The original title of this blog was titled ‘Minnesota tried to claim a title that they did not win.’ Because at first, I believed that Minnesota pulled an Alabama and tried to claim titles that didn’t belong to them. But since the Gophers finished with the same record as Wisconsin, they’re awarded a Big Ten. Even though Wisconsin beat the everloving shit out of them in Minneapolis to win the tiebreaker, Minnesota still gets to claim this championship. The fact that P.J. Fleck is celebrating it is a very P.J. Fleck and I should not be surprised. But this is a loser mindset without question. Who celebrates a title that you didn’t win and got blown out by the team that actually won it?

Screenshot: 2019 #Gophers football team was presented its Outback Bowl championship rings on Tuesday. It commemorates win over Penn State with Governor’s Victory Bell, appearance of ESPN’s College GameDay and Big Ten West trophy — but, um, the U lost tiebreaker for that hardware. pic.twitter.com/bRLvmGAEGS

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) July 21, 2020

Some might say this is everything wrong with sports these days. This is a glorified participation trophy for the Gophers. They get to celebrate a title in their offices that shouldn’t be there. Why the hell do teams get titles if they lost the tiebreaker? That seems royally stupid. I get it if it’s basketball, and the teams do not play each other equal times, therefore ties happen and multiple teams claim titles. But Wisconsin beat Minnesota, 38-17 and it wasn’t close at all. How does anyone on that Gopher football look at that title and think they deserve it?

This is just added fuel to fire for the next round of Wisconsin-Minnesota which happens in early October for the first time since 2012. The game was typically the final one of the season, but the Big Ten is shaking it up this year.

Charlie.