 1986 and finish in a Top 25 poll since 1968.
Penn State lost their next two, and, despite defeating Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl to finish No. 11, would have just one winning season from 2000-2004.
Game 7. 2003. No. 20 Minnesota won 20-14
In a turnaround from previous encounters, Minnesota was the ranked one in this match-up. Coming off a bowl win over the SEC East Champion and breezing through the non-conference, the Gophers were 4-0. They made it 5-0 against the Nittany Lions, with Marion Barber III rushing for 134 yards.
Along with the Bell, the Gophers won Paul Bunyan’s Axe and defeated Oregon in the Sun Bowl for their first 10 win season in nearly 100 years.
Game 9. 2005. Penn State won 44-14
This time, it was Penn State upsetting the ranked opponent. The Gophers entered the contest ranked 18th, having just knocked off No. 11 Purdue in the Big Ten opener. The Minnesota running attack was held in check by the Penn State defense, though, with Laurence Maroney only having 48 yards, while Gary Russell only did a little better with 53.
As it turns out, Penn State was really good that season, as the next week they defeated No. 6 Ohio State and went on to win the Big Ten title and earned a victory in the Orange Bowl over Florida State to finish the season No. 3.
Game 10. 2006. Penn State won 28-27 OT
A game that went to overtime showed the programs were again going in different directions. Minnesota was on the decline while the Nittany Lions were getting good again. It was a heartbreaker for Minnesota, which lost after a controversial pass interference call and a missed extra point.
Penn State finished 9-4 and ranked 24/25 with a victory in the Outback Bowl. Just two years later, they’d win another Big Ten championship and finish No. 8.
Game 13. 2013. Minnesota won 24-10
After losing four straight and not playing in 2011 or 2012, the Gophers and Nittany Lions met again in 2013. As Penn State was in the second year of its sanctions because of the child abuse scandal, Minnesota was getting back on track.
The Gophers entered the contest at 7-2, having defeated No. 21 Nebraska at home and Indiana on the road. The game went Minnesota’s way at the start, with a fumble recovery on Penn State’s first play. The score became 24-10 by halftime and stayed that way as the second half was a defensive struggle with the Gophers winning. Minnesota finished with their best record since 2003 at 8-5.
Game 14. 2016. Penn State won 29-26 OT
James Franklin took over from Bill O’Brien and had gone 7-6 in his first two seasons at Penn State. They started the season 2-2, and came into the Minnesota game having lost 49-10 to Michigan. At halftime, Minnesota, which had entered at 3-0, led 13-3. Penn State wouldn’t go away, though.
When the game was tied 20-20, Minnesota kicked a field goal to make it 23-20, and Penn State responded to force overtime. In the overtime frame, Minnesota made another field goal, but Saquon Barkley dashed for 25 yards to seal the game with a touchdown.
Penn State went on to win the Big Ten championship and finished No. 7 after a wild shootout loss to USC. They won 11 games for a second year in a row the next season, finishing No. 8 with a Fiesta Bowl victory.
Game 15. 2019. No. 17 Minnesota won 31-26
Both teams were hot coming into this one, each at 8-0, but Penn State was ranked much higher at No. 4. In a game with two great teams, Minnesota came out on top, with Tanner Morgan passing for 339 yards and three touchdowns, with receivers Rashod Bateman, Tyler Johnson and Chris Autman-Bell all getting a score.
Minnesota went on to finish 11-2, their most wins since 1904, earned a No. 10 ranking to finish, their highest since 1962, and their first New Year’s Day bowl win since the 1962 Rose Bowl.
Game 1. 1993. No. 17 Penn State won 38-20
Nebraska was called the Big Ten’s new bully when it entered in 2011 but I think that was more true with Penn State. The Nittany Lions won two national titles in the 80s and were looking good in the 90s. Minnesota was their first test and they passed convincingly.
The only teams they lost to that season were traditional powers Michigan and Ohio State, and they ended the season ranked No. 7/8 with a Citrus Bowl win
Game 2. 1994. No. 9 Penn State won 56-4
This was a Penn State team that went undefeated and would have played in the BCS or CFP had they existed. They were good, and it showed. Not only did they stomp Minnesota, they also edged No. 5 Michigan 31-24 and knocked out No. 21 Ohio State 63-14.
Game 3. 1997. No. 1 Penn State won 16-15
Penn State won the third game, but it wasn’t a blowout like the previous two. New head coach Glen Mason was trying to right the ship and he showed that he’s doing something right, losing by just one point to the No. 1 team in the country that week.
Game 5. 1999. Minnesota won 24-23
After dropping the first four in the series, Minnesota went to Happy Valley and took down the No. 2 team in the country in an instant classic upset. The Gophers would win their most games, 8, since 1967, earn their first bowl game since 1986 and finish in a Top 25 poll since 1968.
Penn State lost their next two, and, despite defeating Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl to finish No. 11, would have just one winning season from 2000-2004.
Game 7. 2003. No. 20 Minnesota won 20-14
In a turnaround from previous encounters, Minnesota was the ranked one in this match-up. Coming off a bowl win over the SEC East Champion and breezing through the non-conference, the Gophers were 4-0. They made it 5-0 against the Nittany Lions, with Marion Barber III rushing for 134 yards.
Along with the Bell, the Gophers won Paul Bunyan’s Axe and defeated Oregon in the Sun Bowl for their first 10 win season in nearly 100 years.
Game 9. 2005. Penn State won 44-14
This time, it was Penn State upsetting the ranked opponent. The Gophers entered the contest ranked 18th, having just knocked off No. 11 Purdue in the Big Ten opener. The Minnesota running attack was held in check by the Penn State defense, though, with Laurence Maroney only having 48 yards, while Gary Russell only did a little better with 53.
As it turns out, Penn State was really good that season, as the next week they defeated No. 6 Ohio State and went on to win the Big Ten title and earned a victory in the Orange Bowl over Florida State to finish the season No. 3.
Game 10. 2006. Penn State won 28-27 OT
A game that went to overtime showed the programs were again going in different directions. Minnesota was on the decline while the Nittany Lions were getting good again. It was a heartbreaker for Minnesota, which lost after a controversial pass interference call and a missed extra point.
Penn State finished 9-4 and ranked 24/25 with a victory in the Outback Bowl. Just two years later, they’d win another Big Ten championship and finish No. 8.
Game 13. 2013. Minnesota won 24-10
After losing four straight and not playing in 2011 or 2012, the Gophers and Nittany Lions met again in 2013. As Penn State was in the second year of its sanctions because of the child abuse scandal, Minnesota was getting back on track.
The Gophers entered the contest at 7-2, having defeated No. 21 Nebraska at home and Indiana on the road. The game went Minnesota’s way at the start, with a fumble recovery on Penn State’s first play. The score became 24-10 by halftime and stayed that way as the second half was a defensive struggle with the Gophers winning. Minnesota finished with their best record since 2003 at 8-5.
Game 14. 2016. Penn State won 29-26 OT
James Franklin took over from Bill O’Brien and had gone 7-6 in his first two seasons at Penn State. They started the season 2-2, and came into the Minnesota game having lost 49-10 to Michigan. At halftime, Minnesota, which had entered at 3-0, led 13-3. Penn State wouldn’t go away, though.
When the game was tied 20-20, Minnesota kicked a field goal to make it 23-20, and Penn State responded to force overtime. In the overtime frame, Minnesota made another field goal, but Saquon Barkley dashed for 25 yards to seal the game with a touchdown.
Penn State went on to win the Big Ten championship and finished No. 7 after a wild shootout loss to USC. They won 11 games for a second year in a row the next season, finishing No. 8 with a Fiesta Bowl victory.
Game 15. 2019. No. 17 Minnesota won 31-26
Both teams were hot coming into this one, each at 8-0, but Penn State was ranked much higher at No. 4. In a game with two great teams, Minnesota came out on top, with Tanner Morgan passing for 339 yards and three touchdowns, with receivers Rashod Bateman, Tyler Johnson and Chris Autman-Bell all getting a score.
Minnesota went on to finish 11-2, their most wins since 1904, earned a No. 10 ranking to finish, their highest since 1962, and their first New Year’s Day bowl win since the 1962 Rose Bowl.
