Rand: A lot of love for the Little Brown Jug

A steady stream of Gophers fans flowed into TCF Bank Stadium Wednesday and Thursday to look at the Little Brown Jug. They came for nostalgia, for pictures and, let's be honest, because they weren't sure when they would get to see it again.

The Gophers earned the more-than-century-old traveling trophy by defeating Michigan 30-14 Saturday, and while it's not quite a once-a-generation feat for Minnesota to knock off the Wolverines, it felt a little like that when chatting with visitors.

Some spectators remarked that the Jug is smaller than they imagined, while almost everyone was surprised they could touch it. "Don't break it! We just got it, " said one fan, posing along with her two kids next to the trophy.

Another fan pulled out his smartphone and showed off a picture he took with Floyd of Rosedale in 2010, which was still his screen background four years after that victory over Iowa. "Time to replace the pig, " he said before posing for a new picture.

Charles Schuveiller, a Minnesota alumnus who was a student and was in attendance in 1977 when the Gophers knocked off No. 1-ranked Michigan, said he was planning on visiting the Little Brown Jug next year at the State Fair but was excited to learn he could see it so soon after the most recent victory.

The Gophers also defeated Michigan in 1986 and 2005, but those were the only wins since that famous 1977 game until Saturday. It helped soothe some of the bad memories, Schuveiller said, bringing up the dreaded 2003 game at the Metrodome when the Gophers blew a 28-7 lead and lost 38-35.

"I was yelling from the stands, 'screen pass. They're going to do a screen pass, ' " he said.

"It was like seeing the [Stanley] Cup, " Awsumb said.

If you missed out seeing it this week, don't worryThe Gophers athletic department plans to take the Jug on a limited tour outside the metro area next week, followed by more appearances throughout the year.

And if the Gophers can defeat Michigan again next season — on Halloween at TCF Bank Stadium — they'll keep the Little Brown Jug until at least 2017, the next time the teams meet again. Maybe at a certain point, visiting the Jug will become an expectation and not a novelty?

"We're going to have this for a long time, " Awsumb said. "I think the tide has definitely turned."

michael rand