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KD6-3.7

credulous skeptic
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how was your experience? how were the csu fans? how many gopher fans would you estimate?
 

Our group had a great weekend. I was impressed with Fort Collins as a college town. The CSU fans the entire weekend were welcoming, gracious and excited to have a Big Ten team there. I don't think CSU has a lot of opposing fans traveling to games there (outside of when they host CU) because over and over people were surprised at how many Gopher fans traveled, and many said to us "so you flew here for the weekend just for the game?!" It was funny.

The tailgating scene was impressive, that's what you get when you have acres and acres of open land surrounding the stadium. The stadium itself is way, way off campus so I understand their need for the new stadium, but it will be impossible to replicate the tailgating scene they have.

I would guess we had 3,500-4,000 Gopher fans there. We were loud and really took over the bar/restaurant scene Friday and Saturday.

Go Gophers!!
 

5,000 to 6,000 Gopher fans. Denver brought a huge contingent down according to the Alumni Association. I don't know where Bleed got his numbers, but he is off by a couple of 1000. At the tailgate party they announced that the Gophers had sold all of their allotted tickets ( 2,700 ) for the game. Section H and I were mostly Gopher fans. Fort Collins is about 150,000 and a great town! Old.
Fort Collins has great venues. We ate at Austins downtown and it was great. The Soda Social at the Washington Bar on Friday night was packed. The manager had to call in extra staff because of the crowd. CSU were great fans.
 

I've been a Gopher FB fan from afar, not having a lot of opportunities to see Gopher games in person, especially road games. With my son living in Denver, it was a perfect opportunity to attend the CSU game yesterday. Loved the game day experience at CSU though stadium itself is a little rough. Enjoyed talking with the CSU fans before and after the game. Not a great Gopher performance but an exciting/fun game none the less. Headed into the mountains west of Boulder on Friday. Ft. Collins Old Town experience was fantastic Friday and Saturday night. Weekend gets high marks. If we have another home/home, I'd go back.
 

It was hot and the stadium lines were really long (and a bunch of places ran out of drinks). Tailgating was awesome. Like others said, plenty of land out there! CSU fans were mostly ok, gracious after the game. I think it was a lot like we felt after TCU. Fort Collins was a fun town. If the total crowd was 32,000 as announced, I would say 4,000-5,000 Gopher fans. The northwest corner of the stadium was all Gopher fans, and it was a nervous bunch most of the game. I do like these small stadiums -- not a bad seat in the house.

Also I thought it was funny that someone on this site previously had their fan base spot on -- the stadium was half empty at the start of the game, and most of the students didn't show up until near the end of the first quarter. And then a noticeable number of them left before the game was over. They were giving the Gopher bench crap the whole game though.
 



It was a good trip. Took a drive to the mountains on Friday. I liked the tailgaiting experience at Hughes.


Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk
 

Awesome fans and awesome experience. Would love to keep CSU on the schedule.
 

Awesome fans. Awesome city and scenery. The locals I was with are pessimistic about the new stadium they are building and said TCF Bank was example used as a "why this will work example." Said that the new stadium will have no parking and infrastructure to support it.

Went to Rocky Mountain National Park. Unbelievable scenery. Climbed Horse Tooth Rock and got some mild vertigo. Yikes.

Beautiful weather. Arid. Hot. Loved it all.
 



I live in Denver, so I drove up early on Saturday morning. Started tailgating at 10AM with some very friendly and experienced CSU tailgaters.

I was surprised at how many Gophers fans were there. I believe the visitor allotment was 2700 (which we sold out), and I would estimate there were at least another 2000 Gophers scattered amongst the crowd. A very strong showing.

The CSU fans around me complained a LOT about the officiating -- it didn't matter if they saw anything or not, the second they saw a yellow flag come out they were crying bloody murder. It got a little annoying.

Before halftime, the woman in front of me asked "is your QB a senior". I told her Leidner was a junior. She looked pleased with that, because we had earlier discussed the fact that they will play us again next year in Minneapolis.
 

eker0016 said:
I live in Denver, so I drove up early on Saturday morning. Started tailgating at 10AM with some very friendly and experienced CSU tailgaters.

I was surprised at how many Gophers fans were there. I believe the visitor allotment was 2700 (which we sold out), and I would estimate there were at least another 2000 Gophers scattered amongst the crowd. A very strong showing.

The CSU fans around me complained a LOT about the officiating -- it didn't matter if they saw anything or not, the second they saw a yellow flag come out they were crying bloody murder. It got a little annoying.

Before halftime, the woman in front of me asked "is your QB a senior". I told her Leidner was a junior. She looked pleased with that, because we had earlier discussed the fact that they will play us again next year in Minneapolis.
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Just show them this and they'll shut up right away.

<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eFrju7AuV3e/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
 

Excellent road trip...also agree that there were at least 5-6K Gophers there...maybe more. The CSU fans were gracious and welcoming and glad to have us there and they couldn't believe all the Maroon and Gold.

Wait a sec...I forgot to add that you needed to watch your step to miss all the horse poo...;) It was awesome to have the sherriffs possee pull up along side your tailgate on their horses and politely ask for water. It was a great tailgate experience at CSU !
 

GophersInIowa said:
Just show them this and they'll shut up right away.

<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eFrju7AuV3e/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
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They all seemed to think that was a good call. Funny, huh?
 



eker0016 said:
They all seemed to think that was a good call. Funny, huh?
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the CSU fans I was with knew/said that was a BS call. I didn't feel either fan base we complaining too much about refs.

The wired interaction was after their long screen pass and penalty. Like a five minute delay trying to get ther right spot. Ended up being like 1st and 5 after about 6 down marker adjustments.
 

I took this picture at the game. It was chance getting the person waving the pompom, but I thought it was cool.

csugame.jpg
 

Had a great time in Fort Collins. Got in Friday after a quick visit to Left Hand Brewing in Longmont. Lots of Gopher fans were there too. Sota Social was fun. Old Town was packed with Gopher fans. Tailgated with some friendly CSU fans. Hughes is a great spot for tailgating there will sadly be no way to replicate that with the new stadium. Throughout the weekend people commented that they couldn't believe all the Minnesota people who were there. Everyone was courteous and nice. Fantastic weekend.


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d2c86e4f6c35c18161d3309ef8a794fb.jpg
 

We just got home and had a great weekend. We stayed at the Armstrong Hotel in Old town and found lots of great watering holes within walking distance. Did anyone else notice the steam of big pickup trucks with flags flying going down College Avenue during the evenings?
Our friend is a professor at CSU and there is some controversy in Fort Collins regarding the new stadium. A group took out an ad in their local paper in protest of the new stadium.
 

I didn't make the game but my parents moved out to Loveland, Co(just south about 8 miles) in the 70's, so I have spent some time around there. Interesting area, especially going up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

I don't miss driving in the mountains however.
 

Would like to see a continuation of either a CSU or CU home/home series. I talked to dozens of MN transplants in Ft Collins, who btw want nothing to do with a Boulder comparison. Seems like a natural non-conference series to continue. CSU and CU play next weekend in Denver. Pulling for CSU.
 

BarnBoy said:
the CSU fans I was with knew/said that was a BS call. I didn't feel either fan base we complaining too much about refs.

The wired interaction was after their long screen pass and penalty. Like a five minute delay trying to get ther right spot. Ended up being like 1st and 5 after about 6 down marker adjustments.
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I think it started out with the non-call of the fair catch on the punt return. It was obvious, I never thought it would stand, but a lot of people in my section were griping about it. There was a guy wearing a Badger shirt who was very upset about the fumble in OT, too.
 

bigtenchamps1899 said:
how was your experience? how were the csu fans? how many gopher fans would you estimate?
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Honestly - this could have been our best roadtrip, yet. I am lucky to have a great group that can have fun in Iowa City, Orlando, or really any city. So, when you have a road game in a really cool city, it just adds to the fun. I've never had such a welcoming city - from the moment we sat down for lunch when we arrived on a patio, people stopped, talked to us, gave us food and brewery recommendations, and could not have been more kind. I think so many mid westerners relocate there, so you get the nicest people, and the beautiful climate and scenery.

Tailgating was SO easy. $10, tons of room, sooooo much easier than it is for us at home.

I can honestly say there wasn't one bad experience with a fan, restaurant, anything. It's quick to get there and there are cheap flights. Plus, our hotel room was pretty nice with a semi kitchen, full fridge, a few desks, updated recently...and it was about a third of the cost of the hotels we stay at when going to a Big 10 game. I'd go back in a heartbeat!
 

GopherLady said:
Honestly - this could have been our best roadtrip, yet. I am lucky to have a great group that can have fun in Iowa City, Orlando, or really any city. So, when you have a road game in a really cool city, it just adds to the fun. I've never had such a welcoming city - from the moment we sat down for lunch when we arrived on a patio, people stopped, talked to us, gave us food and brewery recommendations, and could not have been more kind. I think so many mid westerners relocate there, so you get the nicest people, and the beautiful climate and scenery.

Tailgating was SO easy. $10, tons of room, sooooo much easier than it is for us at home.

I can honestly say there wasn't one bad experience with a fan, restaurant, anything. It's quick to get there and there are cheap flights. Plus, our hotel room was pretty nice with a semi kitchen, full fridge, a few desks, updated recently...and it was about a third of the cost of the hotels we stay at when going to a Big 10 game. I'd go back in a heartbeat!
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I agree, great road game. I hope we schedule more home and homes with them.

Did you get a chance to walk around campus? Lots of new buildings, and it is gorgeous. Love all the bike trails.
 

Loved it, great trip and experience. I found it very interesting that the CSU fan base seems split down the middle on whether the new stadium is a good idea or not. On the one hand, Hughes is 5 miles or so off campus, and is older, lacking some modern amenities etc. On the other, their new stadium has zero chance of replicating the great setup they have right now. Hughes is set in a gorgeous backdrop against the foothills, and their tailgate setup is top notch. Those things will lost when they move back to campus.

CSU fans were gracious and Fort Collins is an awesome college town. I'd love it if we setup another home and home with them in the future. We made the drive down to Boulder yesterday and that campus is beautiful as well. Folsom Field is even prettier than Hughes Stadium. Playing the Buffs in a home and home would be great as well.
 

Just got back from our CSU road trip. Spent last week in Breckenridge and came down to Estes Park on Thursday and couldn't believe the number of Gopher Fans I saw their. I was stopped several times by locals wanting to know why they are seeing so many Mn. fans. Went to Stanley Hotel for a tour on Friday morning and it was all gopher fans in the Hotel. It was great to see although even though my family and I were wearing gopher gear many of them never said anything (disappointing), but nice to see either way. Arrived too late to the game to tailgate but as soon as we drove in there was a sea of gopher fans and I could tell immediately that we would have a great crowd. Sections H, I and much of the endzone were gopher fans. We were in the lower section of H and there it was probably 80/20 gopher fans. Fun game/gracious CSU fans and a great road trip for the family.
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
We made the drive down to Boulder yesterday and that campus is beautiful as well. Folsom Field is even prettier than Hughes Stadium. Playing the Buffs in a home and home would be great as well.
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Circle your calendar -- Minnesota at Colorado, September 18, 2021. The Buffs come to TCF in 2022.
 

WorkingMyTailOff said:
Did anyone else notice the steam of big pickup trucks with flags flying going down College Avenue during the evenings?
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Ugh....yes. Seems to be a favorite pastime for many in Fort Collins to just cruise up and down College Ave. all night in their pickup trucks. I'll guess that passes for entertainment in cowboy culture? We were on the patio at a few different places and it was obnoxious.
 


Had a great time, mostly great interactions with the CSU fans.
The stadium controversy was explained to us as this:
The students like the setup. They can park cheap, drink and party all they want.
Just load up pickup trucks and head out. They get everything a college student might desire for a saturday, including 50 yard line seats and very low enforcement of rules.

The anti-sports crowd likes the old stadium because it's already paid for.
The traditionalists like it because it has some good tradition associated with it.

The issue is the people that buy season tickets and have money to spend hate the setup due to traffic and lack of amenities. They'd rather eat at a place in town and walk to the stadium 5 minutes before kickoff. I can see the point, but I still think they'd be better just spending the money on a renovation and upgrade including the roads.

Overall an awesome trip. A sloppy game that ended in a W couldn't dampen what was a really fun getaway.
 

If you didn't do the New Belgium brewery tour, you need to make another trip to Ft. Collins! It was hands down the best tour I've been on, and I've been on quite a few. Our group ended up staying and talking with the tour guides/bartenders for a few hours after, and even convinced one of them to tailgate with us before the game.

After the game we talked with the father of one of the CSU players. He said that it was the best student turn out they've had in quite some time. He said the atmosphere at most games isn't this good and he's hoping to make it up to Minneapolis next year.
 

Like others have posted, had a great time! New Belgium was by far the best brewery tour I've been on. Very informative and nice beer stops along the way.
Washington's was crazy busy with Gopher fans, just like everywhere else. Other than the game and post-game Canes, it seemed like Gopher fans outnumbered CSU fans around town at the various venues (we had a group of 25 on our tour at New Belgium, of which 23 were Gopher fans who didn't book it together).

Everyone was very nice throughout town. Tailgating was cheap and great.

All in all, can't say enough nice things about the experience (it certainly helps that we pulled it out!)
 

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