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Will Saturday's game in Minnesota be the coldest in college football history?

jamesvanderwulf

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Nov 27, 2015
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It could be. 14 degrees with WNW wind at 17 mph = -3 windchill. I know the coldest game ever at Kinnick was vs. Michigan 2013 @ 18 degrees at kickoff.

THE COLDEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME: THE SNOW BOWL​

The 1950 Michigan and Ohio State game is important for a couple of reasons. It featured what were then two really good football teams, and are now two of the winningest and rowdiest football programs in the history of college football.


Oh, and it was the coldest game in the history of college football.


Columbus, Ohio is no stranger to cold weather and a ton of snow. But the single-day November record for snowfall was set on November 25th, 1950, the morning before Michigan rolled into town to take on Ohio State. A full seven and a half inches came out of nowhere to dust all of Columbus, and the game started with a total whiteout. The field was frozen underneath a tarp and the conditions were so bad that players felt that they couldn’t spring or change direction. The teams decided that the best strategy was to kick the ball to the opponent and hope for a mistake. It might be the only game in history in which the first play from scrimmage was a punt by Michigan. Both teams tried to punt the ball back and forth and then would take shots at the endzone with field goals.


The temperature that day, the “Snow Bowl,” was around 13 degrees. And the 30-35 mile per hour wind took the game down to a wind chill of around -4 degrees. The game kept snowing and dumping snow onto the players. Players reported seeing fans walking into the stadium, constantly slipping and falling. Michigan ended up winning the game with only 27 yards of offense. The Michigan team, shockingly, had not a single first down and had no pass completions. The losing Ohio State team had more yards and 3 more completions than the Michigan team.
 
A game I was at up there around 10 years ago was pretty bad. Ice under feet in stands. Brutal.

That 2015 Purdue game here was pretty bad too.
I was at both 2015 Purdue and 2013 Michigan, and trust me—2015 Purdue was colder. Maybe it was the snow, or wind, but that Purdue game was brutal. There was an OSU game in the early 90s that was also freezing, but 2015 Purdue—nothing was colder than that
 
I was at that game vs. Michigan. It was so damn cold it took about 2 hours in the car back to des moines to finally get warmth back in our bones. The Iowa players did not appear too fazed by it. Hawks won that one too. The boys will be ready and the goofs will be too.
 
Was anybody besides me at the blizzard game in Iowa City in 1990 or 1991? An outright blizzard. We just barely got to IC and they closed I-80 right after that. Reggie Roby kicked off and put the ball halfway up the stands in the south end zone. We beat Minnesota I think 6-3.
 
It could be. 14 degrees with WNW wind at 17 mph = -3 windchill. I know the coldest game ever at Kinnick was vs. Michigan 2013 @ 18 degrees at kickoff.

THE COLDEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME: THE SNOW BOWL​

The 1950 Michigan and Ohio State game is important for a couple of reasons. It featured what were then two really good football teams, and are now two of the winningest and rowdiest football programs in the history of college football.


Oh, and it was the coldest game in the history of college football.


Columbus, Ohio is no stranger to cold weather and a ton of snow. But the single-day November record for snowfall was set on November 25th, 1950, the morning before Michigan rolled into town to take on Ohio State. A full seven and a half inches came out of nowhere to dust all of Columbus, and the game started with a total whiteout. The field was frozen underneath a tarp and the conditions were so bad that players felt that they couldn’t spring or change direction. The teams decided that the best strategy was to kick the ball to the opponent and hope for a mistake. It might be the only game in history in which the first play from scrimmage was a punt by Michigan. Both teams tried to punt the ball back and forth and then would take shots at the endzone with field goals.


The temperature that day, the “Snow Bowl,” was around 13 degrees. And the 30-35 mile per hour wind took the game down to a wind chill of around -4 degrees. The game kept snowing and dumping snow onto the players. Players reported seeing fans walking into the stadium, constantly slipping and falling. Michigan ended up winning the game with only 27 yards of offense. The Michigan team, shockingly, had not a single first down and had no pass completions. The losing Ohio State team had more yards and 3 more completions than the Michigan team.
What was wind chill and temp of 2010 Iowa vs Minnesota up there. That was friggin cold.
 
Was anybody besides me at the blizzard game in Iowa City in 1990 or 1991? An outright blizzard. We just barely got to IC and they closed I-80 right after that. Reggie Roby kicked off and put the ball halfway up the stands in the south end zone. We beat Minnesota I think 6-3.
The blizzard game against Minnesota was in 1991, but Reggie Roby was long gone by then so you might be thinking of two different games.
 
Was anybody besides me at the blizzard game in Iowa City in 1990 or 1991? An outright blizzard. We just barely got to IC and they closed I-80 right after that. Reggie Roby kicked off and put the ball halfway up the stands in the south end zone. We beat Minnesota I think 6-3.
The Danan Hughes Snow Angel game in 1991? Pretty sure Roby wasn't still kicking off at that point.

gordon ramsay masterchef celebrity family showdown GIF by Masterchef
 
Was anybody besides me at the blizzard game in Iowa City in 1990 or 1991? An outright blizzard. We just barely got to IC and they closed I-80 right after that. Reggie Roby kicked off and put the ball halfway up the stands in the south end zone. We beat Minnesota I think 6-3.

Roby didn't kickoff in 90/91.
The blizzard game was early 90s. Danan Hughes made a snow angel.
 
Purdue 2015 was the worst I can recall. Big snowstorm the night before so there was ice under your feet wherever you sat. People were continually slipping on the ice and it was awful.
 
Toughen up Sally. I took my then 6 year old to the 2015 Purdue game and he loved all of the snow. The ice covered metal seats probably weren’t very fun for those who sit, but that’s what snow pants and standing all game are for.

My toes were never the same after the 2012 Nebraska game, but 2013 Michigan seems even colder in my memory.
 
Iowa actually won the blizzard game of 1991 at Kinnick Stadium over Minnesota 23-8. It was Hayden Fry's 100th Hawkeye win.

The entire state was closed down, including I-80, Saturday morning. But we drove to Iowa City from Davenport anyway. You couldn't see where the road was because everything was so deep in snow. We drove slowly and were still one of the first ones in the stands that were caked in ice and deep snow. And yes, that's the game where Danan Hughes caught a TD pass and made a snow angel in the south end zone. The estimated attendance was about 35,000.

Iowa only led 3-0 at the half, but the offense heated up in the 28-degree weather (minus 7 wind chill) in the second half, despite the field being a virtual ice rink. The Hawkeyes finished the game with 23 first downs, 120 yards rushing, and 270 yards passing for a total offense of 390 yards. Minnesota was held to 197 yards, including only 65 on the ground on 38 attempts. Here's a link to a game recap: https://hawkeyerecap.com/game.asp?id=356

And here's the YouTube video (no sound):

If you haven't seen it, you really need to check it out. You still might not believe it.

Hughes caught a pair of TD passes from Matt Rodgers that day, one for 45 yards, which culminated a 94-yard drive, the 10-1 Hawkeyes' longest of the season, and the other for 32.

Here's another link for coverage from the Daily Iowan: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1991/di1991-11-25.pdf

Those of us who were there will never forget that day.
 
A game I was at up there around 10 years ago was pretty bad. Ice under feet in stands. Brutal.

Think I was at TCF for that one too. We lost and the hot chocolate didn’t help

Believe I attended this one also,.. Very cold, last game of the season, DJK was playing & Hawks lost,.. Snowed the night before and the Minnesota grounds crew cleared the stands of snow in all areas except those designated as visitor seating.
 
Finally bought tickets yesterday, found some seat backs in the NW corner, blocked from the wind, have new snow pants coming in today and plan on wear multiple layers of socks/pants/gloves. I expect those unlucky enough to be sitting on the south/southeast side of the stadium with no chance of sunlight and full wind wont make it very long. Hopefully we can rattle the freshman QB and get their fans out of there early
 
Finally bought tickets yesterday, found some seat backs in the NW corner, blocked from the wind, have new snow pants coming in today and plan on wear multiple layers of socks/pants/gloves. I expect those unlucky enough to be sitting on the south/southeast side of the stadium with no chance of sunlight and full wind wont make it very long. Hopefully we can rattle the freshman QB and get their fans out of there early

Hot chocolate and hand and feet warmers too!
 
Finally bought tickets yesterday, found some seat backs in the NW corner, blocked from the wind,
Congrats for having the courage to face that weather. And according to the forecast, it will be overcast, so nobody will have any sun. It'll just be brutal, but it'll be a day you won't forget, especially if the Hawkeyes can come out with the win. Best of luck.
 
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Believe I attended this one also,.. Very cold, last game of the season, DJK was playing & Hawks lost,.. Snowed the night before and the Minnesota grounds crew cleared the stands of snow in all areas except those designated as visitor seating.
I was almost 9 months pregnant at that game so I couldn't drink to warm up. It was miserable both on and off the field that day.
 
Finally bought tickets yesterday, found some seat backs in the NW corner, blocked from the wind, have new snow pants coming in today and plan on wear multiple layers of socks/pants/gloves. I expect those unlucky enough to be sitting on the south/southeast side of the stadium with no chance of sunlight and full wind wont make it very long. Hopefully we can rattle the freshman QB and get their fans out of there early
Let's create some false starts due to our crowd noise ... on the road.
 
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