STrib: Gophers' run of nonconference football showdowns ends after September

BleedGopher

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per Randy:

The Gophers football team opened its past two seasons at TCF Bank Stadium against an opponent from a Power Five conference.

In 2015, it was No. 2-ranked TCU, which left with a 23-17 victory. Last year, the Gophers rallied to beat Oregon State 30-23. Those Thursday night games, especially the one against the Horned Frogs that drew 54,147, created a late-summer buzz.

But those nonconference matchups against opponents from other marquee conferences — the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC — will take a hiatus after the 2017 season. When the Gophers visit Oregon State of the Pacific-12 on Sept. 9, it will be Minnesota’s last nonconference game against a big school until 2020.

Ending will be a run of playing at least one such opponent — and previously one from a Bowl Championship Series conference — in eight of nine seasons. The Gophers are 3-5 in those games, beating Syracuse twice and Oregon State once, while losing twice to USC and TCU and once to California.

Scheduling is tricky business, and for the Gophers the job of working out the details belongs to John Cunningham, a deputy athletic director. Cunningham consults with AD Mark Coyle and coach P.J. Fleck, and their goal is to find three games that will complement the nine-game Big Ten schedule.

“We just want three really good games that make sense, move our program forward, create some excitement for our fans, but at the same time we recognize how difficult the Big Ten schedule is,” Cunningham said. “So you have to balance it out. That’s the challenge.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...all-showdowns-ends-after-september/440850173/

Go Gophers!!
 

I'll bitch about non con games when we start beating up on our conference and can complain about how we don't play anyone the whole season.
 

I'll bitch about non con games when we start beating up on our conference and can complain about how we don't play anyone the whole season.

Just waiting for the NDSU fans to respond. Don't think this staff would make the mistake of over looking any opponent. Last time we played NDSU, the bank was half full. Absolutely waste of time. Would be better to play to play someone from an area where we recruit.
 

Obviously it's more fun with non-conference opponents that people know. But I honestly have no objections to 3 non-P5 schools in the years that we have 5 Big Ten road games.
 

I don't know why it's considered below par to watch the Gophs roll over patsies (which hasn't always been a given...).

Furthermore I was able to witness in person the rare event of the punter being ejected for fighting. This is also the game Leidner ran wild with SJSU players draped over him like lions on an elephant. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RY164ehbyXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 


I don't know why it's considered below par to watch the Gophs roll over patsies (which hasn't always been a given...).

Furthermore I was able to witness in person the rare event of the punter being ejected for fighting. This is also the game Leidner ran wild with SJSU players draped over him like lions on an elephant. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RY164ehbyXc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Looked like targeting by Wells. ;)
 

I think they should always schedule at least one Power 5 school. With CU, BYU and Mississippi State scheduled, it looks like we are heading back into that direction.
 


In the thread on the Notre Dame-Wisconsin series, I posted a list of the Gopher's major non-conference opponents from 1960 into the early 1980's. They played at least one major conference opponent every year. Some years they had three non-conf games against major-conference opponents. One year, for whatever reason, they played Washington and Washington State in the same year. another year, they played 3 teams from the Big 8.

But the point is, they always had at least one 'marquee' opponent in Non-conference action. I think that should be the goal. 1 'marquee' opponent, one mid-level opponent (like a MAC school) and one bottom-feeder.
 



Just waiting for the NDSU fans to respond. Don't think this staff would make the mistake of over looking any opponent. <b>Last time we played NDSU, the bank was half full. </b>Absolutely waste of time. Would be better to play to play someone from an area where we recruit.

Huh? I must not remember correctly as I remember their fans filling the bank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 



We almost played North Carolina.

In retrospect, that buyout seems so dumb. It's not like they were a power house or anything.

That got ol' Jerry riled up.
 




What team do we have to play to get Aggie-vision?

Is that New Mex, or New Mexico St?
 


Attendance in 2018 will be an interesting gauge about what really matters - prestige of opponents, on-field success or gameday atmosphere. We've heard all of them for awhile.

But with three mediocre opponents in nonconference plus Iowa being the only real conference draw, it could be an uphill battle unless they can gain momentum with the fan base.
 

But I thought everyone got sick of that during the Mason years?? :rolleyes:

Well I was on of those people too.

The pain of the Mason years was how consistently we'd roll teams and at the same time ... always drop a couple inexplicable games.

That hurt too.

But now I could just go for some rolling considering nightmares like Kent St....
 

I believe the last game v NDSU at the bank, on Sep. 24,2011, drew 48,802. NOT HALF FULL - Almost a sellout!
 




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