TheMonsignor
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(Hello Gophers! I post a similar message every year, but for some reason the Hole will no longer recognize the Monsignor. Thus, I've taken the alternative moniker of TheRightReverend. Nonetheless, I look forward to our biennial trip to the Twin Cities and really look forward to seeing the new stadium.)
(Good luck Saturday, but, On Wisconsin !)
THE STORIED RIVALRY.
It is, of course, the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football: 118 meetings and counting, missing only 1906 since that first game in 1890. It was once for the Slab Of Bacon, and since WW 2, has been played for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnie leads the series, 59-51-8.
For a lot of old-timers like me, it is THE game of the season. I frankly want to win this game more than any other. A victory over the Gophers can salvage a 1-10 season; it can be the caviar on a Big Ten championship.
The Storied Rivalry moves into a new era this year, as outdoor football returns to the Minnesota campus for the first time since 1981. All I can say is: It’s about time !! I am very excited to see the new TCF Cashbox Stadium. I can only hope that this first game follows the other bookends: In 1981, the last Badger-Gopher game in old Memorial Stadium, Wisconsin won, 26-21. In 1983, the first Wisconsin-Minnesota game in the HHH Uglydome, Wisconsin won, 56-17. Two years ago, in the final game at the Hump, Sconnie beat Minnie, 41-34. I’m hoping for a similar result when Saturday’s game inaugurates the new Gopher Stadium to the Storied Rivalry.
I suggest below some of the more exciting, important or noteworthy games in this rivalry. At the end, I will tell you my favorite.
1. 1890: UM-63, UW-0. What a way to start.
2. 1894: UW-6, UM-0. Badgers secure their first win in the series.
3. 1905: UW-16, UM-12. The Badgers greatest coach of all time, Phil King, ends his career with a 6-2 record against the Gophers, beginning to even out the series. In those games, the UW outscored UM 132-29, and in the 4 games from 1896-99, King's great teams outscored Minnie, 93-0.
4. 1906: For the only time, the two teams did not meet. I blame Teddy Roosevelt.
5. 1917: UW-10, UM-7. Official opening of the new Camp Randall stadium.
6. 1925: UW-12, UM-12. The teams tie for the third straight year.
7. 1933: UM-14, UW-0. This year commences a tradition that will continue to 1982: the UW and UM meet in the final game of the season. In addition, this year starts the great UM domination for nearly two decades. UW will not beat UM for 9 years, until the great Badger team of '42 breaks the skein. UM goes 15-2 in this era.
8. 1961: UW-23, UM-21. Despite the loss, the Gophers earn their last trip to the Rose Bowl. Something about OSU upholding their high academic standards. It was Minnesota’s only Big Ten loss of the year, and the Goofs missed a 2-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game.
9. 1962: UW-14, UM-9. In a battle of titans (ranked #3 and #5), the Badgers win the Rose Bowl trip, helped by some controversial calls by the refs.
10. 1966: UW-7, UM-6. Milt Bruhn wins in his final game, as the crowd chants "Goodbye, Miltie."
11. 1974: UW-49, UM-14. Billy Marek goes wild for 305 yards and 5 TDS in one of the most entertaining games ever at Camp Randall.
12. 1979: UW-42, UM-37. My first visit to old Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis (that I can recall, anyway), with a big snowstorm the night before, Mike “The Polish Rifle” Kalasmiki actually running for a TD, and the Badgers winning only because they had the ball last in a game with two nonexistent defenses.
13. 1981: UW-26, UM-21. Randy Wright's pass to Michael 'Nunchuks' Jones in the corner of the end zone at Memorial sends the UW to its first bowl game since 1963.
14: 1983: UW-56, UM-17. First game in the Dome. A Badger party.
15. 1984: UM-17, UW-14. In the foggie at Camp Randall, Rickey Foggie completes 2 of 21 passes for 218 yards and 3 TDS (or so it seemed at the time) in a big upset.
16: 1991: UW-19, UM-16. BA's first Big Ten win, on the road. Tucker makes the big hit to save the game.
17. 1993: UM-28, UW-21. In the Badgers’ Rose Bowl year, the Gophers ruin a shot at the national championship. Bevell throws for the UW record of 423 yards, but turnovers and a game UM team spell doom. From this game comes the famous quote from the Tipper: "They ain't gonna win another game!"
18. 1999: UW-20, UM-17. OT FG gives UW a heart-thumping win in the Dome, on its way to the Rose Bowl.
19. 2003: UM-37, UW-34. The Gophers repay the favor by winning on a FG on the last play of the game in the Dome.
20. 2005: UW-38, UM-34. UM’s Maroney gashes the UW for nearly 300 yards rushing. But, in one of the most incredible finishes in the Storied Rivalry, the UW overcomes a 10 point deficit in the last 4 minutes, with a blocked punt recovered in the end zone for the winning score with half a minute to play. The Minneapolis crowd is stunned.
21. 2007: UW-41, UM-34. In another track meet, UW’s Brown rushes for 250 yards and UM’s Weber throws for over 350. This game is significant because it is the final game played in that hole of a football stadium, the HHH Metrodome. UW ends up with a 7-6 lead over UM in games played in the Dome.
The Badgers have won 12 of the last 14 games (including 5 in a row) to begin to bring the series closer, and close the gap created by Minnesota’s great teams from the 1930’s – 1950’s.
There you have it. Add on. Argue. But most of all, enjoy one of the best rivalries in college football.
My favorite game: the 1979 track meet in old Memorial Stadium. I could wax at length as to why that is so good, but I will spare you.
ON WISCONSIN!! BEAT MINNESOTA!!!
(Good luck Saturday, but, On Wisconsin !)
THE STORIED RIVALRY.
It is, of course, the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football: 118 meetings and counting, missing only 1906 since that first game in 1890. It was once for the Slab Of Bacon, and since WW 2, has been played for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnie leads the series, 59-51-8.
For a lot of old-timers like me, it is THE game of the season. I frankly want to win this game more than any other. A victory over the Gophers can salvage a 1-10 season; it can be the caviar on a Big Ten championship.
The Storied Rivalry moves into a new era this year, as outdoor football returns to the Minnesota campus for the first time since 1981. All I can say is: It’s about time !! I am very excited to see the new TCF Cashbox Stadium. I can only hope that this first game follows the other bookends: In 1981, the last Badger-Gopher game in old Memorial Stadium, Wisconsin won, 26-21. In 1983, the first Wisconsin-Minnesota game in the HHH Uglydome, Wisconsin won, 56-17. Two years ago, in the final game at the Hump, Sconnie beat Minnie, 41-34. I’m hoping for a similar result when Saturday’s game inaugurates the new Gopher Stadium to the Storied Rivalry.
I suggest below some of the more exciting, important or noteworthy games in this rivalry. At the end, I will tell you my favorite.
1. 1890: UM-63, UW-0. What a way to start.
2. 1894: UW-6, UM-0. Badgers secure their first win in the series.
3. 1905: UW-16, UM-12. The Badgers greatest coach of all time, Phil King, ends his career with a 6-2 record against the Gophers, beginning to even out the series. In those games, the UW outscored UM 132-29, and in the 4 games from 1896-99, King's great teams outscored Minnie, 93-0.
4. 1906: For the only time, the two teams did not meet. I blame Teddy Roosevelt.
5. 1917: UW-10, UM-7. Official opening of the new Camp Randall stadium.
6. 1925: UW-12, UM-12. The teams tie for the third straight year.
7. 1933: UM-14, UW-0. This year commences a tradition that will continue to 1982: the UW and UM meet in the final game of the season. In addition, this year starts the great UM domination for nearly two decades. UW will not beat UM for 9 years, until the great Badger team of '42 breaks the skein. UM goes 15-2 in this era.
8. 1961: UW-23, UM-21. Despite the loss, the Gophers earn their last trip to the Rose Bowl. Something about OSU upholding their high academic standards. It was Minnesota’s only Big Ten loss of the year, and the Goofs missed a 2-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game.
9. 1962: UW-14, UM-9. In a battle of titans (ranked #3 and #5), the Badgers win the Rose Bowl trip, helped by some controversial calls by the refs.
10. 1966: UW-7, UM-6. Milt Bruhn wins in his final game, as the crowd chants "Goodbye, Miltie."
11. 1974: UW-49, UM-14. Billy Marek goes wild for 305 yards and 5 TDS in one of the most entertaining games ever at Camp Randall.
12. 1979: UW-42, UM-37. My first visit to old Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis (that I can recall, anyway), with a big snowstorm the night before, Mike “The Polish Rifle” Kalasmiki actually running for a TD, and the Badgers winning only because they had the ball last in a game with two nonexistent defenses.
13. 1981: UW-26, UM-21. Randy Wright's pass to Michael 'Nunchuks' Jones in the corner of the end zone at Memorial sends the UW to its first bowl game since 1963.
14: 1983: UW-56, UM-17. First game in the Dome. A Badger party.
15. 1984: UM-17, UW-14. In the foggie at Camp Randall, Rickey Foggie completes 2 of 21 passes for 218 yards and 3 TDS (or so it seemed at the time) in a big upset.
16: 1991: UW-19, UM-16. BA's first Big Ten win, on the road. Tucker makes the big hit to save the game.
17. 1993: UM-28, UW-21. In the Badgers’ Rose Bowl year, the Gophers ruin a shot at the national championship. Bevell throws for the UW record of 423 yards, but turnovers and a game UM team spell doom. From this game comes the famous quote from the Tipper: "They ain't gonna win another game!"
18. 1999: UW-20, UM-17. OT FG gives UW a heart-thumping win in the Dome, on its way to the Rose Bowl.
19. 2003: UM-37, UW-34. The Gophers repay the favor by winning on a FG on the last play of the game in the Dome.
20. 2005: UW-38, UM-34. UM’s Maroney gashes the UW for nearly 300 yards rushing. But, in one of the most incredible finishes in the Storied Rivalry, the UW overcomes a 10 point deficit in the last 4 minutes, with a blocked punt recovered in the end zone for the winning score with half a minute to play. The Minneapolis crowd is stunned.
21. 2007: UW-41, UM-34. In another track meet, UW’s Brown rushes for 250 yards and UM’s Weber throws for over 350. This game is significant because it is the final game played in that hole of a football stadium, the HHH Metrodome. UW ends up with a 7-6 lead over UM in games played in the Dome.
The Badgers have won 12 of the last 14 games (including 5 in a row) to begin to bring the series closer, and close the gap created by Minnesota’s great teams from the 1930’s – 1950’s.
There you have it. Add on. Argue. But most of all, enjoy one of the best rivalries in college football.
My favorite game: the 1979 track meet in old Memorial Stadium. I could wax at length as to why that is so good, but I will spare you.
ON WISCONSIN!! BEAT MINNESOTA!!!
