Ad Disclosure
Minnesota AD Mark Coyle joins P.J. Fleck in pitch to play Wisconsin in B1G Champions Week
Published:
Appearing to put an end to the longest uninterrupted streak in Football Bowl Subdivision history, which ran for 113 years dating to 1907, Minnesota’s scheduled road date with the Wisconsin Badgers on November 28 was canceled after positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests within the Golden Gophers’ program.
Fortunately, all hope might not be lost as Director of Athletics Mark Coyle and head coach P.J. Fleck are pushing to have this game rescheduled for December 19.
Post: #Gophers are trying to bring Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe vs. #Badgers back on schedule in less than two weeks.https://t.co/UV3DmN39sA
— Andy Greder (@andygreder) December 8, 2020
#Gophers AD Mark Coyle said on @wccoradio this morning the intention is for @GopherFootball to play Nebraska this week after missing two games due to COVID-19. Coyle is also talking to Big Ten about possibly playing Wisconsin for last game on Dec. 19 Champions Week @StribSports
— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) December 8, 2020
This date will serve as the Big Ten Conference’s “Champions Week” this season, with each team playing the corresponding finisher in the other division, while avoiding rematches.
“To say there is not lobbying, I would say is inaccurate because I think both teams really want to play that game,” Fleck said Monday, via TwinCities.com.
“Director Coyle and I have had numerous conversations about anything that could happen in the last week. I think our stance is very clear on that. I think Mark’s (Coyle) is, too. Mark definitely wants to be able to do it.”
With the first meeting coming in 1890, Minnesota and Wisconsin have clashed 129 times with the Badgers holding the narrowest of edges, 61-60-8.
The Golden Gophers (2-3) are scheduled to travel to Lincoln to battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-4) on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET, while No. 16 Wisconsin (2-2) will also hit the road, visiting Iowa City to face the No. 19 Hawkeyes (5-2) at 3:30 p.m. ET.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.