Worst Gopher football memory

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Amazing that most of these horrible memories revolve around one man.

The beloved Glen Mason. Best defensive and clock management coach ever. The man with two playbooks: 1) First half destroy the enemy; 2) Second half try not to lose.

Yet, beloved.
 

I think it's more about giving credit where credit is due. He won three straight bowl games, had some ranked finishes, won a few trophy games and snagged that upset vs. Penn State. I think those that respect Mason's positives are more than willing to point out the flaws in his coaching abilities and his overall record.
 

It just can't be anything but 2003 Michigan. So close to the monumental breakthrough win in front of a packed house. It took me a year to really feel any better about it.
 

IceBoxGopher said:
I think it's more about giving credit where credit is due. He won three straight bowl games, had some ranked finishes, won a few trophy games and snagged that upset vs. Penn State. I think those that respect Mason's positives are more than willing to point out the flaws in his coaching abilities and his overall record.
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Without the positives his teams did create, the lows wouldn't have felt so low. It's just a shame he could never put together a full team that could get over the hump.
 

I was in freshman in 2008 and the way we lost the NW game was really deflating. I don't think I've had the same level of excitement about any team since before that game. The two home games after that were just embarrassing so that didn't help me not having much hope with this program.
 


Worst 19 in last 19 years:

1- Michigan 2003- up by 21 in the 4th, 62k Gopher fans (we are thinking Rose Bowl)
2- Wisconsin 2005- up 10 inside of 2 min, end up losing with blocked punt
3- Northwestern 2000- First home game since winning in Columbus, blow a big lead, and lose to a hail mary
4- Losing to South Dakota at home in Brew's 4th year. The game that 100% solidified Brew being a fraud.
5- Jerry Kill retiring due to seizures
6- Clock debacle, not getting in from the 1 and Blowing the end of the Michigan game in 2015 the week Kill retired.
7- Dom Jones rape with Alex Daniels & company
8- Reading the sex train report on the Gopher cheerleader in 2016 leading to Claeys firing
9- Northwestern 2008- after starting 7-1 a full stadium.
10- 55-0 Iowa
11- 2002, Iowa ripping down our goal posts
12- NDSU losses 2008 & 2011
13- Texas Tech 31 point lead blown in 2006 Insight Bowl
14- North Carolina St blown lead in Micron PC bowl
15- Purdue 2001, Purdue going 75 yards in 18 seconds to force OT and beat MN
16- Losing to Michigan in 2004, the year after we had them beat, we lost again in blowing a 2nd half lead.
17- 2014 leading 17-3 at Madison for a chance to win the Big10 west and end up losing.
18- Jerry Kill 1st home game, has seizure on the field and lose to New Mexico St in his first game.
19- 2004 Rushing for 400+ yards and watching Mason get conservative setting up Rhy Loyd from 53 yards and missing to lose to Iowa
 

The entire 1983 season.

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BilldGopher said:
For that 2005 Wisconsin game Benji Kamrath came in as the back-up senior QB and played a very good game. I think that was his one and only start.

Again, sigh....
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Tony Mortensen started the 2005 game.

Kamrath relieved an injured AAK in the 2003 game and played nicely (somehow this remains the last time we beat Wisconsin).
 
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GophersInIowa said:
Michigan game was moved to Friday night due to the Twins, correct?
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Yes it was Friday night game because of the Twins playoff game hold on Saturday night, Twins lost in ALDS so they didn't even need the Dome but still had to hold it because of the playoffs. Worst part about the dome was being a third tennant and at times feeling like a Visitor in your own home stadium.
 
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I’m 24 and attended the U from 2013 - 2016. In terms of games I attended in person:

2003 Michigan game - was 9 years old and sitting in the upper deck of the dome. Crowd was amazing. Brutal choke job. Just terrible.

2015 TCU game - My senior year, sellout crowd, beautiful night, national TV audience, had #2 team in the nation on the ropes, if Kirkwood doesn’t fumble at the goal line, we likely win that game...

2015 Michigan game - Wanted the Jug for Jerry so bad, also my senior year at the U, national TV, one damn yard! Halloween night instantly ruined for me.

2016 Wisconsin game - Great first half, Leidner’s picks in the second half were excruciating

2017 @ Northwestern - Cold, pouring rain in Evanston. We lost like 39-0. Just got completely man-handled. Rock bottom of last year, in my opinion


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gopherdudepart2 said:
Yes it was Friday night game because of the Twins playoff game hold on Saturday night, Twins lost in ALDS so they didn't even need the Dome but still had to hold it because of the playoffs. Worst part about the dome was being a third tennant and at times feeling like a Visitor in your own home stadium.
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The Friday night aspect seemed to add to the excitement. When AAK broke through and scored from like 50 out I had never heard a Gopher crowd that loud. The place was just rocking. I still remember as I walked out of the Dome that night that people say something made them upset enough that they were sick to their stomach. I always thought it was just an expression, but I was close to vomiting I was so despondent. It might have also been that we pregamed since about noon, but I believe it was more the loss.
 

1989 Nebraska 48-0
1990 Nebraska 56-0

It was especially tough when you have a family member who was a big Cornhusker fan and you spend the whole year explaining to them how the Gophers will be better the next year. -- then they lose even worse.
 

This is a pretty good list but I will add a couple others I do not believe were mentioned:
They were playing Utah at home and lining up for a chip shot FG with the score tied and just a few seconds left on the clock. Looks like a sure fire win with absolutely no way we can lose - worst we can do is tie......but the FG is blocked and returned 90 yards for a Utah TD to win. Also -- the game where we lost at home to Pacific which disbanded their football team a few years later - this would have been back in the late 80's I believe.

But the 2003 loss to Michigan was def the worst.
 



STPGopher said:
Northwestern (2000?) They won on a Hail Mary as the game clock struck zero.

Honorable mentions:

Micron PC Bowl. Tellis runs for 246 yards, but Phillip Rivers and the receiver K. Robinson? Beat us.
2006 bowl game vs Texas Tech...
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Yes - micron pc bowl was my first thought- Ray Christenson’s last game too - been dealing with bad radio broadcasters ever since
 

My worst Gopher memory may still be to come. This program has regressed drastically in the past 20 months
 

I agree with 1982 vs Illinois. I remember the morning radio shows were talking up the Gophers and it was kind of an electric atmosphere at the dome. I think the Gophers were leading at the half. Then Champagne Tony Eason threw a bomb to Mike Martin down the sideline. The dome went silent and the season ended right then. I remember Hohensee took a real beating in that game.
 


We had that stretch under Mason where we kept blowing leads in every way possible. This was bad, because we actually had several chances to win conference titles if not for these meltdowns.

More recently, the warp speed demise of our defense under Fleck/Smith is quickly moving up the list.
 

I was there for the 1982 game vs. Illniois sitting the "left field" deck with my dad (still in HS) and sort of dumfounded by the Metrodome after the greatness of being at Memorial Stadium the previous year for the big OSU win, but got a little wrapped up in the early excitment of the game, then wheels came off, for about 16 years.

My dad was too much of an optimist to admit the mistake the Metrodome was, but I as a 15 year old knew right away the ship was on the rocks.
 

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