Final St. Thomas vs St. Johns game to be played in U.S. Bank Stadium

[Schnauzer]

St. John's and St. Thomas move rivalry finale to U.S. Bank Stadium

The 119-year-old Johnnies-Tommies football rivalry is heading for U.S. Bank Stadium this fall, and that likely will be the end of it.

www.startribune.com

Anyone want to guess attendance? I say 40K.

 

[bonin21]

There will be lots of people there. But at the same time, I wonder if those that love these schools would have traded one last game at each school instead of the two big stadium games had they known what was coming.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I get why, they're certainly going to get a lot of fans.

US Bank Stadium though is kinda sterile and meh.

 

[MNfootballfan]

There will be lots of people there. But at the same time, I wonder if those that love these schools would have traded one last game at each school instead of the two big stadium games had they known what was coming.

Normally I would agree with you but I think this has potential to be a very, very large crowd. I don't know if Collegeville could handle 30,000 + people and obviously no way possible that St. Thomas can hold that many. With this game being the last of a very good rivalry and two schools who have alumni that are very proud of their school I expect a huge crowd.

 

[Gophs24]

There will be lots of people there. But at the same time, I wonder if those that love these schools would have traded one last game at each school instead of the two big stadium games had they known what was coming.

yeah im bummed its not gonna be a true home game for the Johnnies....filling that place up one last time with these 2 teams would have been awesome.

but a early November game....and after it seemed like every Johnnies home game last year was crappy weather. Im fine for this to be in a controlled environment.

 

[Crosby]

St. John's and St. Thomas move rivalry finale to U.S. Bank Stadium

The 119-year-old Johnnies-Tommies football rivalry is heading for U.S. Bank Stadium this fall, and that likely will be the end of it.

www.startribune.com

Anyone want to guess attendance? I say 40K.

That's a good guess. I might go just a bit higher because it will draw a few people who are curious but who have no real rooting interest. Too bad this is coming to an end either way. Very special rivalry.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

St. John's and St. Thomas move rivalry finale to U.S. Bank Stadium

The 119-year-old Johnnies-Tommies football rivalry is heading for U.S. Bank Stadium this fall, and that likely will be the end of it.

www.startribune.com

Anyone want to guess attendance? I say 40K.

I'll take the over on that for sure.

I would NOT be suprised by a sellout.

 

[GoldyMoose]

GO TOMMIES!

 

[Livingat45north]

Why is this for certain the last game? Can't they still schedule each other in future games?

 

[Schnauzer]

Why is this for certain the last game? Can't they still schedule each other in future games?

Do any other D1 teams schedule D3 opponents in football? Seems unlikely. Especially if St. Thomas ramps up quickly (which is the prevailing opinion).

 

[GophersInIowa]

Do any other D1 teams schedule D3 opponents in football? Seems unlikely. Especially if St. Thomas ramps up quickly (which is the prevailing opinion).

I haven't followed all of this that closely but will St Thomas be D-I next year already? The last I heard is they have intentions to make the jump but I haven't heard that the NCAA has approved it yet. Unless I missed that? I'm guessing it will take at least a few years even if they get the approval.

 

[Schnauzer]

I'll take the over on that for sure.

I would NOT be suprised by a sellout.

I would be surprised by a sellout.

It will be interesting to see what the final total is. St. John's already stretched their fan base to capacity at Target field. Even if you count St. Bens - it just isn't that huge of a school. I say it would be roughly 25K in red, at most at U.S. Bank Stadium (which is quite impressive). St. Thomas is much larger, but the percentage of students and alumni that attend their D3 sports program events is much lower than other D3 schools. I'd guess about 15-20K in purple in U.S. Bank Stadium. The Tommie Johnnie games have been an outlier for St. Thomas fan interest but even at peak, how many more would show up than already did at Target Field or Allianz?

 

[Livingat45north]

Do any other D1 teams schedule D3 opponents in football? Seems unlikely. Especially if St. Thomas ramps up quickly (which is the prevailing opinion).

The Gophers played football against Carleton 10 times - lost the first game 4-2 and then won the next nine. Of course, that was quite a while back in time...

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

The Gophers played football against Carleton 10 times - lost the first game 4-2 and then won the next nine.

They played North High School .... in a national championship year even!

So much for needing a strong SoS!

 

[Schnauzer]

I haven't followed all of this that closely but will St Thomas be D-I next year already? The last I heard is they have intentions to make the jump but I haven't heard that the NCAA has approved it yet. Unless I missed that? I'm guessing it will take at least a few years even if they get the approval.

Not next year. They will still be in the MIAC next year. After that? They are working to go straight to D1 and so far all signs have pointed toward that being granted, soon.

So in my opinion, at most, it might be a limbo season or two as a D3 independent at most.

 

[Schnauzer]

The Gophers played football against Carleton 10 times - lost the first game 4-2 and then won the next nine. Of course, that was quite a while back in time...

Yes, but when those games were played there was no division one and division three as we currently know them. So, I wasn't referring to historical matchups with high schools or small colleges. I was talking about currently, do any D1 football teams schedule D3 opponents?

 

[AO54]

Yes, but when those games were played there was no division one and division three as we currently know them. So, I wasn't referring to historical matchups with high schools or small colleges. I was talking about currently, do any D1 football teams schedule D3 opponents?

Yes, there are usually a couple games between FCS and D3 teams. Franklin has played Butler a couple times, Catholic played against Georgetown this past season, Wesley has played Charlotte.

 

[Ope3]

Unless either game gets moved, Nov 7th is the same date the Gophers host Purdue. A night game would be unlikely, so there will probably be some overlap.

Which game will have the bigger crowd? Can the MIAC outdraw the Big 10?

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Interesting venue. I was at SJU for a Johnnie-Tommie game on homecoming. Tommies won late. Anyway, I believe, at the time, it was the largest crowd in St. John's history. roughly 20k. It was absurd. People lined the track 7-8-9-10 deep. This game should not be played at either school

 

[die hard gopher]

UST playing it on a neutral site makes sense but for SJU, I’d rather it be played one last time at Clemons.

 

[bonin21]

Unless either game gets moved, Nov 7th is the same date the Gophers host Purdue. A night game would be unlikely, so there will probably be some overlap.

Which game will have the bigger crowd? Can the MIAC outdraw the Big 10?

Ya

 

[pharmacygopher]

Unless either game gets moved, Nov 7th is the same date the Gophers host Purdue. A night game would be unlikely, so there will probably be some overlap.

Which game will have the bigger crowd? Can the MIAC outdraw the Big 10?

Not quite apple's to apple's but likely close given the circumstances of their game. Gophers/Purdue aren't exactly rivals and will play each other the following year. If the Gophers are having the season we all hope for and contending for the west division TCF is hopefully sold out.

A better comparison would be if Minnesota and wisconsin were playing their last game ever for some reason. Think that sells out USBS?

 

[Ope3]

Not quite apple's to apple's but likely close given the circumstances of their game. Gophers/Purdue aren't exactly rivals and will play each other the following year. If the Gophers are having the season we all hope for and contending for the west division TCF is hopefully sold out.

A better comparison would be if Minnesota and wisconsin were playing their last game ever for some reason. Think that sells out USBS?

Why is that better?

Your comparison is a hypothetical "what if" situation whereas on Nov 7, 2020 the Gophers will host Purdue at TCF Bank on the same date (perhaps the same time or likely with overlap) 2 miles away St Johns is playing St Thomas at US Bank. Which will draw more?

 

[hungan1]

It is a sad end of an era of great MN DIII Football. Saint Thomas has outgrown its DIII MIAC foot print. I wouldn't be surprised if Saint John's and Saint Ben's were the only ones who voted to keep Saint Thomas in the MIAC. Does anyone know who voted for and against?

You think of DIII Football in MN, and you think of the Johnnie-Tommie games.

 

[discochris]

Do any other D1 teams schedule D3 opponents in football? Seems unlikely. Especially if St. Thomas ramps up quickly (which is the prevailing opinion).

It depends. If UST ends up in the non-scholarship Pioneer League (like Butler and Georgetown and Drake) then they could continue to play SJU on occasion. The Pioneer League champion gets an auto bid to the playoffs, but no other team in the conference would ever be likely to get a bid (think the UMAC in D3). As such, anything other than a conference game is nothing but an exhibition for those schools so they could play whomever they wanted.

If UST ends up in the Valley, no way they would ever play a D3 team.

 

[MplsGopher]

Do any other D1 teams schedule D3 opponents in football? Seems unlikely. Especially if St. Thomas ramps up quickly (which is the prevailing opinion).

There isn’t going to be any ramp up in football. They’re going Pioneer League, which is functionally the same thing as DIII. (long story on that)

St Thomas would love to keep playing St John’s I’m sure.

My guess is that it is St John’s rather that is killing the rivalry.

This is the exact same thing that NDSU and UND went through when NDSU moved up.

 

[MplsGopher]

It depends. If UST ends up in the non-scholarship Pioneer League (like Butler and Georgetown and Drake) then they could continue to play SJU on occasion. The Pioneer League champion gets an auto bid to the playoffs, but no other team in the conference would ever be likely to get a bid (think the UMAC in D3). As such, anything other than a conference game is nothing but an exhibition for those schools so they could play whomever they wanted.

If UST ends up in the Valley, no way they would ever play a D3 team.

Zero chance they go the Valley route unless someone with very deep pockets is footing the bill.

You’re talking a $10M football budget to be competitive in that league, I think.

Isn’t their total athletic budget now like $4-6M? NDSU’s now is like $25M, with not that many sports and for sure no hockey.

 

[PMWinSTP]

St. John's and St. Thomas move rivalry finale to U.S. Bank Stadium

The 119-year-old Johnnies-Tommies football rivalry is heading for U.S. Bank Stadium this fall, and that likely will be the end of it.

www.startribune.com

Anyone want to guess attendance? I say 40K.

Sellout. If not, over 50K. Gameday?

 

[Crosby]

Not quite apple's to apple's but likely close given the circumstances of their game. Gophers/Purdue aren't exactly rivals and will play each other the following year. If the Gophers are having the season we all hope for and contending for the west division TCF is hopefully sold out.

A better comparison would be if Minnesota and wisconsin were playing their last game ever for some reason. Think that sells out USBS?

Sure they could outdraw the Big Ten. For one game, on one day, which ends a very historic rivalry. I would almost expect them to. Another poster made a good comment though. Would this game ever have a chance of outdrawing a Big Ten game between traditional rivals, if it was the last time the BIG rivals ever played? Nope. Not a chance.

 

[Crosby]

There isn’t going to be any ramp up in football. They’re going Pioneer League, which is functionally the same thing as DIII. (long story on that)

St Thomas would love to keep playing St John’s I’m sure.

My guess is that it is St John’s rather that is killing the rivalry.

This is the exact same thing that NDSU and UND went through when NDSU moved up.

Hammer, meet the head of the nail. Good points.