GAME #12: GOTTA GRAB THAT MOMENTUM

OHIO STATE @ MINNESOTA

9.2.21

OHIO STATE - 45

MINNESOTA - 31

SOLIDLY IMPRESSED BY MINNEAPOLIS. PEOPLE, ARCHITECTURE, ATMOSPHERE. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT WE GOT A LOT MORE THAN WE WERE EXPECTING. I'M FROM NASHVILLE AND THE PEOPLE OF MINNEAPOLIS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS BACK IN THE SOUTH. KUDOS TO YOU, YOU NEAR-CANADIANS. WE WENT TO THE GAME IN JEANS & OUR USUAL T-SHIRTS & HATS. AFTER CHATTING WITH SOME MINNESOTA FOLKS AT THE BBW OUTDOOR TAILGATE, THEY ASKED IF WE HAD JACKETS. WE DIDN'T. ONE OF THE GUYS PROMPTLY CALLED HIS WIFE AND HAD HER BRING US JACKETS. WE ASKED WHERE WE COULD MEET THEM TO RETURN THEM AFTER THE GAME. THEY SAID KEEP THEM. WE PROTESTED TO NO AVAIL. SO, I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A NEW UNDER ARMOUR WINDBREAKER AND ROB HAS ACQUIRED, YOU GUESSED IT, A BRAND NEW NORTH FACE JACKET. YEP. TOLD YOU THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE.

THE STADIUM IS NICE. WE MANAGED TO GO TO THE WRONG SEATS THREE TIMES [KEPT GETTING FARTHER AWAY EACH TIME, TOO]. PEOPLE WERE COOL ABOUT IT IF NOBODY ELSE WAS THERE. THEN IT STARTED RAINING AND WE LEFT AT HALFTIME. NOT REALLY SURE WHY [BOOZE].

THE FIRST HALF OF THE GAME WAS PRETTY GOOD. IT WAS CLOSER THAN EXPECTED TIL THE END, REALLY, AND MINNESOTA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET THEMSELVES UP FOR A HELL OF A WIN. I'LL ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT A BIG PLAY AND MOMENTUM SHIFT RIGHT BEFORE HALFTIME CAN SWING A GAME TO THE UNDERDOG. MINNESOTA INTERCEPTED OHIO STATE CLOSE TO THE HALF, BUT DIDN'T CAPITALIZE. I THINK THEY COULD HAVE WON HAD THEY SCORED OFF THAT TURNOVER. OH WELL.

GAME TIP - THERE IS A BUFFALO WILD WINGS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. IF YOU STAY THERE TOO LONG, YOU'LL BE LATE TO THE GAME AND PROBABLY LEAVE EARLY AND GO BACK. STILL NOT SURE WHY WE DID THAT [BOOZE]. WE DID MEET AN OHIO STATE GUY THAT ALSO WENT TO THE FLORIDA STATE GAME AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THAT'S NOT THE LAST TIME WE SEE HIM, AS I'M SURE THE FUTURE BLOGS WILL CONFIRM.

TRAVEL TIP - YOU FLY TO MINNEAPOLIS, SO THAT'S EASY. WE STAYED SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A WONDERFUL LITTLE AREA OF TOWN. LOTS OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS & GOOD PEOPLE.

WHAT TO EAT - STUB & HERB'S IS RIGHT BY CAMPUS. BAR FOOD, BUT HILARIOS NAME AND T-SHIRTS. ALSO THAT WINGS PLACES I MENTIONED. THE BEST WE HAD WAS SMACK SHACK. AWESOME SPOT IN A REVAMPED INDUSTRIAL AREA. YOU GO THERE. [YOU COULD ALSO BE LIKE ME, ASK FOR EXTRA PRETZELS ON YOUR SOUTHWEST FLIGHT AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT MIGHT GIVE YOU THE ENTIRE SUPPLY OF PRETZELS AVAILABLE ON THE PLANE].

UP NEXT: FLORIDA ATLANTIC @ FLORIDA.