Colorado A.D. Apologizes to Fans

[Iceland12]

On Sept. 21, 1991, the Gophers football team traveled to Colorado for an early-season nonconference game. Minnesota was 1-0 on the season and was coming off respectable back-to-back 6-5 years (9-7 combined in the Big Ten) under head coach John Gutekunst.

What happened that day in front of 52,000 fans in Boulder, Colo., however, ushered in a descent from mediocre to abysmal for close to a decade.

Minnesota lost 58-0, starting a stretch of nine losses in 10 games to end the season. Gutekunst was fired, Jim Wacker was hired, and the Gophers didn't finish above .500 again until 1999 in Glen Mason's third year.

The internet wasn't a thing back in 1991, and I imagine a lot of the Minnesota sporting public was distracted anyway by a Twins World Series run. But that game in Colorado feels even longer ago than the 31 years between then and now would suggest.

The Gophers beat the Buffaloes 30-0 in Colorado last year. And on Saturday, they crushed Colorado 49-7 — a game that was 35-0 at halftime and caused Colorado athletic director Rick George to issue a statement to fans afterward that boiled down to, "Sorry we are so terrible. Please don't give up hope."

It opened like this: "Like all of you, I have been disappointed to watch our football team struggle this fall, most recently yesterday at Minnesota. I know that our coaches and our student-athletes are capable of so much more and that all of you deserve better results."..

What I do know is this: That statement has plenty to do with how far Colorado has fallen but it is also a testament to how much the Gophers have risen..

The Gophers are so dominant that Colorado had to apologize to fans

Colorado's athletic director sent out a lengthy message to fans of the school's football team after Saturday's 49-7 drubbing at Huntington Bank Stadium.

www.startribune.com

 

[MirandaB]

Did anyone notice the Buffs' tailgate area on the south side of the stadium - maybe where that highend tailgate company tried to get us to pay them to provide tailgates? It was a pretty nice set-up. I'd love for us to having something similar at away games.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Did anyone notice the Buffs' tailgate area on the south side of the stadium - maybe where that highend tailgate company tried to get us to pay them to provide tailgates? It was a pretty nice set-up. I'd love for us to having something similar at away games.

I saw it. It was great. They had a lot of fans there.

 

[MNVCGUY]

On Sept. 21, 1991, the Gophers football team traveled to Colorado for an early-season nonconference game. Minnesota was 1-0 on the season and was coming off respectable back-to-back 6-5 years (9-7 combined in the Big Ten) under head coach John Gutekunst.

What happened that day in front of 52,000 fans in Boulder, Colo., however, ushered in a descent from mediocre to abysmal for close to a decade.

Minnesota lost 58-0, starting a stretch of nine losses in 10 games to end the season. Gutekunst was fired, Jim Wacker was hired, and the Gophers didn't finish above .500 again until 1999 in Glen Mason's third year.

The internet wasn't a thing back in 1991, and I imagine a lot of the Minnesota sporting public was distracted anyway by a Twins World Series run. But that game in Colorado feels even longer ago than the 31 years between then and now would suggest.

The Gophers beat the Buffaloes 30-0 in Colorado last year. And on Saturday, they crushed Colorado 49-7 — a game that was 35-0 at halftime and caused Colorado athletic director Rick George to issue a statement to fans afterward that boiled down to, "Sorry we are so terrible. Please don't give up hope."

It opened like this: "Like all of you, I have been disappointed to watch our football team struggle this fall, most recently yesterday at Minnesota. I know that our coaches and our student-athletes are capable of so much more and that all of you deserve better results."..

What I do know is this: That statement has plenty to do with how far Colorado has fallen but it is also a testament to how much the Gophers have risen..

The Gophers are so dominant that Colorado had to apologize to fans

Colorado's athletic director sent out a lengthy message to fans of the school's football team after Saturday's 49-7 drubbing at Huntington Bank Stadium.

www.startribune.com

Reading that statement Dorrell should probably start packing his stuff now because unless there is a massive change over the course of the season he is probably gone at the end of the year.

And he really won't have anyone to blame but himself. In an effort to fix a broken offense he went out and hired a guy who took a really good offense here and turned it into a bad one.

 

[matt]

I said before the game that I wanted the Gophers to beat them so bad that they shut down their program before the next game. I guess I’ll settle for an apology.

 

[BilldGopher]

Two beatdowns in so many years. Good times.

 

[pharmacygopher]

Did anyone notice the Buffs' tailgate area on the south side of the stadium - maybe where that highend tailgate company tried to get us to pay them to provide tailgates? It was a pretty nice set-up. I'd love for us to having something similar at away games.

Yes. I was shocked that was set up right outside the stadium. Can you imagine if there is a wisconsin or Iowa tailgate there in the future. I cannot imagine a world where there would be a dedicated Gopher tailgate in the most prime position outside kinnick or camp Randall

 

[Ope3]

I saw it. It was great. They had a lot of fans there.

Did they not come into the Stadium? I swear I saw a total of 6 Colorado fans in the stadium, and I sit behind the Visitors bench.

 

[Word]

Did they not come into the Stadium? I swear I saw a total of 6 Colorado fans in the stadium, and I sit behind the Visitors bench.

I didn't see a ton. Just a few here or there.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Took my 12 year old son to the game and I told him...."when I was 12, we lost 58-0 at Colorado. So I don't feel bad in the least for beating them this bad."

Nobody showed any mercy to us as fans back then. Deal with the hard times.

 

[Word]

Took my 12 year old son to the game and I told him...."when I was 12, we lost 58-0 at Colorado. So I don't feel bad in the least for beating them this bad."

Nobody showed any mercy to us as fans back then. Deal with the hard times.

I don't know how anyone could accuse us of running up the score. We had backups in for a good chunk of the 2nd half.

 

[maroonfive]

On a side note, I can not understand why Colorado does not have men's and women's hockey.

 

[BilldGopher]

I don't know how anyone could accuse us of running up the score. We had backups in for a good chunk of the 2nd half.

We did not run up the score on this one...or the previous two games.

We gave their starters some extra snaps against less seasoned personnel.

"Thank you sir may I have another?" is the correct response.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Took my 12 year old son to the game and I told him...."when I was 12, we lost 58-0 at Colorado. So I don't feel bad in the least for beating them this bad."

Nobody showed any mercy to us as fans back then. Deal with the hard times.

Copy that.

Don’t like when they bring up Gutekunst. Never trust a coach who has a name that difficult to pronounce. (That’s just me.)

 

[Drake University Gopher]

Did anyone notice the Buffs' tailgate area on the south side of the stadium - maybe where that highend tailgate company tried to get us to pay them to provide tailgates? It was a pretty nice set-up. I'd love for us to having something similar at away games.

I had a blast at the setup at Iowa in 2019.