Closest We've been to a Rose Bowl

Dano564

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Didn't want to hi-jack a different thread.

What was the closest we've been to a Rose Bowl? Was it 1999?
Lost in OT to WI. If we had won that, we finish Big Ten play 6-2 tied with Wisconsin. Not sure what tie-breaker rule was back then, but I think that was the closest we've ever been.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_football_team

Our other two losses in Big Ten play were also close losses.
 

The closest I've been to the Rose Bowl was driving past the stadium during a family trip to SoCal when I was 15.
 


I was alive (though too young at the time to be able to remember it now) the last two times Minnesota went to the Rose Bowl; 1 win, one loss. My parents travelled to Pasadena for the losing game.
 

heading into the 4th quarter against michigan that disastrous friday night. the rb was within reach. we would have beat sparty the next week had we finished off michigan. then the screen pass happened, again and again and again and again. and grinning glen just grinned.
 


heading into the 4th quarter against michigan that disastrous friday night. the rb was within reach. we would have beat sparty the next week had we finished off michigan. then the screen pass happened, again and again and again and again. and grinning glen just grinned.


I hear this a lot, that we would have beat Sparty.
I'd like to think that as well, but what's the reason for that?

We think the kids were so deflated from the horrible, they were not able to execute the following week?
Seems to put a lot of emphasis on the importance of emotion in the college game.
 

I hear this a lot, that we would have beat Sparty.
I'd like to think that as well, but what's the reason for that?

We think the kids were so deflated from the horrible, they were not able to execute the following week?
Seems to put a lot of emphasis on the importance of emotion in the college game.

That's exactly what it is. The team came out very flat the next week against Mich ST and STILL almost came back to win that game after a furious second half comeback. Now, we'll never know for sure but I think the momentum from beating Michigan and being able to see the Rose Bowl in their sights probably prevents the slow start the following week against Sparty.
 

I hear this a lot, that we would have beat Sparty.
I'd like to think that as well, but what's the reason for that?

We think the kids were so deflated from the horrible, they were not able to execute the following week?
Seems to put a lot of emphasis on the importance of emotion in the college game.

Didn't need a win vs Michigan State if we had beaten Michigan in 2003. Beat Michigan and we finish 6-2, tied with Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue.

In 2014 if we beat Wisconsin we win the West at 6-2 with head to head over WI and NE, both at 6-2.

If we beat Ohio State in Big Ten Championship, Rose Bowl was a final four game that year, so probably would have gone to Outback Bowl. We played another 12-1 Ohio State team tough in 2015 in Columbus...get a roughing Leidner call and we maybe pull that out.
 

2003 (vs. Michigan) and 1999 (vs. Wisconsin) about the same, except 2003 would have ended up in a 4-way tie with Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, and Minnie. Both Michigan and Minnesota would have come out on top of that mess with tie breakers, but not sure if that would have pushed MN to the Rose Bowl. Mason was soooo close in the early years but the epic impossible close losses could my memory.
 



1999 and 2003 seem to be the best shots recently. A few things go differently and we earn a Rose Bowl trip, and a conference title to boot. In 2014 if we win the division and then pulled off a miracle against Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott, I imagine we'd get a trip to another NY6 bowl. Like you said swingman, the Rose Bowl was locked in as a CFP.
 

2014 we lead at halftime against Wisconsin in the de facto west division championship. Winning that game would have out us in the conference title game. But now that I think about it, pretty sure Rose Bowl was a CFP semifinal that year, so we were within spitting distance of the B1G autobid to the new years six, but dont think it would have been the Rose Bowl.
 

Considering the Rose Bowl is now a sometimes playoff game I really don't think much about it.
 

The Michigan game. We win that and we win the big ten by way of tie-breakers. Now with Big Ten champ game added.... I’m not sure I’ll ever see it happen.

I still can’t believe there were no adjustments made to the Chris Perry screen pass. I thought we had it when Asad took that QB sneak to the house.

So, so close.

On a side note, I was so despondent/mad during the way that game unfolded a vein in my eye exploded and I had a red eye for two weeks after the game to remind my and everyone who looked at me about the outcome of that game.
 



Full disclosure, I am a millenial.

That said, my sights are on B1G title game and hopefully one day a playoff appearance/natty ship. If that playoff appearance happens to be played at a certain stadium in pasadena, so be it but bowl games dont really move the needle for me.
 

Full disclosure, I am a millenial.

That said, my sights are on B1G title game and hopefully one day a playoff appearance/natty ship. If that playoff appearance happens to be played at a certain stadium in pasadena, so be it but bowl games dont really move the needle for me.

I agree. B1G title is the goal now.
I was looking back because of the Souhan article reflecting on Mason and Kill.
 

2003 (vs. Michigan) and 1999 (vs. Wisconsin) about the same, except 2003 would have ended up in a 4-way tie with Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, and Minnie. Both Michigan and Minnesota would have come out on top of that mess with tie breakers, but not sure if that would have pushed MN to the Rose Bowl. Mason was soooo close in the early years but the epic impossible close losses could my memory.
The tie would have gone to the team who had the longest drought, which was MN.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 

Full disclosure, I am a millenial.

That said, my sights are on B1G title game and hopefully one day a playoff appearance/natty ship. If that playoff appearance happens to be played at a certain stadium in pasadena, so be it but bowl games dont really move the needle for me.

Yeah the bowl games outside of say it being a NYD, or a playoff game ... is just a bowl game, doesn't matter the name.
 

Was looking back at the play summary of the Michigan game.
Everything breaks down when we get too cute and pass in first down or third and short while we are running at will with Moroney, Barber, and Tapeh. Dumb.
 

I still cringe about that Michigan game in 2003. What an epic collapse...
 

Yeah the bowl games outside of say it being a NYD, or a playoff game ... is just a bowl game, doesn't matter the name.

The Rose Bowl vs. B1G championship as a goal is an interestingquestion, because they used to mean the same thing. You got to the Rose Bowl by winning our conference. I'm in the crowd that cares about winning the conference now. I'm not going to let where Pasadena is in the rotation affect my view of a championship season.
 

The closest I've been to the Rose Bowl was driving past the stadium during a family trip to SoCal when I was 15.

I stared through the gates a few years ago. Closest I've gotten.
 


The Rose Bowl vs. B1G championship as a goal is an interestingquestion, because they used to mean the same thing. You got to the Rose Bowl by winning our conference. I'm in the crowd that cares about winning the conference now. I'm not going to let where Pasadena is in the rotation affect my view of a championship season.

It also helps that the B1G has a championship game now too.

Having to cap it off with a high level bowl game like championship game really adds something to the achievement.
 

Full disclosure, I am a millenial.

That said, my sights are on B1G title game and hopefully one day a playoff appearance/natty ship. If that playoff appearance happens to be played at a certain stadium in pasadena, so be it but bowl games dont really move the needle for me.

Yup, Rose Bowl could be in play but maybe not no matter our record. So, I’m with t-do
 

1962 and 1967 were pretty darned close. Believe me, its not worth re-hashing the details right now.
 

1962 and 1967 were pretty darned close. Believe me, its not worth re-hashing the details right now.

In all fairness, in today's standards those Gophers teams would have played in a NY6 or a New Year's Day one like Citrus, Outback or Gator.
 


Yes, 1999 and 2003 we were really close; also, the great 1949 team, no. 3 in the polls after beating Ohio State in Columbus 27-0 (Buckeyes had a Heisman winner on that team, winning the next year, as a senior), then lost at Ann Arbor, 7-14. If they had only that loss to Michigan they would have won the B10 title and gone to the Rose Bowl to play Pappy Waldorf's fine CA team. But Bierman bad-mouthed the team that week and since many were older players who had served in the war, they were not motivated as younger players might have been and they played listlessly the following Saturday at Homecoming, losing to a poor Purdue team, 7-13. The heavily senior Gopher team had future pro stars Leo Nomellini, Clayt Tonnemaker and Gordy Soltau, plus Bud Grant and Billy Bye. Purdue had a losing season. The disappointment was so deep that it - rather than the losing season the following year - probably cost 5-time national champion coach Bierman, then only 56, his job. The first of many firings that backfired.
 

Didn't want to hi-jack a different thread.

What was the closest we've been to a Rose Bowl? Was it 1999?
Lost in OT to WI. If we had won that, we finish Big Ten play 6-2 tied with Wisconsin. Not sure what tie-breaker rule was back then, but I think that was the closest we've ever been.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_football_team

Our other two losses in Big Ten play were also close losses.

No, that wasn't "the closest we've been". We actually played in the Rose Bowl twice.

"The 1962 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1962, was the 48th Rose Bowl Game. The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the UCLA Bruins, 21–3." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_Rose_Bowl

"The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), representing the University of Minnesota in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. Since the establishment of the team in 1882, Minnesota has appeared in 20 bowl games. Included in these games are 2 appearances in the Rose Bowl. The latest bowl appearance for Minnesota came in their win against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl. A win in that game brought Minnesota's all-time bowl record to 8 wins and 12 losses (8–12–0)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_bowl_games
 
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No, that wasn't "the closest we've been". We actually played in the Rose Bowl twice.

"The 1962 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1962, was the 48th Rose Bowl Game. The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the UCLA Bruins, 21–3." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_Rose_Bowl

"The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), representing the University of Minnesota in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. Since the establishment of the team in 1882, Minnesota has appeared in 20 bowl games. Included in these games are 2 appearances in the Rose Bowl. The latest bowl appearance for Minnesota came in their win against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl. A win in that game brought Minnesota's all-time bowl record to 8 wins and 12 losses (8–12–0)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_bowl_games

I knew we were in, in regards to the question, I meant closest since our last appearance.

I could have clarified I suppose, but most respondents to this thread had that understanding.
 




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