This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Minnesota chapter.
The Gophers were able to keep Floyd of Rosedale after a 22-21 win over the Iowa
Hawkeyes. Students rushed the field after beating Iowa for the second year in a row.
Who hates Iowa? We hate Iowa! Keeping the bronze pig on the Minnesota campus
was definitely a positive for Gopher fans, and provided some hope in the midst of a
dismal season.
Being a fan of University of Minnesota sports isn’t always so easy. Attendance to
football games has been steadily declining since the inaugural game at TCF Bank
Stadium. Sometimes it’s hard to support a team that loses by 58 points. It’s even
harder to attend games when temperatures drop and snow begins falling. Some ask
is buying a season football ticket worth the money?
For some, the answer is no. What those people are missing however is the
experience of being a Gopher fan. It’s about waking up at 8:00 a.m. on an autumn
Saturday morning to meet up with friends, toss a football around, and barbecue
some game day burgers. A true Gopher fan doesn’t wear a jacket so they can proudly
display their maroon and gold overalls.
Is it hard to keep cheering when it’s the fourth quarter and there is no chance of a
win? Sure, but that’s not the point. You cheer because this is your team and your
school. You know at one point, the football team will make the crowd proud with an
impressive win against an archrival.
There are many downsides of being a fan of a struggling team. That’s what makes a
win like the one against Iowa so sweet. When the student section is chanting “Jerry!
Jerry! Jerry!” at the brink of a win, that is when it’s great to be a Gopher fan.
Students crave for more wins, but that’s an effort that begins with the crowd.
Potential University of Minnesota football players want to play for a supportive
crowd as much as fans want to see the team win. If more students and alumni
embrace the Minnesota spirit, it only makes sense the University will be able to
recruit better.
So what can you do? Embrace the positives of attending the University of Minnesota.
Go to the next football game against Wisconsin and sing the Rouser as loud as
possible, even if it’s snowing and we’re down by 58 points.