P.J. Fleck called it “championship week” as his Gophers prepared to face third-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus. The Gophers were 29.5-point underdogs and throughout the week, coaches showed videos of famous upsets during meetings, including the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” game.
“They have to see those things,” Fleck said. “If that person can do it, that person can do it, that’s why you play a game…that doesn’t promise you anything, but it gives you a perspective.”
An upset felt far-fetched, but Minnesota went into a hostile road environment and competed with Ohio State. They trailed by one score in the fourth quarter without two starting cornerbacks, a safety, defensive tackle and two top running backs.