Two months into the fall semester, junior biology major Bella Bertogliat needs a distraction from quarantine life.
Her entire course load at the University of Minnesota, including two lab classes, consists of online-only instruction.
“I’m on my computer for like 12 hours a day,” Bertogliat said. “It’s getting old, really fast.”
For that reason, Bertogliat cheered when she learned the Big Ten Conference would restore the 2020 fall football season, overturning an earlier decision to postpone fall sports until the spring because of COVID-19 safety concerns.
The Gopher football squad will take the field at TCF Bank Stadium for the first time on Saturday evening, in a primetime contest against the University of Michigan — with ESPN’s College Gameday on campus for the second time in 11 months.
“It’s definitely better than nothing,” fellow University of Minnesota junior Chloe Behounek said, standing next to Bertogliat in Dinkytown as she nodded in agreement.
But the Gameday atmosphere in 2020 will look nothing like last November’s visit to Minneapolis.
Last year, students camped overnight in frigid temperatures and sleet to welcome the ESPN crew; this year, Gameday will broadcast in front of an empty TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday morning. Last year, more than 53,000 fans bought tickets to see the Minnesota-Wisconsin game, which held a trip to the Rose Bowl in the balance; this year, only a select group of about 800 family and friends will get to see Minnesota and Michigan play, due to Minnesota Department of Health and Big Ten guidelines on social distancing. And, finally, last year, the cheapest StubHub ticket against the Badgers amounted to $170; this year, if you search "Gophers" on the website, you'll simply see a message that says "No Events."
The general public can't attend, but fans can request carboard cutouts to fill their seats.
It's a bummer for everyone, most notably longtime season ticket holders and students. After a historic 11-2 season in 2019 and an emphatic bowl victory on New Year’s Day, they’ll have to watch the 2020 opener on television.
“It’s definitely weird,” senior John Kimlinger said. “Not frustrating, but, a little disappointing. We’re kind of on the up-and-up, and we can’t really enjoy it.”
On Friday evening, black curtains were draped over the fence outside TCF Bank Stadium, as the ESPN College Gameday crew prepared for Saturday’s broadcast. Fans will not be allowed to tailgate ahead of the game, and at the Buffalo Wild Wings across the street, a sign on the restaurant door informed customers that they’ll need reservations in advance to grab tables.
“There’s no buzz,” Bella Bertogliat said. “At all.”
It’s just a different vibe.
“You wouldn’t know at all,” Kimlinger explained, “that there was a game tomorrow.”
Whether anyone on campus realizes it or not, Minnesota and Michigan will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, in front of millions of American viewers on national TV.
So begins an eight-game sprint to the finish in 2020 for the Gophers – their shortest regular season since 1941.
“I like sports anyway, so, if I have to, I’ll just watch in my apartment. But I’d rather be there and experience the atmosphere,” Bertogliat said. “It’s definitely not the same.”
