PJ Fleck showed again on Saturday afternoon why he’s one of college football’s gems.
This time, the charismatic Minnesota head coach didn’t have to play to the crowd or act the part. Because his Golden Gophers did their damage on the field against hated rival Michigan in the battle for the Little Brown Jug, outlasting the Wolverines 20-14, and so Fleck only had to be his natural self in the postgame interview on FOX.
Fleck, who has been at Minnesota since 2017 and has a solid 70-45 record to show for it after Saturday’s win, spoke from the heart when asked about beating Michigan in front of the home fans at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Of course, he also added his own humor to the moment, because that’s Fleck.
“I couldn’t be prouder. Besides my marriage, my kids being born, this might be the best day of my life,” said Fleck, who was screaming into the FOX microphone by the time he finished that rather bold statement.
But naturally, Fleck wasn’t done talking — or screaming, in this case. He let out a loud “Go Gophers!” cheer as everyone surrounding him on the field went crazy.
Here is Fleck being Fleck:
Minnesota and Fleck aren’t even ranked yet, but the Golden Gophers are off to a strong start overall (4-1) and in the Big Ten (2-0) as they try to at least enter the College Football Playoff discussion. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the best odds for the coveted 12-team CFP field when it’s announced in December:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
