MINNEAPOLIS—Gophers football is officially back on campus.
It marks a long-awaited and colorful comeback for a once-mighty program since buried in the state’s sports scene and under the Metrodome’s dingy gray roof.
T-shirts in maroon and gold, tailgating treats in all kinds of hues and a summer-like sky in hazy blue marked the inauguration of TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday as Minnesota hosted Air Force in its first outdoor home game since 1981.
The festivities—quite the party, for sure—took place at the horseshoe-shaped, brick-trimmed palace across the street from where the old Memorial Stadium stood. It was razed after the Gophers joined the big leaguers at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.
“I’m a little jealous. This is crazy,” said former wide receiver Jared Ellerson, who played for the Gophers from 2002-05. “I wish we could’ve had this. This is going to be real nice for them.”
Ellerson acknowledged he didn’t mind playing inside because he didn’t like the cold, though the majority of home games are played in September and October—before the weather truly turns tough.
The temperature at kickoff was 80 degrees, as a capacity crowd of 50,000 fans filled two decks and the pricier club seats and suites. With the Minneapolis skyline in the background, a few hundred people without tickets peered through the gates behind the plaza as an F-16 fighter jet flyover followed the national anthem.
“It’s nice to have it back on campus. It’s where it’s supposed to be,” said Bob Stroup, a former fullback whose last season at the school was the first at the Metrodome. “They should’ve invested the money back in the old brickhouse where it was supposed to be, but it is what it is.”
The idea was to attract recruits from warm, talent-rich states to a climate-controlled NFL stadium, but it never worked out. The Gophers went 131-180 at the Dome, and posted a 69-148-2 record in Big Ten play during that time.
“After the first few games, you could tell there was a big difference in the atmosphere,” Stroup said.
A group of more than 400 former players came to town for the weekend and gathered on the sidelines during pregame warmups. They received a salute from current players as they retreated to the gargantuan, football-shaped locker room for a few last instructions.
The scene was fun for everyone, emotional for a few.
Stoic ex-Vikings coach Bud Grant, one of nine former Gophers named honorary captains for the game, was shown on the giant scoreboard with tears in his eyes and his face shaking while the crowd cheered his name.
Murray Warmath, who smiled and waved from his wheelchair, served as the honorary coach—38 years after supervising his last of 17 seasons. Warmath in 1960 coached Minnesota’s last of six national championships, a nod to the days when the Gophers were the only team in town—and one of the best in the country.
Some fans arrived six hours before kickoff, expressing optimism that the $288 million facility could mark a renaissance.
“We’ll actually be able to control the fan base instead of the visitors coming in and taking over the stadium,” said Bob Link, standing next to the open gate of a sports utility vehicle filled with pregame grub. Relative Craig Folven was in his group, saying he was excited to have the tickets in the family so his kids can grow up and enjoy going to the games one day.
Juniors Chad Patel and Patrick Day decided to skip the pregame parties and head straight for the stadium to make sure they got a good seat once the gates opened.
“All the seats are really good,” Patel said.
They were eager to enjoy their last few years watching games at “The Bank.”
“I thought the Metrodome was pretty terrible,” Day said.
So did Mark Holland, one of the many tailgaters who soaked up the afternoon sun with grilled meats engulfing the air. He’s been a season-ticket holder off and on for 15 years, which did little for him other than to give him high priority for prime seats in the new place. Holland shook his head as he remembered going to the last game at the Metrodome last November.
“They were like, ‘Thanks for the memories.’ I was like, ‘There are no memories,'” Holland said.
The memories of TCF Bank Stadium began Saturday.
“Look at the color,” Holland said, pointing toward the stadium. “Starting with the blue sky.”
