Lot of moral victories to get them back to that Detroit bowl game. Turns out USC isn’t all that good and neither is Michigan.
But all these years of extra practise time for those bowl games is keeping them a .500 team with the occasional 7 win year. 
Looking back – we beat ranked USC and Illinois and nearly beat ranked Michigan and Penn State. If either of those two games go the other direction and we get back one of the stinkers against Rutgers, Iowa or NC, we’re talking about a completely different season. Oh well, woulda, coulda, shoulda. Anyone know where I can get a deal on a muffler?
You’re absolutely right. I know it’s a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda, like you said….but this 2024 Gopher Football team, having beaten higher-ish-ranked USC, ranked Illiois, and new Big-10-opponent UCLA on the road, even if they lose to Michigan and Penn State, then just freaking take 2 out of 3 from UNC, Iowa, or Rutgers….
The biggest frustration to me is that they had some of the best QB play they’ve had in my life and it’ll be tough to replace. Add in that Daniel Jackson and a few other key players will be gone and it would’ve been nice to see this year go better than it did. I’ve heard on the radio from those that sort of know the program that the redshirt freshman QB is good and has some Brosmer traits, but man it would’ve been good to have Brosmer longer. This year had some very fun moments but I would have liked to have seen more.
They were good enough to keep up some passable recruiting and maybe pick off a gem or two from a lesser team looking to transfer. Time will tell if we lose anyone of significance via the portal. PJ is a good coach, for as much as he’s a weirdo. He can develop talent if you buy in to his program and there will always be that hope. But it will mostly be just that.
The Gophers will visit their long time rival Wisconsin Badgers on Friday for the final regular season game of the season. Wisconsin, standing at 5-6, will need a win in order to become bowl eligible. The Badgers are favored by 3 points which is a standard home field spread. They have played a tougher schedule this season than Minnesota, which includes games against Alabama, Penn State, and current top ranked Oregon.
This is the oldest FBS college football rivalry in the history of the sport. The two teams have played every season since 1890 and the games have never been played anywhere other than in Minneapolis or Madison.
The Gophers are already bowl eligible, so other than attempting to keep the Badgers out of a bowl, the coveted Paul Bunyan Axe is on the line. Wisconsin has taken 17 out of the last 20 victories here, including last season in Minneapolis, a 28-14 victory.
Kickoff is scheduled for 11am at Camp Randall Stadium.
Reminder – this is a Friday game
Thanks, I changed it above. Its on Friday.
The Badgers are reeling. They ousted their OC, are using a backup QB recruited by the previous coaching staff, and are also using their backup RB. Wisconsin has an identiy crisis as a team that’s composed of guys recruited for one system, now running a different system, mixed with some key injuries.
I’d take the Gophers +3.
…unless Bass Pundit jumps over here and declares this a “Trap Game” for someone – then all bets are out the window.
I bought tickets for this game 2 months ago and now I have dont have much of a desire to go but still gonna cheer on my Badgers!
I hate saying this but I think the Gophers will take this. Wisconsin’s offense is just a mess and the will need to have to have the defense play the way they did against Oregon to win. I’m not saying that Gophers offense is like the Ducks but its just how bad the Badgers Offense is.
Gonna be a cold game but Madtwon is always fun on game days!
The Badgers are sooooo bad their MVP is the punter. 
Pretty convincing win for the gophers. Had Perich not had they penalty they would have likely shut them out.
Another what could have been season for the gophs. Badgers are terrible but always nice beating them in a rivalry game and the series has been a little more even as of late.
PJ is now 4-4 vs Wisconsin, including 3 wins in the last 4 matchups. Prior to PJ coaching the Gophers, they had lost 13 consecutive vs Wisconsin.
It was a fun game to lounge out and eat leftovers while watching. Not a ton riding on it but happy for the win, happy to have the axe and happy to end Sconnie’s bowl streak.
I’m pretty surprised that Fickell is pretty much a bust.
PJ is now 4-4 vs Wisconsin, including 3 wins in the last 4 matchups. Prior to PJ coaching the Gophers, they had lost 13 consecutive vs Wisconsin.
They also flashed something on the screen that the Gophers also haven’t beaten Wisconsin on the road back-to-back since the mid-80’s. Overall, gun to my head, I would say I’m a PJ supporter, but they seem to have a certain ceiling during his time and don’t really seem to outperform it. Yet, with facts like you and I referenced, it’s hard to argue his overall success is better than pretty much any Gophers coach in my lifetime.
That’s a good way of putting it, Dan. I feel the same, I’m not sure who else you’re gonna get if you get rid of Fleck. Sadly this is as good as it’s probably going to get. Like I said, there will always be hope with him.
I’m pretty surprised that Fickell is pretty much a bust.
Badgers are falling into the same trap the Huskers did. Chryst was winning 9 games a year and competing for a conference championship every once in awhile. Same as what Pelini did with the Huskers.
It’s taken NU 10 solid years to turn it around and they still aren’t there yet. I think that’s what Wisconsin is in for.
I don’t think there is anything sadly about having Fleck. He gets good players and they love him, academic success and have reputable seasons year in and year out. They could easily be 10-2 right now which sucks. Kicker cost us one. Refs cost us at least a chance at another. National ranking for defense and offense are very high.
How much is PJ’S salary?
Badgers are paying Fickel 7 million for that BS product he is putting on the field every weekend.
PJ Fleck’s salary is $6.7 mil/season. He signed a 7 year deal in 2022 for $42 million. He also has a clause in his contract on a massive buyout should they decide to remove him. So they’re kind of stuck with him regardless, which is good financial smarts on his part.
7-5 is slightly better than I expected. Could finish 8-5 if they win a no name bowl next month.
MN has a top 20 defense (15 or 16) this year which should be recognized by the fans.
PJ Fleck is a very good recruiter and coach. He seems to have adapted to the portal recruiting style fine too. He is a first-class ambassador of the UofM and Minnesota. Sometimes he comes off a bit strong (if not over the top) in college coach lingo. The program is competitive and self-supporting.
University of Minnesota will likely remain a “Tier 2” school in a top 4 Conference. The goal should be consistent winning seasons, staying in the top 25 AP rankings with maybe a run at a top 12 play-off spot every two or three years. This would keep Minnesota at the top of Tier 2. NIL, portals, tradition, money. will all keep MN in check.
I get concerned about Minnesota competing with the NIL money requirements. When you see Dave Portnoy helping Michigan pay $10m to get a quarterback that’s scary to think of for gophers fans.
I generally agree though…Fleck has a competitive team every year. 6-8 wins per year consistently is pretty good and then every once in awhile catch lightning in a bottle like they did in 2019 when they won 11 and beat Auburn.
I am a Fleck fan, he’s built a solid program that is competitive each week. He runs a clean program that at least gives hope to fans most years. As others have said, I think we left a few games on the table this year given the talent we had, but every team can say that.
This year was fun to watch. Of course I wish we were 9 – 3 instead of 7 – 5, but pretty much every game was entertaining and they finally had the players to run an exciting offence. I wish we had another year with Brosmer, but hopefully Drake Lindsay learned something from him and can be effective next year. Might be an uphill battle with how many guys we are losing, but Fleck has shown he recruits well from the portal.
Nice to take that axe and end the Badgers season.
Still disappointing at times, but the Gophers are more relevant now than they have been most of my life. Culture takes a long time to change but they seem to be on the right path, I’d keep Fleck around as long as possible.
Fleck’s personality and media presentation has always annoyed the snot outta me, but I agree that this is just about as much as you can expect any coach to get out of a gopher football squad when you consider the entire context as detailed by posters above. I watch more NFL than college ball and I’ll also say that there seem to be more gophers across the league playing significant roles on their teams than I recall from previous eras. This tells me he’s having some success recruiting and that NFL scouts respect the program enough to pay attention to these guys.
And down goes Bucky and Ryan Day, love watching him loose!
HEY EPG…ya spending new years with the Belle…….or camping in the new ice castle!! 
the smoke and mirrors gang will be in Charlotte on Jan 3rd playing at Panthers stadium against Virginia Tech in the Mayo bowl!!!! 
think Dutchy mighta bought tickets already!!!!!
The Dukes Mayo Bowl??? What the
Glenn, we get back from Antiqua on that Friday. I was planning on coming home Saturday, however the Belle notified me last night that we will be rowing the boat to the Mayo bowl.
From Wikipedia:
“The game was certified by the NCAA as the Queen City Bowl, which became the Continental Tire Bowl (2002–2004), Meineke Car Care Bowl (2005–2010), and Belk Bowl (2011–2019) prior to its current name.”
So I was right with the muffler bowl all along!
It might not mean a lot to us here up north, but Duke’s Mayo is like a religion down south. My local grocery store just started carrying it, but it’s like $7 a jar. I might still pick one up just to see what the fuss is about. Maybe make a nice sandwich for the game…
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