Five Metrodome games to remember

Last update: November 20, 2008 - 11:17 PM

1 OCT. 2, 1982

The Gophers set the tone for disappointment early in their Metrodome tenure by losing their first Big Ten Dome game to Illinois 42-24. Joe Salem's team started 3-0, climbing to No. 19 in the national rankings. The Gophers actually led 24-20 entering the fourth quarter. But they fumbled seven times, losing four, helping nullify a 344-yard passing performance by Mike Hohensee. It was the first of 19 consecutive Big Ten losses for the Gophers.

2 SEPT. 28. 1985

A crowd of 62,446 came to the Dome to see Lou Holtz's team -- 2-0 at the time -- take on No. 3 Oklahoma. The Gophers gave the Sooners all they wanted before losing 13-7. The Gophers reached the Oklahoma 32-yard line in the final minute, but failed to score when the Sooners got a sack and survived two Hail Mary incompletions. The Gophers had closed the gap to 13-7 on a 12-yard TD pass from Rickey Foggie (shown left) to Kevin Starks with four minutes to play. Minnesota started 5-1, but lost four of their final five to finish the regular season 6-5. Oklahoma went on to win the national title.

3 NOV. 24, 1990

The Gophers upset No. 13 Iowa 31-24 before 64,694 fans -- at least half of them Iowans. But the Hawkeyes and their fans got a nice consolation prize: a bid to the Rose Bowl for winning the tiebreaker in a four-way tie for first in the Big Ten. The Gophers finished 6-5 overall, 5-3 Big Ten, but didn't get a bowl bid. "Oh boy, this will give us all kinds of confidence and momentum for next year,'' Minnesota linebacker Russ Heath said. The Gophers were 2-9 the next season, 1-7 in the Big Ten.

4 OCT. 23, 1993

Minnesota upset No. 15 Wisconsin 28-21 as Scott Eckers passed for 267 yards and two TDs before 64,798 fans. The winning TD was set up on an 84-yard pass from Eckers to Rishon Early. The victory pushed the Gophers to 3-2 in the Big Ten, but Minnesota dropped its final three games. Wisconsin went on to win the Big Ten and a Rose Bowl victory over UCLA. At least the Gophers got Paul Bunyan's Axe.

5 NOV. 16, 2002

The largest crowd in Gophers' Dome history -- 65,184 -- watched No. 6 Iowa claim a 45-21 victory. Not that the crowd was disappointed, since most appeared to be Iowans. About 2,000 of the Iowa fans added insult to injury, storming the field and tearing down the goalpost in the north end zone. Several fans tried to carry part of the goalpost out of the stadium. Minneapolis police made three arrests.

Recent Gophers stories

Syracuse runs away from No. 6 North Carolina - November 20, 2008

Syracuse runs away from No. 6 North Carolina - Jim Boeheim has always made a point of telling the media not to get too caught up in runs because basketball, especially on the college level, is a game of runs. More