Now that a few days have gone by, here are a few reflections that have stuck with me from attending the Minnesota game:
Before the game: It was great to see a true college gameday atmosphere on the UMN campus. Students were out having fun and showing energy and spirit (ok, spirits and other fermentables), which has not always been the case for a program that has struggled to get students enthusiastic about their football team.
There were lots of OSU fans walking around and enjoying the festivities, and it was a welcoming and collegial environment with everyone having a good time. I attended the OSU Alumni club tailgate with three UMN friends, and we had good food, met some of the cheerleaders, and chatted with Buckeye fans who flew in for the game. My friends were surprised and entertained by how much OSU hates MI.
At the game: The atmosphere was great! The UMN students really showed out and supported their team, and lots of Gopher fans of all ages were having a terrific time. Even though they announced the crowd at over 50K, there were quite a few (5000?) empty seats. It looked to me like about 30% of us were Buckeye fans. We could have done without the rain, but it was just a drizzle most of the time; it was certainly better weather than we had for the Dilly Bar game of 2014.
The stadium announcer was terrible. He could not pronounce the names of several OSU players (do your homework!), he frequently made mistakes in down and distance and which player made a play, and generally was annoying. A fan threw a towel onto the field at one point and announcer said, "penalty flag on the play".
The media time outs are all three minutes. Three freaking minutes! Every time! I could get through the lines at the bathroom or buy a beer in three minutes. I kept thinking how I could be seeing all of the replays on TV instead of waiting for the interminable time outs to end. At least the scoreboard clocks timed them so I knew when to stand up again.
It's ironic that a Columbus bank this year bought a Minnesota bank, so TCF Bank stadium was just renamed Huntington Bank stadium. It is a relatively new (2009) well-designed facility and a very good place to see a game. While it was a bit challenging to follow the action on the opposite corner of the field and the lighting could have been better, the sightlines are all pretty good.
My friends and I now plan to go a Gopher game every year, and since they will not be playing OSU here for a while, I can actually root for Minnesota the next few times I am there. Bottom line: if you have a chance to see a Gopher game in TCF Huntington Bank stadium, I recommend it.
Did any of you attend the game or have you been there for a game at all? I am interested in your takes.
