BleedGopher
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per Scott:
Iowa-Minnesota is tied for fourth among the Big Ten’s most-played series at 114 games. The Gophers lead 62-51-2 overall, but the Hawkeyes gained their first series lead last fall at 43-42-2 in the fight for Floyd. The programs routinely tweak and aggravate one another on and off the field, which is what keeps this a pivotal rivalry. From Iowa fans christening the old Metrodome as “Kinnick North” to Minnesota fans chanting “Who Hates Iowa?” against random football and basketball opponents during television timeouts, this 131-year-old series is embedded in Big Ten culture.
Perhaps the individual games don’t always measure up to the rivalry’s stature, but to remove it annually would take a chunk of college football’s soul. Other than hating Wisconsin, that would mark the first time either fan base would agree with the other.
theathletic.com
Go Gophers!!
1. Minnesota
Some trophies are trinkets of victory with their origins consummated through email exchanges. Then there’s Floyd of Rosedale, one of the most iconic symbols in college football history. Iowa and Minnesota have battled for the 98.3-pound bronze pig every year since 1936, one year after playing for a live hog. It became a way to lighten the tension between the Upper Midwest programs, which nearly severed ties in the lead-up to their 1935 game.Iowa-Minnesota is tied for fourth among the Big Ten’s most-played series at 114 games. The Gophers lead 62-51-2 overall, but the Hawkeyes gained their first series lead last fall at 43-42-2 in the fight for Floyd. The programs routinely tweak and aggravate one another on and off the field, which is what keeps this a pivotal rivalry. From Iowa fans christening the old Metrodome as “Kinnick North” to Minnesota fans chanting “Who Hates Iowa?” against random football and basketball opponents during television timeouts, this 131-year-old series is embedded in Big Ten culture.
Perhaps the individual games don’t always measure up to the rivalry’s stature, but to remove it annually would take a chunk of college football’s soul. Other than hating Wisconsin, that would mark the first time either fan base would agree with the other.
Ranking Iowa football's 13 Big Ten rivalries: From Minnesota to Rutgers/Maryland
A look at how the Hawkeyes' 13 Big Ten opponents rank based on annual importance.
Go Gophers!!
