BleedGopher
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Per Randy:
While the Hawkeyes still remain a hurdle for Fleck and his team in his sixth year as Minnesota's coach, the Gophers (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten) have put the Axe battle with Wisconsin (6-5, 4-4) on more even terms. The Badgers have won three of the five meetings since 2017, denying the Gophers a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game in 2019. The Gophers returned the favor last year, preventing the Badgers from visiting Indianapolis and jumping around with the field-storming fans as a certain Wisconsin-adopted House of Pain song pulsated as the soundtrack.
"Rivalries are always important,'' Fleck said. "That's what makes them rivalries. That's what makes last week hurt so much. It's because it matters. … There's an equal belief in what we do on both sidelines. It's who can find a way to do it better on that day for those three hours.''
For Minnesota, a rivalry game comes at an opportune time after the emotional loss to Iowa. Fall off the bike, get right back on and try again, is the team's approach. Fleck and his coaching staff quickly put the loss to the Hawkeyes behind them on Sunday and turned their focus to Wisconsin.
"When you got the right men in the room, they're able to just move on,'' defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said. "It's part of life. We're all going to have different setbacks in our life.''
While both the Gophers and Badgers saw their Big Ten West title hopes vanish last week, the game still carries meaning for both squads. Wisconsin is 4-2 under interim coach Jim Leonhard, and a victory would complete an impressive turnaround after a 2-3 start that led to Paul Chryst's firing. Like the Gophers, the Badgers are trying to improve their positioning for a bowl game.
m.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
While the Hawkeyes still remain a hurdle for Fleck and his team in his sixth year as Minnesota's coach, the Gophers (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten) have put the Axe battle with Wisconsin (6-5, 4-4) on more even terms. The Badgers have won three of the five meetings since 2017, denying the Gophers a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game in 2019. The Gophers returned the favor last year, preventing the Badgers from visiting Indianapolis and jumping around with the field-storming fans as a certain Wisconsin-adopted House of Pain song pulsated as the soundtrack.
"Rivalries are always important,'' Fleck said. "That's what makes them rivalries. That's what makes last week hurt so much. It's because it matters. … There's an equal belief in what we do on both sidelines. It's who can find a way to do it better on that day for those three hours.''
For Minnesota, a rivalry game comes at an opportune time after the emotional loss to Iowa. Fall off the bike, get right back on and try again, is the team's approach. Fleck and his coaching staff quickly put the loss to the Hawkeyes behind them on Sunday and turned their focus to Wisconsin.
"When you got the right men in the room, they're able to just move on,'' defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said. "It's part of life. We're all going to have different setbacks in our life.''
While both the Gophers and Badgers saw their Big Ten West title hopes vanish last week, the game still carries meaning for both squads. Wisconsin is 4-2 under interim coach Jim Leonhard, and a victory would complete an impressive turnaround after a 2-3 start that led to Paul Chryst's firing. Like the Gophers, the Badgers are trying to improve their positioning for a bowl game.
Star Tribune
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m.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
