BleedGopher
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per Sid:
The Gophers and Badgers have met 128 times in their long and storied football rivalry, but the simple fact is Saturday’s contest pitting No. 8 Minnesota (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 12 Wisconsin (9-2, 6-2) is the biggest game ever held in Minneapolis between the two teams.
The only bigger game in the rivalry, one could argue, was the 1962 game in Madison — when the Badgers were ranked No. 3 and defeated the No. 5 Gophers 14-9 — but the stakes for this game make it just as important. Saturday will be only the third time, including No. 7 Wisconsin beating No. 10 Minnesota 20-6 in 1942, that both teams were ranked in the Top 15 when they squared off.
And college football is a longer, more grueling season these days. The Gophers played only nine games in 1942 and 1962, but have a real shot to play 14 this season.
Coach P.J. Fleck broke down the magnitude of Saturday’s contest.
“We haven’t won 10-plus regular-season games since 1905,” he said. “… That is a long time. And also, we haven’t won seven Big Ten games, ever, in the history of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football. There is a lot of special things happening. We need everybody to show up on game day. Bring your family, bring your kids, bring your grandkids. It is an experience nobody is going to want to miss.
“It is one of those type of events that goes into the Super Bowl events, those parties, the downtown events. It is like that. Not just University of Minnesota Golden Gopher alum, not just fans, bring people who aren’t. Just bring people that we can make them Golden Gopher fans.”
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
The Gophers and Badgers have met 128 times in their long and storied football rivalry, but the simple fact is Saturday’s contest pitting No. 8 Minnesota (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 12 Wisconsin (9-2, 6-2) is the biggest game ever held in Minneapolis between the two teams.
The only bigger game in the rivalry, one could argue, was the 1962 game in Madison — when the Badgers were ranked No. 3 and defeated the No. 5 Gophers 14-9 — but the stakes for this game make it just as important. Saturday will be only the third time, including No. 7 Wisconsin beating No. 10 Minnesota 20-6 in 1942, that both teams were ranked in the Top 15 when they squared off.
And college football is a longer, more grueling season these days. The Gophers played only nine games in 1942 and 1962, but have a real shot to play 14 this season.
Coach P.J. Fleck broke down the magnitude of Saturday’s contest.
“We haven’t won 10-plus regular-season games since 1905,” he said. “… That is a long time. And also, we haven’t won seven Big Ten games, ever, in the history of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football. There is a lot of special things happening. We need everybody to show up on game day. Bring your family, bring your kids, bring your grandkids. It is an experience nobody is going to want to miss.
“It is one of those type of events that goes into the Super Bowl events, those parties, the downtown events. It is like that. Not just University of Minnesota Golden Gopher alum, not just fans, bring people who aren’t. Just bring people that we can make them Golden Gopher fans.”
This Gophers-Badgers battle might be the best yet
Saturday's meeting will be only the third time in 129 games both teams are ranked in the Top 15.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
