Credit where credit is due

[drinks at Northpoint]

Thanks to Joel Maturi and Tim Brewster for scheduling a home and home with USC. When this was announced, there plenty of skeptics saying it was a huge mistake. We would get two beat downs similar to Nebraska and Oklahoma in the 80's. We were going to lose by 50 points. Of course, these were the same critics who complained about playing Montana State, and UL-Monroe.
I attended the home game last year. There was genuine excitement before the game, Sally's tailgate party was packed and the atmosphere was phenomenal. I got to see USC playing in person at TCF!!! I saw the NFL talent, the Song Girls, and got to hear the band. When we took the lead in the 3rd quarter, that place was rocking. Sure, it didn't last long, and we were beat soundly in the 4th quarter. But it was so much more fun than playing Ball State.
Yesterday was great. I got to see my favorite team in a classic college football setting. Sunny California in front of 75,000 people. I was thrilled to just see my team in the game. The fact that we had a chance to win almost put me over the edge in excitement. The Gophers have created a buzz.
College Football is entertainment. I was much more entertained watching these two games than I would have been seeing home games against Tennessee Tech or Arkansas St.
Thank you for scheduling these games, keep them coming.

 

[scalgopher]

+1

 

[Cayman]

+1

Definitely agree. I love these non-conference games against good BCS opponents, they are much more exciting than the next three games will be. I know cupcakes have their place on the schedule, but these games are the ones that are, in my opinion, the more fun to watch. Watching the Gophers make their way down the field toward a potential game-winning field goal before the interception was really exciting, in a good way, as opposed to in a good-lord-we-better-not-lose-to-South-Dakota way.

I was always supportive of Brewster, and I really like that he scheduled this home-and-home against USC, and it's too bad we don't get to play Texas just because of TV issues. It's also too bad that the nine game Big Ten schedule will discourage these types of exciting non-conference matchups. That said, that's not for six years(?), and we could very well be a top 25 team by then capable of playing a stronger opponent and expecting to win.

 

[everybody knows my name]

Definitely agree. I love these non-conference games against good BCS opponents, they are much more exciting than the next three games will be. I know cupcakes have their place on the schedule, but these games are the ones that are, in my opinion, the more fun to watch. Watching the Gophers make their way down the field toward a potential game-winning field goal before the interception was really exciting, in a good way, as opposed to in a good-lord-we-better-not-lose-to-South-Dakota way.

I was always supportive of Brewster, and I really like that he scheduled this home-and-home against USC, and it's too bad we don't get to play Texas just because of TV issues. It's also too bad that the nine game Big Ten schedule will discourage these types of exciting non-conference matchups. That said, that's not for six years(?), and we could very well be a top 25 team by then capable of playing a stronger opponent and expecting to win.

Could be?

 

[pharmacygopher]

Could be?

He's just trying to hedge his bets. More than likely we'll be a top 5 or top 10 team...but if things don't all go our way, we could only be a top 25 team

I agree with the OP. I love these BCS games. I still give Brew credit for having the balls to schedule tough games.