Sid: On campus sources say Gophers to Holiday Bowl

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Sid:

Meanwhile, also on the football front, the best guess from sources on campus is that the Gophers will be invited to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 27. ESPN recently released its new projections and one prediction had them at the Holiday Bowl against Arizona State while the other had them in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1 against Georgia.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/284835331.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Go Gophers!!
 

If we don't play in a New Years bowl, it'd be a little consolation for me if they ended up playing ASU. I've got a buddy that graduated from there, and he's got me watching more and more of their games. They're definitely a solid team.
 


So, I can take this to mean we're NOT going to the Holiday Bowl? ;-)
 

They are both solid options. Yes, the Jan. 1 date has more appeal on a national level. Playing in San Diego is not a bad option. I will be at either. Dec. 27 my wife can make with me. She would be unable to attend a Jan. 1 game.
 


I just booked tickets to Tampa. If the Gophers don't play there, well....I'll cheer for another B1G team. Citrus Bowl is in Orlando so I may drive there if the Outback Bowl doesn't look good. How's that for rolling the dice?
 

Who passed us who shouldn't have?

Also, saw this article with an interesting quote:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11979620/big-ten-bowl-eligible-team-miss-postseason

"Unless a contract bowl selects a team that is over-exposed because of recent trips to the same bowl or same region, we will not interfere with the bowl's selection."
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We all seemed to think that the Big Ten was going to exercise its power to make sure that teams didn't get snubbed, but from this quote, it sounds like the only circumstance in which they'd veto a selection would be to avoid repeat appearances.
 

The Holiday Bowl would be a great option. I like it better than either of the Floridas.
 

I'm not taking Sid's report seriously yet. Sid often reports what he want to be true, not necessarily what is true. Reminds me of a story Lou Nanne once told on the Sports Show: Sid quoted him about something in his column, and Lou called him to complain. Lou said 'How can you write that? You know I never said that.' Sid's reply - "But if I had asked you, that's how you would have replied."
 



At least we'd be the marquee Saturday night game. Still, if it happens, might as well get used to this narrative in the national and local media:

"Minnesota still hasn't been to a New Year's Day bowl since 1962."
 

If it's true, I guess I'll just save my vacation money for Pasadena next year. I'll have to start saving up my vacation time too. I think I'm at 6 hours right now. Lol
 


Honestly, I think the whole January 1 Bowl game thing is a little bit overrated. It used to be a huge deal when there were only a few Jan 1 or later bowl games, but now more and more bowl games are played Jan 1 or later. Last season North Texas took on UNLV on January 1 - not an impressive game.

I've been to the Citrus Bowl a couple of times and it's a complete dump. Orlando was also pretty lame in my opinion. I would much prefer to go to a bowl game in San Diego vs Orlando.
 



MNBadgerGuy said:
Honestly, I think the whole January 1 Bowl game thing is a little bit overrated. It used to be a huge deal when there were only a few Jan 1 or later bowl games, but now more and more bowl games are played Jan 1 or later. Last season North Texas took on UNLV on January 1 - not an impressive game.

I've been to the Citrus Bowl a couple of times and it's a complete dump. Orlando was also pretty lame in my opinion. I would much prefer to go to a bowl game in San Diego vs Orlando.
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I'm with you 100% on the San Diego being better part, but the Jan. 1 means a lot to Gopher fans still. It would be a let down imo.
 

My son is in San Diego with the Navy. If my wife and I can't go, we'll buy him and his fiance tix and we can at least put two more Gopher fans in the stadium.

We've never done a bowl trip. I just checked airfare prices. It's looking like $700 minimum. For those of you who have done a bowl trip with the U's travel package, question.... do they usually fly out day of game and return right away the next day? Or do they build a dead day in between the arrival and flight back? I would hope the travel package from the U would be a bit discounted due to being a charter/group rate thing.
 

With Christmas and all the 27th is a tough travel date. If it's the Holiday Bowl it looks like the wife and I will miss this one. Drats. Jan 1 Bowl a couple of our kids were considering it if the flights were decent.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Who passed us who shouldn't have?

We all seemed to think that the Big Ten was going to exercise its power to make sure that teams didn't get snubbed, but from this quote, it sounds like the only circumstance in which they'd veto a selection would be to avoid repeat appearances.
Click to expand...

We wouldn't be getting passed by anybody - if we go to the Holiday Bowl, it's because either Wisconsin lost the Big Ten title game and preferred the Outback Bowl, or Wisconsin won a blowout and Ohio State dropped out of the Top 10-12 in the rankings, causing them to fall to the Outback Bowl.

I also cringed a little when I saw that quote, but from everything I've heard, Minnesota is legitimately an intriguing team to the Citrus, Outback and Holiday Bowls this year.

Also folks, just to repeat, Arizona State will not be in the Holiday Bowl. USC would almost certainly be the opponent.
 

I like for selfish reasons. That said I'd rather see us against an SEC foe. If it is to be PAC-12 then I'd prefer USC for the dual reasons of its a name program and they tEnd to go in the dumpster if they're not competing for championships, thus a good chance for that ninth win and momentum into national signing day.

FYI, San Diego can be cool this time of year, by CA standards. However, beautiful place, great city with every type of entertainment available, and the stadium isn't bad for watching football. It's a concrete mausoleum but that never bothered me (by comparison, the Coliseum seems to be built by the same guys that did Hitler's bunker).
 

Section209 said:
I just checked airfare prices. It's looking like $700 minimum.
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this +1, geezus it even worse than flying to Florida for a Jan 1 game

flying into LAX would be acceptable?

the charter package won't be cheap either, may have a more reasonable cost for the flight but will end up staying at the Westin or whatever uber-expensive hotel they always seem to pick
 

Section209 said:
My son is in San Diego with the Navy. If my wife and I can't go, we'll buy him and his fiance tix and we can at least put two more Gopher fans in the stadium.

We've never done a bowl trip. I just checked airfare prices. It's looking like $700 minimum. For those of you who have done a bowl trip with the U's travel package, question.... do they usually fly out day of game and return right away the next day? Or do they build a dead day in between the arrival and flight back? I would hope the travel package from the U would be a bit discounted due to being a charter/group rate thing.
Click to expand...

Can't comment on the U's package but I just did a quick search on kayak and found flights into LA for 450-550 if you are willing to leave on christmas day or 555-650 if you want to leave on Dec 26th. The cheapest are spirit airlines which I would avoid if I were you. These were united and delta flights and I used a non-stop search as this time of year i prefer to fly non stop if I can. Might be cheaper ones if you make stops.

Just an FYI for people, flying into LA might be an option then staying someplace on the coast between.
 

Check tix to lax or even Palm Springs. Flights are usually reasonable. Sun Country flies to all three. SAN is fairly small and is always more $ than LAX. You will need a rental car but really, you would probably want one anyway.
 

If you fly out Monday or Tuesday and back on Sunday it's closer to $500 round trip. Typically Mondays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays will be the cheapest time to fly.
 

afurry91 said:
If it's true, I guess I'll just save my vacation money for Pasadena next year. I'll have to start saving up my vacation time too. I think I'm at 6 hours right now. Lol
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+1
 

Agreed with others who have said New Years Day would be great, but San Diego would be a lot of fun. Playing either a SEC or PAC12 would be great to watch.
 

I can't go regardless of the location, but San Diego is a fantastic city. However, playing in a December 27 bowl would be a comedown even if it's considered tier one by the Big Ten, is the lone bowl in prime time that evening, has a rich history, and would offer a PAC-12 foe of name or ranking stature. To the general public and casual fans, a non New Year's Bowl is considered minor. The Big Ten can call the Holiday Bowl tier one and have the diehards get it, but to the average fan who needs to be converted to a raging fantatic, the Holiday Bowl might as well be the Music City Bowl or the Cactus (formerly Insight) Bowl. This program absolutely needs to make either the Citrus or Outback Bowls to better further the mission of building this program to the next level and beyond.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
Agreed with others who have said New Years Day would be great, but San Diego would be a lot of fun. Playing either a SEC or PAC12 would be great to watch.
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San Diego wouldn't be as warm as Tampa or Orlando but I would think it would be a much better place to spend 4 or 5 days. Staying at the Del should be on everyone's bucket list, add a Gopher game to the trip with a stay at the Del and you couldn't do better.
 

I would much rather play USC than some of the SEC teams mentioned. USC is still USC and a win over them would be great for the program. You beat a team like Missou or Ole Miss and it's not a big deal in 5 years but a win over USC will always stick out.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Who passed us who shouldn't have?


We all seemed to think that the Big Ten was going to exercise its power to make sure that teams didn't get snubbed, but from this quote, it sounds like the only circumstance in which they'd veto a selection would be to avoid repeat appearances.
Click to expand...

The Holiday Bowl isn't a snub. It is a major upgrade from the bowl we were in last year while we have the same regular season record as last year (yeah, I know we are a better team but not in terms of number of wins and this bowl reflects the perception that we are a better team). If that's where we go, ASU should be a very tough opponent.
 

Sports_Realist said:
I can't go regardless of the location, but San Diego is a fantastic city. However, playing in a December 27 bowl would be a comedown even if it's considered tier one by the Big Ten, is the lone bowl in prime time that evening, has a rich history, and would offer a PAC-12 foe of name or ranking stature. To the general public and casual fans, a non New Year's Bowl is considered minor. The Big Ten can call the Holiday Bowl tier one and have the diehards get it, but to the average fan who needs to be converted to a raging fantatic, the Holiday Bowl might as well be the Music City Bowl or the Cactus (formerly Insight) Bowl. This program absolutely needs to make either the Citrus or Outback Bowls to better further the mission of building this program to the next level and beyond.
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If it's a win over USC, I think it moves the needle at least as much as an Outback victory over a team like Mizzou. Now a Citrus or Outback victory over Auburn....whole different ballgame. IMO
 

WolfontheProwl said:
I would much rather play USC than some of the SEC teams mentioned. USC is still USC and a win over them would be great for the program. You beat a team like Missou or Ole Miss and it's not a big deal in 5 years but a win over USC will always stick out.
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Except the projections consistently have shown AZ St. in the Holiday with USC going to the San Francisco (Foster Farms) Bowl. AZ St. beat USC on the road and they are ranked #17 by the CFP rankings.
 

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