Johnnie wide receiver Will Gillach evades two Tommie defenders on his way to the end zone. The final Tommie-Johnnie game will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium this fall. (TommieMedia file photo)
The final Tommie-Johnnie football game will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in the fall, St. John’s announced Wednesday.
Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, this will be the 90th and last meeting between the two schools. St. Thomas is leaving the NCAA’s Division III after next year, ending the rivalry.
“U.S. Bank Stadium will offer a fantastic atmosphere for two outstanding football programs to celebrate one of the best rivalries in all of college football,” St. Thomas Vice-President and Athletic Director Phil Esten said in a press release. “We are grateful to Saint John’s and U.S. Bank Stadium for providing such an opportunity.”
U.S. Bank Stadium, home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, has 66,200 seats. The contest will be considered a Johnnie home game, after St. Thomas hosted at Allianz Field last year.
“U.S. Bank Stadium will be an incredible venue to host this historic game,” St. John’s coach Gary Fasching said in a press release. “We want everyone to be able to see this final game in one of college football’s great rivalries.”
St. Thomas football alumni responded with positive thoughts on this final meeting between the two programs.
“That’s a pretty amazing opportunity to close the… rivalry,” St. Thomas Football alum ‘19 David Danhauer said. “The opportunity to fill the Bank with purple and red as a last chapter shows the amazing places you can go when two programs have a tremendous amount of pride in their University and passion for what they’re doing and who they’re with.”
Playing on a big stage is certainly one way to end one of the longest football rivalries in college football.
“The tradition is really deserving if you look back in history, one of the longest football rivalries really in Minnesota,” St. Thomas Football alum ‘18 George Hottinger said. “I think it’s an awesome opportunity to showcase the talent that both programs have, and I’m jealous of all the guys that are able to do it.”
The Johnnies lead the all-time series 53-35-1.
Carly Noble can be reached at nobl1781@stthomas.edu.
Emily Haugen can be reached at haug7231@stthomas.edu.