The Gophers don’t play Iowa until Week 4 of the college football season, but some fans will already be needling one of their biggest rivals come the season opener Aug. 29.
Dinkytown Athletes — the Gophers’ name, image and likeness (NIL) collective — released shirts Monday with a picture and text of the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry trophy on the front, and verbatim NCAA rule interpretations on invalid signals on the back.
It’s technically a gold T-shirt with maroon screen printing to match the “Gold Out” the Gophers athletics department have planned for Week 1 against North Carolina at Huntington Bank Stadium. The proceeds go to support the football team’s NIL fund, but it also pokes at the Hawkeyes’ still-festering scab going into their trip to Minnesota on Sept. 21.
Need a shirt for the GOLD OUT vs North Carolina on 8/29??
100% of the proceeds go to #Gophers football NIL support
Order herehttps://t.co/pUqHVp0nZp pic.twitter.com/NT8saC5eAz
— DinkytownAthletes (@DTAthletes) August 5, 2024
An always-simmering border rivalry started boiling last October when Hawkeyes punt returner Cooper DeJean’s go-ahead touchdown was called back for an invalid fair catch signal toward the end of the Gophers’ 12-10 win in Iowa City.
DeJean waved with his left hand as he ran toward a bouncing ball; at least one Gophers player was seen letting up in his coverage path. The penalty wasn’t flagged on the field as DeJean tight-roped down the sideline, cut back across field and scored. But upon video review, it was determined an invalid signal was used when DeJean, per the rule interpretation, “alerts his teammates to stay away from the ball by a ‘get away’ signal.”
Among the 207 words printed on the back of the Dinkytown Athletes’ shirt, the phrase “get away” is highlighted. It might come in handy if Gophers fans get into a verbal spat with Hawkeyes supporters and want to cite source material.
The Gophers’ win a year ago ended an eight-game losing streak in the series since 2014 and 10-game drought at Kinnick Stadium since 1999.
Now, members of the Dinkytown Athletes collective can have some pork and twist the knife, too.
Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz has had a hard time getting over the call, bringing it up as Iowa won the West Division and headed to the Big Ten championship game in November. Some Hawkeyes fans are hung up on it, too, and they have their own shirts available online, many with the saying: “It wasn’t a fair catch.”
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck reiterated at Big Ten Media Days in late July what he initially said in October.
“What was controversial about that game?” Fleck asked a reporter.
“The punt return,” the reporter responded.
“The illegal fair catch signal, right?” Fleck said. “I have to, it’s our fans. That’s what makes (the rivalry) beautiful, right?”
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