The Gophers lost more than Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Saturday.
Minnesota also closed the book on their last opportunity to win the Big Ten West.
The Gophers had 10 opportunities over the last decade to punch their ticket to the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis since the East and West divisions were established in 2014. They fell short of the goal line in all of them. The closest Minnesota came to a division title was in 2019, when losses to Iowa and Wisconsin spoiled what could have been a dream season.
This season represented the Big Ten West’s swan song as the conference moves to dissolve its divisions when it adds Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA and expands to 18 teams next year.