Gophers vs West Virginia in Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Whoever flies into Vegas and drives to Phoenix, make it a point to take a little detour and make a stop in Jerome, AZ. You'll love it. In fact, make it an overnight stay. Actually, stay at the Connor Hotel and say hi to the ghost who opened our hotel room door as we were getting ready to go to dinner.
 

The BGSU loss is a very expensive lesson. One bad call, fancy analytics resulting in that bad call, and a mediocre OC's incompetence and not respecting an opponent gave the game away.

The Gophers would have been going to the Big Ten Championships - one game! The punishment for the Gophers' loss is so severe.

The Gophers have to be able to win the second half against Iowa, Illinois, and the likes of Bowling Green. Then, we will not be as exasperated like we are now. The OC did not put the team in the best chance to win.

Assoc. Athletic Director tweeted they wouldn’t do a charter as it wasn’t economical. So unless an airline does it on their own. Out of luck.
With the airlines jacking up prices and car rental shortages, it may be cheaper to find a packaged tour deal that includes airfare, lodging, game tickets, and shuttle bus to and from your hotel to the stadium. If you spent $3,800 on airfare and found out you don't have a car rental, that will be a major bad hair day.
 

Creative Charters looks to be announcing something on Tuesday. But it's the 26th-30th, which is a fairly long time.

They also have possibly the worst website I've seen in 20 years.
 
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It literally is for the conference
Ticket sales really don't matter. Most lower tier bowls are just cheap programming for ESPN. They could be played in a warehouse and people would tune in.
 


With the airlines jacking up prices and car rental shortages, it may be cheaper to find a packaged tour deal that includes airfare, lodging, game tickets, and shuttle bus to and from your hotel to the stadium. If you spent $3,800 on airfare and found out you don't have a car rental, that will be a major bad hair day.
If you are thinking about flying in to Las Vegas and driving, check the car rentals first!
 

Has anyone considered flying into Vegas and renting a car? It's a pretty easy 4 hour drive. Then get tix for the Vegas bowl and cheer for ASU!
This would normally be a really good idea, but I HATE the fact that the damn game is downtown in that stupid baseball field. Big difference when you're driving from LV and going to the Cardinals stadium in Glendale and driving all the way into the heart of PHX.

State Farm Stadium would have been a no-brainer for me to make the drive; now I'll have to think about it at least a little bit. I hate PHX.
 

Remember the Texas Bowl! We can get revenge for losing to Texas Tech and Seth Doege in 2012, by whooping his brother Jarrett who is the WVU QB!
Weird fact about this is that Jarret is a transfer from none other than Bowling Green and the brother Seth that beat us in 2012 is the WR’s coach for Bowling Green
 

Sure. Sit back and accept being treated as third rate. Thank them for considering you third rate.

Things will no doubt change as a result of being so nice. IN public.
What part of behind the scenes is confusing? Absolutely nothing to be gained by making a public stink about the bowl selection. Except for maybe making a handful of pissed off fans feel better I guess.
 



This would normally be a really good idea, but I HATE the fact that the damn game is downtown in that stupid baseball field. Big difference when you're driving from LV and going to the Cardinals stadium in Glendale and driving all the way into the heart of PHX.

State Farm Stadium would have been a no-brainer for me to make the drive; now I'll have to think about it at least a little bit. I hate PHX.
LOL. It's 18 miles farther.
 

Ticket sales really don't matter. Most lower tier bowls are just cheap programming for ESPN. They could be played in a warehouse and people would tune in.
it's nuts how the dodgiest football beats out almost anything else in ratings. like a Tuesday night Toledo-Kent State tilt will match the World Series in ratings.
 

Whoever flies into Vegas and drives to Phoenix, make it a point to take a little detour and make a stop in Jerome, AZ. You'll love it. In fact, make it an overnight stay. Actually, stay at the Connor Hotel and say hi to the ghost who opened our hotel room door as we were getting ready to go to dinner.
I second this. Jerome is what Sedona was 40 years ago. Might even be worth taking the route from Vegas all the way to Flagstaff, and then down through Sedona and check out the canyons around Slide Park (if I remember correctly). And then on over to Jerome.
 

I second this. Jerome is what Sedona was 40 years ago. Might even be worth taking the route from Vegas all the way to Flagstaff, and then down through Sedona and check out the canyons around Slide Park (if I remember correctly). And then on over to Jerome.
We packed a week's worth of adventure into one overnight in Jerome. No fewer than three paranormal haunting experiences while we were there, one of which bounced back at us three days later.

When we left that town, we vowed to go back, and we will.
 



I am ready to support the team that has the axe...no matter where they are playing! If they get screwed, I am still going to be seen cheering them on!
 

it's nuts how the dodgiest football beats out almost anything else in ratings. like a Tuesday night Toledo-Kent State tilt will match the World Series in ratings.
Yep. That's why I hate the opinion that a deserving P5 team like Cinci shouldn't be in the playoff. As if people won't tune in to a semifinal game just because it's a lesser known school? Of course they will. (well, except that it's on NYE this year..)
 

I know people are bringing up Bowling Green a lot in this thread, but I'd argue that the Illinois loss might have been worse for the purposes of the bowls. If we were "Co Big Ten West Division Champions" having lost to Iowa on the road but defeated the two teams that soundly beat Iowa...I would theorize that the Big Ten might have looked out for us in the bowl selection process.

As it stands, I don't really like the vibe around this bowl. I see a lot of people with kind of an entitled attitude and looking down at both the bowl and West Virginia as an opponent. I just don't think Minnesota is at a place where it can do that yet. I am sure West Virginia is not intimidated by the idea of playing Minnesota.

If Minnesota can win the game, there is a possiblity to finish the season ranked. If they finish the season ranked, that will positively impact their chances of appearing in the preaseason polls that start coming out during the Summer months. That type of stuff can create some momentum for the program and help with recruiting...and we know PJ likes to get kids locked up early with his Summer Splash events.
 

9:15 CST kick on a Tuesday night. Fun.
Yeah, terrible time for us and even worse for West Virginia fans. They gave the earlier evening prime spot to Texas Tech (6-6) and Mississippi State (7-5). Gophers got the wrong end of the stick at 8-4 and 4th in the nation in total defense.
 

Ticket sales really don't matter. Most lower tier bowls are just cheap programming for ESPN. They could be played in a warehouse and people would tune in.
Well it is literally why we are in Arizona and Maryland is in New York

So someone disagrees
 


What part of behind the scenes is confusing? Absolutely nothing to be gained by making a public stink about the bowl selection. Except for maybe making a handful of pissed off fans feel better I guess.
Behind the scenes isn't confusing. Behind the scenes is exactly what the conference wants and what gets MN the bowl it was assigned.
 

OK, after the initial disgust of where we'll be heading to for our bowl game, I decided to continue to support our team and go see them play.

Booked my airfare for family of 3 ($3,800) - main cabin also! These are usually First Class fare rates!
Bought my 3 game tickets ($330) - Gopher score in the 700s
Reserved my two-night stay ($650 total for both nights) - not with the U of M fan package

I'm ready for this shit!
Could have flown to London and watched an EPL for the same price.
 

Thinking they see many googling flights to phx or have some analytics on this.
Sure. Flight searches and open seats on existing flights are indicators of demand. My point was that I’m not sure they will see the demand they have for past bowl games. 🤷‍♂️
 

Well the bowl doesn’t have the same name, nor the same stadium location…nor is it the same decade

So even if it’s the same organizing body I’m not sure 2009 is that comparable to 2021
And it’s run wholly by the Fiesta Bowl organization. It should also be noted that tickets can only by purchased through the U or resale sites. It’s sold out but for single seats.
 

Whoever flies into Vegas and drives to Phoenix, make it a point to take a little detour and make a stop in Jerome, AZ. You'll love it. In fact, make it an overnight stay. Actually, stay at the Connor Hotel and say hi to the ghost who opened our hotel room door as we were getting ready to go to dinner.
This. And be sure to eat at the Haunted Hamburger.
 

Behind the scenes isn't confusing. Behind the scenes is exactly what the conference wants and what gets MN the bowl it was assigned.
Whatever. If you are waiting for the U to throw a public temper tantrum like people do in here when they don't get what they want or feel they deserve you are going to be waiting around for a long time.

Do you honestly believe that throwing a public temper tantrum would be productive and make the U look good? Good lord, there is all kinds of stuff going on in the background in terms of bowl selection....99.5% of it doesn't happen in front of the public. Yet some people love to just assume that it is super simple and a case of the Big Ten going out of their way to screw us over.
 


I know people are bringing up Bowling Green a lot in this thread, but I'd argue that the Illinois loss might have been worse for the purposes of the bowls. If we were "Co Big Ten West Division Champions" having lost to Iowa on the road but defeated the two teams that soundly beat Iowa...I would theorize that the Big Ten might have looked out for us in the bowl selection process.

As it stands, I don't really like the vibe around this bowl. I see a lot of people with kind of an entitled attitude and looking down at both the bowl and West Virginia as an opponent. I just don't think Minnesota is at a place where it can do that yet. I am sure West Virginia is not intimidated by the idea of playing Minnesota.

If Minnesota can win the game, there is a possiblity to finish the season ranked. If they finish the season ranked, that will positively impact their chances of appearing in the preaseason polls that start coming out during the Summer months. That type of stuff can create some momentum for the program and help with recruiting...and we know PJ likes to get kids locked up early with his Summer Splash events.
Nah….we won’t be ranked if we beat a 6-6 team.
If our bowl opponent was ranked now and then we beat them….maybe, but definitely not beating a 6-6 WVU team.
 

Whatever. If you are waiting for the U to throw a public temper tantrum like people do in here when they don't get what they want or feel they deserve you are going to be waiting around for a long time.

Do you honestly believe that throwing a public temper tantrum would be productive and make the U look good? Good lord, there is all kinds of stuff going on in the background in terms of bowl selection....99.5% of it doesn't happen in front of the public. Yet some people love to just assume that it is super simple and a case of the Big Ten going out of their way to screw us over.
So you feel the bowl game assigned is appropriate for the results of this team. Correct?
 


So you feel the bowl game assigned is appropriate for the results of this team. Correct?
Not what I said at all. It is a joke that Penn State got slotted into the Outback over MN, Wis, and Pur. But as I have been saying, there is NOTHING to be gained by the U to go out and bash the conference, or the selection process or act like we got slighted. The job of the U is to put the best spin on it and get as many fans as possible to the game.

Just because the U is not throwing a public temper tantrum about the bowl doesn't mean there are not complaints being lodged behind closed doors, in a professional manner, that doesn't drag anyone through the mud in public. Just because we don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Is it disappointing that the selection process played out this way....of course. But we are in a bowl so we make the best of it. Better than the alternative of sitting at home with the season over.
 




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