ESPN compiles "50 most painful outcomes in history"

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My guess is that we have a least two entries in the top 20 and one in the top 10.
 

I do not know how anyone beats our loss to WI due to the fumbled punt.
 

The only one I can think that beats the fumbled punt is the Michigan '03 game.
 

GO4INLALALAND said:
I do not know how anyone beats our loss to WI due to the fumbled punt.
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Oh god I remember that game, terribly painful.

I watched it with my son, when Mason called a time out before the punt in the endzone he screamed, "Mase, what are you thinking?". He couldn't believe it.

I convinced him that it was a brilliant coaching move. I told him Mason was obviously telling his punter that if he had any issues handling the snap or if he didn't think he could get it off that he should run out the end of the endzone. As I said that, I said "Heck, he's probably calling that play right now to take the safety and kick away, a great safe play!"

I was wrong. No such smart coaching took place :cry:
 


Gopher07 said:
The only one I can think that beats the fumbled punt is the Michigan '03 game.
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I put that at No. 2. The thing with the Wis. loss was that the only way we could lose that game was by fumbling the punt and lo and behold that is what we did. To me it was unfathomable that we could have lost that game with the lead with almost no time left. To me this is the most painful loss I have experienced as a Gopher fan. On top of that it was a loss to Wis. My most hated rival.
 

Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio St., Texas Tech, etc.

There are so many to pick from. My question is if we don't land at least a couple of our epic meltdowns in the top ten, are we happy or do we play the "no respect" card? :confused::D
 

Another question: Will the Gophers be on the winning side of any games on the list?

The only one that comes to mind right away is the win at Penn State in 1999 when they were ranked #2. That should definitely be on the list.
 

The last 10 years Top 5

In no particular order:

1) Michigan 2003
2) Northwestern 2000 & 2008
3) Texas Tech 2006
4) Wisconsin 2005

I was happy when I woke up this morning - I now hate life.
 



While we've had an incredible number of games like this, very few of them are likely to make it. They list "stakes of the game" as one of the major factors, and a lot of our heartbreaking losses (Purdue in '01, for example) wouldn't qualify.

In fact, I think our highest ranking game on this list won't be painful for us, but rather our opponent - it will probably be 1999 Penn State because of how it knocked them out of national title consideration and put them in a funk for years. I hope the Wisconsin loss in '62 with the terrible roughing the passer call makes it!

Our bowl loss to Texas Tech is a possibility, as is '03 Michigan. The 31-0 lead vs. Ohio State is a possibility, but I don't think that makes the list. The dropped punt vs. Wisconsin, Hail Mary vs. Northwestern, blocked FG vs. Utah, and phantom pass interference vs. PSU (two different times!) all probably fail that test and won't make the list.
 

Two More!

The loss in 1989 to Ohio State, which was shell-shocked when the Gophers jumped out to a 31-0 lead. The Buckeyes won 41-37 by scoring the winning touchdown in the closing minutes. It was painful to watch.

The second one, and one I'll never forget, occurred in November 1962. If Minnesota wins, they go to the Rose Bowl for the third consecutive year and win the Big 10 title. The Gophers lead Wisconsin in the waning minutes 9-7. Bobby Bell hits qb Ron Vandekelen, the ball flutters up in the air and is picked off by Jack Perkovich; but wait, the referee calls Bell for roughing the passer (phantom call). Coach Warmath is irate and an unsportsmanlike penalty is called on the Minnesota bench. Wisconsin has only a short distance to go for the go-ahead touchdown which they get. Officials behave as though they want make amends and start calling penalties against the Badgers, but alas Minnesota's drive ends with an interception. Wisconsin wins 14-9 and goes to the Rose Bowl. For me, still the most painful loss of all. Had the interception by Perkovich stood, Minnesota would have gone to Rose Bowl as conference champs. The Gophers finished the season 6-2-1 (the tie was with Missouri) and ranked 10th in the nation. Great defense . . . gave up only 61 points in the nine game season and had five shut outs.

I wouldn't be surprised if the above two games make the list.

Go Gophers!!
 

I say we get one game in the top 50 and it's the '99 Penn St. game. As others have said, the other games, while painful to us, usually had little impact on the greater college football landscape.
 

Michigan '03 was the one and only difference between Sun Bowl and Rose Bowl for us, for that reason I think it makes the list.

Final 2003 rankings (real)

Michigan 7-1
Ohio State 6-2
Purdue 6-2
Iowa 5-3
Minnesota 5-3

Final 2003 rankings (with Michigan victory)

Minnesota 6-2 (advance to Rose Bowl on tiebreaker)
Michigan 6-2
Ohio State 6-2
Purdue 6-2
Iowa 5-3
 



The 2003 Michigan game is still the most painful fan experience I've ever had.
 

Ski U Master said:
The 2003 Michigan game is still the most painful fan experience I've ever had.
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Agreed. For me, the Michigan game was more painful than the blocked punt because you had to watch it unravel over an entire quarter.
 

2003 was it. The Year. The Window. The Opportunity. The Chance.

I told my Dad that Friday night that it would be 20 years until we had that opportunity again. Sadly, I'm standing by that.
 

I'd say the 2003 Michigan game, because of what it mean to the program. It wasn't just a win, it wasn't just a win against Michigan. It was the ellusive Big Ten title. And not even just that, it was as if the gates of Heaven had opened, and a choir of angels sang as the brass ring was lowered to earth that had engraved upon it "Welcome to the next level".

And the gates locked shut just as we were about to grab that ring.
 

Gopher07 said:
Michigan '03 was the one and only difference between Sun Bowl and Rose Bowl for us, for that reason I think it makes the list.
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The problem is that only hard core Gopher fans know how close we would have been to the Rose Bowl.

I assume that Cal/Stanford will be #1. The text in the article hints at it. I hope the UNLV/Baylor game from about 10 years ago makes it - Baylor just needed to kneel down to win the game but tried to score a TD instead. The RB fumbled and it got returned for a TD, giving UNLV the game.
 

DL65 said:
The second one, and one I'll never forget, occurred in November 1962. If Minnesota wins, they go to the Rose Bowl for the third consecutive year and win the Big 10 title. The Gophers lead Wisconsin in the waning minutes 9-7. Bobby Bell hits qb Ron Vandekelen, the ball flutters up in the air and is picked off by Jack Perkovich; but wait, the referee calls Bell for roughing the passer (phantom call). Coach Warmath is irate and an unsportsmanlike penalty is called on the Minnesota bench. Wisconsin has only a short distance to go for the go-ahead touchdown which they get. Officials behave as though they want make amends and start calling penalties against the Badgers, but alas Minnesota's drive ends with an interception. Wisconsin wins 14-9 and goes to the Rose Bowl. For me, still the most painful loss of all. Had the interception by Perkovich stood, Minnesota would have gone to Rose Bowl as conference champs. The Gophers finished the season 6-2-1 (the tie was with Missouri) and ranked 10th in the nation. Great defense . . . gave up only 61 points in the nine game season and had five shut outs.
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For sure, this is the one. There was a bar in St. Paul (someone help me out here) that had a blown up picture from the Sunday Tribune of Bell hitting Vanderkelen, with the ball still CLEARLY in his hand. This was long before the BS protecting the qb rules ruined the game of football, so the only possible call was a late hit. Worst call EVER.

That game, and Wisconsin's B10 "championship", is a sham to this day.
 

Gopher07 said:
Michigan '03 was the one and only difference between Sun Bowl and Rose Bowl for us, for that reason I think it makes the list.

Final 2003 rankings (real)

Michigan 7-1
Ohio State 6-2
Purdue 6-2
Iowa 5-3
Minnesota 5-3

Final 2003 rankings (with Michigan victory)

Minnesota 6-2 (advance to Rose Bowl on tiebreaker)
Michigan 6-2
Ohio State 6-2
Purdue 6-2
Iowa 5-3
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Wow................ really depressing. And a share of the Big Ten title... :cry::cry:
 


Yeah. I actually went and looked up the box score to the 03 game just now. It's like I want to dig the knife in a little deeper. Oh, and lets throw in that my girlfriend is a Michigan grad. I'm pissed for the rest of the day.
 

I still have nightmares of Ben West (basically playing on one leg) trying to chase down Chris Perry out of the backfield catch after painful catch, to no avail.

And I start laughing every time I watch Chris Perry's fumble kick straight left into the arms of the only Michigan player within 10 yards, who for some reason instead of continuing to block his man, turned 180 degrees around at the exact instant it bounced his way. It bounces any other way and we scoop it up and are off to the races. Laughter is the only way you can stomach that play.
 

2727Gopher said:
The problem is that only hard core Gopher fans know how close we would have been to the Rose Bowl.
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That's the big problem with this list. I note that most of the teams shown this far have had more ups than downs. Losses like some that we have were more painful because so much more was within our grasp.

I assume that Cal/Stanford will be #1. The text in the article hints at it. I hope the UNLV/Baylor game from about 10 years ago makes it - Baylor just needed to kneel down to win the game but tried to score a TD instead. The RB fumbled and it got returned for a TD, giving UNLV the game.
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Did the Baylor coach think he was playing a video game, and could just hit reset? Classic tale of greed. It's not just classless to try to score when you could end them game, it's foolish.
 

DL65 said:
The second one, and one I'll never forget, occurred in November 1962. If Minnesota wins, they go to the Rose Bowl for the third consecutive year and win the Big 10 title. The Gophers lead Wisconsin in the waning minutes 9-7. Bobby Bell hits qb Ron Vandekelen, the ball flutters up in the air and is picked off by Jack Perkovich; but wait, the referee calls Bell for roughing the passer (phantom call). Coach Warmath is irate and an unsportsmanlike penalty is called on the Minnesota bench. Wisconsin has only a short distance to go for the go-ahead touchdown which they get. Officials behave as though they want make amends and start calling penalties against the Badgers, but alas Minnesota's drive ends with an interception. Wisconsin wins 14-9 and goes to the Rose Bowl. For me, still the most painful loss of all. Had the interception by Perkovich stood, Minnesota would have gone to Rose Bowl as conference champs. The Gophers finished the season 6-2-1 (the tie was with Missouri) and ranked 10th in the nation. Great defense . . . gave up only 61 points in the nine game season and had five shut outs.
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Was this game the start of the Gophers fall from a national power? A turning point? Since 1962, Minnesota has one Big Ten championship and four Top 20 finishes. Does anyone believe history would have changed much for Minnesota if that phantom call is never made and they win that game? Or would you guys have still been in the same situation you're in now?
 


The stupid failed punt against Wisconsin gets my vote. I really thought the Gophers had that one in the bag - all they had to do was hand off one more time.
 

1962 Wisconsin game

That game is still the worst moment in Gopher history IMHO. Talk about shattering.
 

The World will little note, nor long remember

But the Gophers have put the hurt on some teams. If there is film, certainly the shutout against Michigan in 77, the comeback against Ohio State in 1981, the Fogge dash in 1986 in the Big House, the block by Ryan Roth and the kick against Penn State in 99 and of course how about Gary Russell in 2005. In each one of these cases the opponents were left cursing,
what happened?
 

Mr. Hipster,

Good question. In my opinion, that ill-fated loss to Wisconsin was probably not the start of the Gopher Football "fall from grace..." I think the di was cast in the 1960-1961 time frame. Ironiclly, that period did mark the last Great Era of Gopher Football. Two trips to the Rosebowl. Things were excellent from the Gophers perspective. In 1960, another event occurred that on the surface should have helped to strengthen the Gophers situation as being the "King of sports" in the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota. The Lakers left Minneapolis and went to LA. All was looking really good for Gopher Football.

But, later all that gold turned to rust. It was announced that Minnesota would get the Washington baseball franchise. That was a real blow. And finally, it was announced that the Twin Cities would be awarded an NFL Franchise football team. The Twins and the Vikings. The Twin Cities lost an NBA franchise, but they gained two monster marketing machines as chief competetors for the hearts of the fans and the ticket dollars of the fans. It wasn't the stolen game in Madison that broke the backs of Golden Gopher Footall. It was Calvin Griffith...and Max Winter. It was the NFL and MLB. It was the Twins and the Vikings. Things would never again be the same for Golden Gopher Football. For over half a century that has been the way it has been in the Twin Cities and in the State of Minnesota, at least in my humble opinion. Of course, it didn't help that we didn't treat Bernie Bierman decently at the end of his career...or Murray Warmath. They had won all of our National Championships and we ran both of them off. Pretty tacky on our part. Pretty tacky on the part of our administrators. Sometimes you just kind of deserve what you get, I guess.
 

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