TCF Bank Stadium Goes Purple!

On Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears are battling out in the frozen tundra and elements of the Midwest. No, the game is not as Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The game is played at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This one is a historic game for the Minnesota Vikings and their fans. It's their first outdoor home game since December 20th, 1981. Throw on Joe Webb's first career start, the throwback jerseys, the snow, and the honoring of the Top 50 Minnesota Vikings of all-time, this is the most excited I have been for an NFL Game in a long time (for a team that is not qualified for the playoffs, at least).

Minnesota Gophers Get 3 Points From Duluth Bulldogs

The Minnesota Gophers took 3 points from the #2 team in the country, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. On Friday night, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Duluth Bulldogs 3-2. Kent Patterson made 37 saves, while Nick Larson, Jay Barribal, and Nico Sacchetti scored for the Gophers. It was an exciting game and it was one that the Minnesota Gophers earned. On Saturday night, the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie at Mariucci Arena. Jake Hansen and Jake Cepis scored for the Minnesota Gophers and again Kent Patterson had a strong outing. It was a good series for the Minnesota Gophers.

Minnesota Gophers 71, Eastern Kentucky Colonels 58

On December 11th, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 71-58. Ralph Sampson scored 19 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Trevor Mbakwe and Blake Hoffarber both scored 14 points a piece. The Minnesota Gophers went on a 30-3 run that broke open the game. The win moved the Gophers to 9-1 on the season. Outside of Williams Arena was a massive blizzard that hit the Twin Cities.

Minnesota Gophers 83, St. Joseph's Hawks 73

On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the St. Joseph's Hawks 83-73 in Philadelphia. Trevor Mbakwe grabbed 16 rebounds for the second straight game and Devoe Joseph scored 19 in the Gopher win. Trevor Mbakwe added 12 points of his own to record his team leading sixth double-double of the season, while Blake Hoffarber finished with 14 points. The win improved Minnesota to 8-1 on the year. They are currently #20 on the AP Top 25 poll. Up next for Minnesota is Eastern Kentucky at noon at Williams Arena.

Minnesota Gophers vs. Duluth Bulldogs

The Minnesota Gophers will square off with the #2 ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on Friday and Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. The Duluth Bulldogs are one of the nation's hottest teams with a 12-2-2 overall record and are 9-2-1 in the WCHA. Jack Connolly leads the team with 23 points and centers that No. 1 line with wingers Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine. Mike Connolly has a team-high 11 goals while Fontaine is third on the team with 21 points. The trio has combined for 26 goals and 66 points on the year. It will most certainly be a battle for the two squads. Purchase your Minnesota Gopher hockey tickets with Ticket King!

Minnesota Gophers 71, Cornell Big Red 66

On Saturday, the Minnesota Gophers defeated the Cornell Big Red 71-66 at Williams Arena. Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points and 16 rebounds and Blake Hoffarber had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Cornell Big Red hit 14 3-pointers and Errick Peck scored 16 points for the squad. It was the 5th straight loss for Cornell, a team that made the Sweet Sixteen last season. It was a close game throughout, but the main thing was that the Gophers won. After losing to Virginia, a rebound win against Cornell was a must. Next game is against the St. Joseph's Hawks (at St. Joseph's).

Mankato Mavericks Sweep Minnesota Gophers

The Minnesota Gophers continued their up and down 2010-2011 campaign with suffering a sweep to the hands of the Mankato Mavericks over the weekend. On Friday night, the Mankato Mavericks dropped the Minnesota Gophers 3-2. On Saturday night, the Mankato Mavericks defeated the Gophers 2-1, behind a 49-save effort by goalie Phil Cook. It was the first sweep at Mankato in school history. It doesn't get any easier with #1 rated Minnesota-Duluth coming to Mariucci next weekend.

Minnesota Gophers Hire Jerry Kill

Joel Maturi has officially hired Northern Illinois Head Coach Jerry Kill to take over the football program. As a lifelong Gopher Football fan, this move does not make much sense to me. Athletic Director Joel Maturi promised Minnesota Gopher fans "a Tubby-Smith" like hire. There were plenty of rumors surrounding who the head coach would be - from Miami's Randy Shannon, Boise State's Chris Peterson, former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, etc. Eventually Maturi settled for Jerry Kill, who most people never have probably heard of until yesterday. Time will tell, but this hire does not score any bonus points for Minnesota Gopher fans.

Minnesota Gophers vs. Mankato Mavericks

This weekend, the Minnesota Gophers will pay a visit to play the Mankato Mavericks in Mankato. The Minnesota Gophers are currently 8-5-1 while the Mankato Mavericks are 4-6-4. The Minnesota Gophers could definitely use a sweep, as they are 5th in the WCHA right now with a 5-4-1 record. The Mankato Mavericks are 2-6-2 for 6 points in the WCHA right now. Get your Minnesota Gopher Hockey tickets with Ticket King!

Virginia Cavaliers Upset Minnesota Gophers 87-79 in ACC Challenge

The Minnesota Gophers suffered their first defeat of the season on Monday night, to the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers. The final score read 87-79. Not many people expected the Gophers to lose this game, but that was the final outcome. It hurt the team that starting point guard Al Nolen is hurt and will be out a few weeks. Devoe Joseph returned to the lineup but it wasn't enough, even though he did score 16 points. Joe Harris scored 24 points for the Virginia Cavaliers. Next up is the Cornell Big Red on Saturday, December 4.