BleedGopher
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per Randy:
O.J. Smith spent his first three seasons at Alabama before transferring to Minnesota. At his new school he has learned new traditions, such as Floyd of Rosedale.
Smith, a senior defensive tackle from Bossier City, La., did a double take when he discovered the Gophers-Iowa rivalry trophy was a bronze hog.
“I was like, ‘What?’ ” he said, laughing.
On Saturday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium, that peculiar piece of porcine will be on the line for the 83rd time when Smith and his Gophers teammates face Iowa, which has a three-year hold on Floyd. Though the Gophers (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) largely stayed on script by emphasizing that the game against the Hawkeyes (3-1, 0-1) is important because it’s the next one on the schedule, they couldn’t hide the added motivation that a rivalry produces.
“You can feel it in the air,” redshirt freshman guard Blaise Andries said. “Games against Iowa and Wisconsin, there might be a little extra oomph behind it.”
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck agrees, and he embraces the chance for his team to play for Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunyan’s Axe, which goes to the Minnesota-Wisconsin winner.
“It’s one of the best rivalries in college football. It’s one of the most historic,” Fleck said. “We talk about it. We’re very honest with our players. This is a trophy game. It’s a really big game for a lot of people. That’s why you come to the University of Minnesota, that’s why you play in the Big Ten.”
http://www.startribune.com/trophy-hunting-gophers-have-eyes-on-a-prize-any-prize/495324881/
Go Gophers!!
O.J. Smith spent his first three seasons at Alabama before transferring to Minnesota. At his new school he has learned new traditions, such as Floyd of Rosedale.
Smith, a senior defensive tackle from Bossier City, La., did a double take when he discovered the Gophers-Iowa rivalry trophy was a bronze hog.
“I was like, ‘What?’ ” he said, laughing.
On Saturday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium, that peculiar piece of porcine will be on the line for the 83rd time when Smith and his Gophers teammates face Iowa, which has a three-year hold on Floyd. Though the Gophers (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) largely stayed on script by emphasizing that the game against the Hawkeyes (3-1, 0-1) is important because it’s the next one on the schedule, they couldn’t hide the added motivation that a rivalry produces.
“You can feel it in the air,” redshirt freshman guard Blaise Andries said. “Games against Iowa and Wisconsin, there might be a little extra oomph behind it.”
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck agrees, and he embraces the chance for his team to play for Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunyan’s Axe, which goes to the Minnesota-Wisconsin winner.
“It’s one of the best rivalries in college football. It’s one of the most historic,” Fleck said. “We talk about it. We’re very honest with our players. This is a trophy game. It’s a really big game for a lot of people. That’s why you come to the University of Minnesota, that’s why you play in the Big Ten.”
http://www.startribune.com/trophy-hunting-gophers-have-eyes-on-a-prize-any-prize/495324881/
Go Gophers!!