Gophers vs. the SEC

Donate To GopherHole
C

Clairemont Gopher

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 12, 2023
Messages
203
Reaction score
269
Points
63
I have been thinking about our 2026 game with Mississippi State and was wondering how many regular season games Minnesota has played vs, teams who were in the SEC at the time. Turns out there have been just two and both were at Memorial Stadium. Minnesota beat Tulane in 1935, 20-0 and Vanderbilt in 1959, 20-6. Minnesota is also 3-2 vs. the SEC in Bowl Games. They have held their own! I am not counting the Missouri games when they were in the Big 8.
 

Miss State is unique, they play a very diverse non-conf schedule for an SEC team. They've recently played at BYU, Arizona, and UMass of all places. Would have been fun to play them with Mike Leach. RIP.

This might be the most unappealing P5 non-conf destination in years for traveling Gopher fans. Starkville is far from the Gulf Coast. The closest big city is Birmingham 2.5 hours away. I think you either have to fly into Birmingham or go to Atlanta then catch a regional flight to tiny regional Columbus, MS, airport.

I'll be fascinated of the stadium and game day experience, I hope you all share pics if you go. All you'll need to do is listen to Will Ferrell's More Cowbell SNL skit on repeat on the plane/car ride.
 

They are probably more talented than MN, but to be seen if they are a better "team" than the Gophers. Will be a good early season test for them.
 


Mississippi State has hired their former coach back as DC for next season. Zach Arnett.
 


GophEnEspaña said:
This might be the most unappealing P5 non-conf destination in years for traveling Gopher fans. Starkville is far from the Gulf Coast. The closest big city is Birmingham 2.5 hours away. I think you either have to fly into Birmingham or go to Atlanta then catch a regional flight to tiny regional Columbus, MS, airport.

I'll be fascinated of the stadium and game day experience, I hope you all share pics if you go. All you'll need to do is listen to Will Ferrell's More Cowbell SNL skit on repeat on the plane/car ride.
Click to expand...
I have a college classmate who now lives in Starkville (he was originally from northern Alabama). An academic, not a football fan. I think I'll make the trip to see him was well as the Gophs. But ... I have another college classmate who lives in Berkeley, and I made the trip to see him as well as the Gophs this past September. Frustrating game; hope the 2027 game in Starkville--on 9/11--is different.
 

GophEnEspaña said:
This might be the most unappealing P5 non-conf destination in years for traveling Gopher fans. Starkville is far from the Gulf Coast. The closest big city is Birmingham 2.5 hours away. I think you either have to fly into Birmingham or go to Atlanta then catch a regional flight to tiny regional Columbus, MS, airport.
Click to expand...
I understand the point that you are trying to make about Starkville as a travel destination, but as the OP stated, this is the first time in history that Minnesota is visiting an SEC stadium (where we all know it just means more). I am going to do everything in my power to make the trip.
 

2nd Degree Gopher said:
I understand the point that you are trying to make about Starkville as a travel destination, but as the OP stated, this is the first time in history that Minnesota is visiting an SEC stadium (where we all know it just means more). I am going to do everything in my power to make the trip.
Click to expand...
Feels a little early to be planning a 2027 road trip but to each their own :)
 






GophEnEspaña said:
Miss State is unique, they play a very diverse non-conf schedule for an SEC team. They've recently played at BYU, Arizona, and UMass of all places. Would have been fun to play them with Mike Leach. RIP.

This might be the most unappealing P5 non-conf destination in years for traveling Gopher fans. Starkville is far from the Gulf Coast. The closest big city is Birmingham 2.5 hours away. I think you either have to fly into Birmingham or go to Atlanta then catch a regional flight to tiny regional Columbus, MS, airport.

I'll be fascinated of the stadium and game day experience, I hope you all share pics if you go. All you'll need to do is listen to Will Ferrell's More Cowbell SNL skit on repeat on the plane/car ride.
Click to expand...
I have a feeling that a majority of traveling Gophers will be in Seattle and not Starkville for their 2026 road trip game.
 

PMWinSTP said:
I have a feeling that a majority of traveling Gophers will be in Seattle and not Starkville for their 2026 road trip game.
Click to expand...
I mean if you are going to pick a road trip destination for a Gopher game it probably makes sense to pick a city they will actually have a game in during that season. More fun then showing up at an empty stadium while the teams are playing in Minneapolis ;)
 



If anyone had time to kill, I recommend going down the Mike Leach (RIP) YouTube rabbit hole. Endless interviews of him just shooting the shit about football and life. A lot of great ones from Washington State and later Miss State. I'm convinced he took the Miss State job because it was the closest offer for him to catch flights to his house in Key West. We lost a great one.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I mean if you are going to pick a road trip destination for a Gopher game it probably makes sense to pick a city they will actually have a game in during that season. More fun then showing up at an empty stadium while the teams are playing in Minneapolis ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks...
 

GophEnEspaña said:
If anyone had time to kill, I recommend going down the Mike Leach (RIP) YouTube rabbit hole. Endless interviews of him just shooting the shit about football and life. A lot of great ones from Washington State and later Miss State. I'm convinced he took the Miss State job because it was the closest offer for him to catch flights to his house in Key West. We lost a great one.
Click to expand...
The mascot battle ad-lib is classic.
 

PMWinSTP said:
I have a feeling that a majority of traveling Gophers will be in Seattle and not Starkville for their 2026 road trip game.
Click to expand...
I'd actually prioritize IU for my road game travel next season, I think. Might be the only chance to see the Gophers play in a full, rocking Memorial Stadium (especially because for some reason we hardly ever go there for games). May be biased because I've already been to a UW game
 






You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom