Another Minnesota fan looking forward to the contest...but with a little different vibe...
Originally from Georgia but in the Twin Cities for 30 years. Both a UGA and UMN grad...and although born and bred Bulldog...been a Golden Gopher since 1997 when MN hired Glen Mason as coach...who the old GT timers will recognize was Georgia's coach for one week until he backed out. Probably good for Georgia in the end but signaled something different was finally happening for the Gophers.
Unlike GT whose administrations have historically supported the FB program, Minnesota went through a very dark period where the revenue sports...especially FB...were not supported. If you look at Minnesota's history this school was a dominant program in the 20s-30s-40s...and even to the early 60s...with National Championships...and then fell off the sports map. Of course Tech has a certain John Heisman as part of your pedigree so just sayin' Tech has been there too with NCs and a strong history. Really though, the UMN administration elected to leave on-campus football to the Metrodome in the early 80s and that changed the FB experience through the 80s and 90s for the kids and alumni alike. Throw in the Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Loons, Lynx, and any number of small colleges, and UMN faces a lot of the same pressures GT feels with a downtown campus in Hotlanta with the Falcon, Hawks, etc. and etc. The sports dollar only goes so far...
With this backdrop slowly but surely Minnesota has attempted to become relevant in football again starting with the Mason hire. We are now in our 10th year with an on-campus stadium that we love. Unlike Tech however we've gone through three coaches over your current HC's tenure. Not really a good thing for sure but nobody's asking the fans what we think. As a certain important person with your program says "It is what it is..."
Ironically there's been a recruiting connection to Georgia talent up here even going back to Coach Mason. Certainly Coach Jerry Kill and his successor Tracy Claeys also recruited Georgia and the same is going on for current HC PJ Fleck. Even better, the State of Georgia recruits are significant contributors which is fun to see.
Looking forward to the match-up. We play Georgia Southern next season and apparently they run an option offense too, so game scheming and practicing against the Jackets is a forerunner for that game. There's grousing that Tech's offense is one that we won't see again, but fact is either you stop or slow down the other team or you don't. Sounds like fun to me.
Finally, this match-up has reminded me that the first time I cursed in public was yelling "to Hell with Georgia Tech." It was at the annual Thanksgiving JV game that was played in the 60s and 70s. I was at Bobby Dodd Stadium and there was a little bit of drinking going on around me (on both sides). Pretty sure Tech won that year and it was very upsetting for a very young Bulldog. Said my peace and everyone laughed. That has stuck with me ever since...
We shout "Ski U Mah" (sky-you-mah) and sing "The Rouser" after every score. With Coach Fleck we also now say "Row the Boat" and "Elite" a lot. Some folks like it and many folks don't. Regardless we just won something called "The Axe" from Wisconsin a week ago. We hadn't touched it for 14 years...and had not won in Madison since 1993...so a pretty big deal for us. We also play for "The Pig" and "The Jug" that is pretty cool too.
Yep, our teams meeting in Detroit is not ideal. But that's what the football gods have delivered. Hopefully the "good Jackets" and the "good Gophers" show up for something competitive. That would be best for both programs.
Here's to a good game and safe travels for those who will be there in person. BTW, we don't like Nebraska either...I believe there was a GT Natty against that program from 1991...