Opponent Preview: P.J. Fleck Has Minnesota Rolling

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Minnesota Golden Gophers Quick Facts
Date Of Game: October 17 at Minnesota (Week 7)
All-Time Series: Michigan leads 75-25-3
First Meeting: Minnesota 14, U-M 6 (Oct. 17, 1892 at Minneapolis, Minn.)
Last Meeting: U-M 33, Minnesota 10 (Nov. 4, 2017 at Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck, 23-15 at Minnesota (4th year) and 53-37 overall (8th year)
2019 In Review: 11-2, 7-2 Big Ten (1st West)
Final 2019 Ranking: No. 10 in the Associated Press and coaches’ polls
Returning Starters: 15 (8 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists)
Last Bowl Appearance: 2019 (Outback Bowl vs. Auburn, W 31-24)

Minnesota football was picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten West division entering 2019. When it was all said and done, the Golden Gophers finished first, tied with Wisconsin (lost tiebreaker), and ended up with an 11-win season that included an Outback Bowl victory over Auburn. Head coach P.J. Fleck has the program rolling heading into his fourth season.

michigan.rivals.com

Maize&BlueReview - Opponent Preview: P.J. Fleck Has Minnesota Rolling

Michigan vs. Minnesota college football preview.
michigan.rivals.com michigan.rivals.com

Go Gophers!!
 

All-Time Series: Michigan leads 75-25-3

Holy shit, I didn't realize Minnesota was such garbage for so long (combined with Michigan being one of the best in the country for a long time). 50 games difference? I know Minnesota has won a few of the last 10 or so and a couple before that in my lifetime, maybe 4 or 5 total. But that stat is just horrendous and took me by surprise.

Maybe I just didn't realize how old I am.............
 

To this day I'm surprised the Gophers are considered a rival of Michigan. Most Gopher fans can remember births of 2nd cousins better than Gopher wins
 





None of the posts, so far, have mentioned the "JUG". For an old timer (me) the "Jug" is the most (greatest) trophy in College football, bar none (and I'm aware of the pig and axe.)
 

The lopsidedness of the series is another reason the game on a Friday night back in October 2003 is not to be mentioned.
 




Minnesota/Michigan ought to be a great rivalry, but it just hasn't been competitive enough for too long to have any juice. I hope we're getting to the point where it can be again.
 


Wow. Based on those stats, I feel pretty damn lucky that I got to witness a win against them a couple years back. And it was an ass-whooping too.

I remember that Halloween game more, though....
 





BigGopher69 said:
Should have won a few years ago with the horrific goaline offense
Click to expand...

That was the moment they should have fired Claeys. Not the loss but the clock management/execution/whatever the fuck that was. Maybe the most angry I've been at a game.
 



I was brought up in outstate MN and didn't get much exposure to other fan bases. So, I didn't develop the rivalry feels for Wisconsin and Iowa that most people that live and work in the Twin Cities develop, being surrounded by Badger and Hawkeye fans/alumni in their work places. As a kid, I don't doubt that Iowa and Wisconsin were of course big rivals but I never felt that. Didn't know any of their fans, didn't have any experiences, etc. So, I leaned on my Dad for my information on what mattered and it became very clear early on how important that Jug was. I honestly can't remember when I even discovered there was a pig and axe but I do know they weren't in my mind when I was a kid. But I understood the jug was a big deal from early on.

So, my perspective as an adult has changed and I would now rather beat the border rivals. And, at least part of this shift has been due to the failings of the Gophers to do their part to keep the rivalry with Michigan relevant. Just too few wins, scattered too far apart. I would love to see the jug retake its once "can't miss" place on the college football rivalry landscape. Replacing the losses in 2003 and 2015 with deserved wins would have been a great start. Sigh.
 
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BTChamp said:
All-Time Series: Michigan leads 75-25-3

Holy shit, I didn't realize Minnesota was such garbage for so long (combined with Michigan being one of the best in the country for a long time). 50 games difference? I know Minnesota has won a few of the last 10 or so and a couple before that in my lifetime, maybe 4 or 5 total. But that stat is just horrendous and took me by surprise.
Click to expand...

Wait really?
Minnesota's record against Michigan is downright competitive when you compare it to their record against Ohio State (7 -46).

There's a reason that UM and OSU have the legacy that they have. They're both really good. I think UM is still one of the winningest programs of all time.
 

If the Gophers wouldn't have completely melted down in the fourth quarter in 03, 04, and 15, the series would be 7-5 Michigan over the last 12 games. So it at least it seems like things are more competitive.
 

Just for some perspective to our other rivalries (based on who wikipedia lists as rivals):

vs Michigan: Michigan leads 75–25–3, Largest Victory: Michigan, 58–0 (2011)
vs wisconsin: All time wisconsin leads, 61–60–8 (.504), Trophy series wisconsin leads, 44-25-3 (.632), Largest Victory: Us, 63–0 (1890)
vs Iowa: All time we lead, 62–49–2 (.558), Trophy Series we lead, 42–41–2 (.506), Largest Victory: Us, 75–0 (1903)
vs Nebraska: We lead, 33–25–2, Largest Victory: Nebraska, 84–13 (1983)
vs Penn State: Penn State leads, 9–6, Largest Victory: Penn State, 56–3 (1994)
 

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