Would it be the first time...

[savagerube]

If the Gophers maintain a top 10 ranking, would it be the first time in the modern era that two top 10 teams square off at the barn? I'm not 100% sure but if true, how big does this make Thursday's game? Crazy to think about....

 

[mnsportsgeek]

If the Gophers maintain a top 10 ranking, would it be the first time in the modern era that two top 10 teams square off at the barn? I'm not 100% sure but if true, how big does this make Thursday's game? Crazy to think about....

It's for sure the first time in tubby era. This is the biggest game in the past decade I would think. I only started following the Gophers once Tubby was hired so I really couldn't tell you with accuracy though.

A win and we are right there with IU for the Big 10 title. A loss and we are fighting for top 3 or 2.

 

[Gopher07]

It'll be the first time in a long, long time as far as I can tell. Closest I can find was 1982 when the #11 Gophers took on (and beat) #5 Iowa at Williams.

 

[Cayman]

Pretty sure we haven't been officially in the top 10 since the 1980's, so yeah, probably. Even in the 1996-97 season, it seems we were fairly head and shoulders above the rest of the Big Ten, finishing 16-2 in conference, while the second place record was 12-6.

 

[Gopher07]

Pretty sure we haven't been officially in the top 10 since the 1980's, so yeah, probably. Even in the 1996-97 season, it seems we were fairly head and shoulders above the rest of the Big Ten, finishing 16-2 in conference, while the second place record was 12-6.

Yeah, we only hosted three ranked opponents at Williams in 96/97 - Michigan (#16), Illinois (#23) and Indiana (#22).

 

[dpodoll68]

Marcus just tweeted (no idea whether it's accurate):

@GophersNow

Last time the #Gophers were in a top 10matchup at the Barn was when they were ranked 10th and lost to No. 5 #Michigan 86-80 in 1976-77.

 

[MadtownGopher]

PiPress Gophers Now ‏@GophersNow
#Gophers '76-77 season was forfeited because of ineligible player. So last top-10 home matchup that counts was MN vs. Marquette in '72-73.

 

[Gopher07]

PiPress Gophers Now ‏@GophersNow
#Gophers '76-77 season was forfeited because of ineligible player. So last top-10 home matchup that counts was MN vs. Marquette in '72-73.

Wow, 40 years. That's crazy.

 

[MadtownGopher]

PiPress Gophers Now ‏@GophersNow
No. 6 #Minnesota beat No. 7 Marquette 64-53 in that 1973 game. Anybody remembers being there watching Musselman coach against Al McGuire?

 

[Monty519]

Marcus just tweeted (no idea whether it's accurate):

@GophersNow

Last time the #Gophers were in a top 10matchup at the Barn was when they were ranked 10th and lost to No. 5 #Michigan 86-80 in 1976-77.

That's the one I was just gonna post. We came close in '81-'82 when Iowa was #5 and we were #11. Needless to say, this is a big game.

I was looking back at the Final Four season that never happened and I never realized the Big Ten was kind down that year. We're the only team that had single digit losses that season, and the highest other finish was Illinois at #18 in the AP and they were a 6 seed.