Golden Gopher Gridiron | University of Minnesota Football

A world-class university — known globally as a leader in teaching, research and public service, the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities consistently ranks among the top six public research universities in the nation.

More than 160 bachelor’s degrees, 150 master’s degrees and 100 doctoral degrees make the University one of the most comprehensive institutions in the country. Many of the programs are recognized as national and international leaders.

Also a thriving center for culture and the arts, The “U” features outstanding galleries, museums, concerts, theater productions and public lectures. Add in the excitement of Big Ten Athletics, and the University of Minnesota has something for everyone. The University community is a broad mix of ethnic backgrounds, interests and cultures. Students come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Many small communities of students, faculty and staff help to create a welcoming feeling on campus.

The campus in Minneapolis is located just a few minutes east of downtown. Nestled along the bluffs of the Mississippi River, buildings in Minneapolis range from the ultramodern Weisman Art Museum to the classic and stately Northrop Memorial Auditorium. A few miles to the east in St. Paul, rolling hills and quiet lawns create a more rural setting. The Minneapolis and St. Paul parts of the campus are connected by a convenient campus shuttle system.

The University of Minnesota also provides a life beyond the campus like few other Big Ten universities can. The dynamic communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul offer something for everyone—a nationally-recognized arts and theater community, a thriving entertainment industry, a host of Fortune 500 companies, four glorious seasons of outdoor recreation, exciting professional sports, shopping and restaurants for every taste, all located close to campus.

Founded in 1851, seven years before the territory of Minnesota became a state, the University is the largest in the state and touches the lives of thousands of people every day through its teaching, research and service.

• The Twin Cities metro area has a population of over 2.5 million and is the nation’s 14th-largest media market
• Minneapolis was named the “Most Fun City in America” by Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live”
• Men’s Fitness ranked Minneapolis as the “Most Athletic City” in 2006. The magazine annually ranks Minneapolis as one of the “Fittest” cities, including a No. 4 ranking in 2007.
• The Twin Cities boast all four major sports franchises (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB)
• The Twin Cities are home to 130 art galleries and 35 museums
• 20 Fortune 500 companies are located in the Twin Cities
• Cooking Light named Minneapolis the fourth-best American city that best fit a philosophy to eat smart, be fit, and live well.
• A 2004 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study revealed Minneapolis as the “Most Literate City” in America
• Entrepreneur ranked the Twin Cities as the No. 1 large city for entrepreneurs
• Population Connection ranked Minneapolis as the fifth-best “kid friendly” large city
• Kiplinger’s rated Minneapolis No. 2 on its “50 Smart Places To Live” list
• Minnesota has been ranked as the healthiest state by United Health Foundation for three straight years
• Men’s Journal rated the Twin Cities as one of the “50 Best Places To Live” in 2006
• Five Minnesota hospitals, led by Mayo Clinic, made U.S. News & World Report's 2005 lists of the nation's top hospitals.

Gophers are located in the nation’s 14th-largest media market.

Enjoy one of the country’s strongest media followings, including five local television stations and two major daily newspapers.

51 of the last 53 Gopher games have been televised, including 37 that have been aired nationally on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network or NFL Network.

Gophers have been televised 130 times in the last 12 years.

In the last six years, Gophers have made 46 national TV appearances on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, CBS or NFL Network.

In June of 2006, the Big Ten signed a new 10-year national rights contract with ABC/ESPN. The new agreement, which began during the 2007-08 season, includes up to 41 televised Big Ten football games – up to 17 on ABC and up to 25 on ESPN or ESPN2. In addition, all regional afternoon football games aired on ABC will be aired by ESPN/ESPN2 in outer-markets, making these games nationally available.

The Gophers are part of the Big Ten Network, a landmark national network between Fox and the Big Ten devoted to Big Ten athletic and academic programs. The network provides unprecedented coverage of a college football conference with daily shows dedicated solely to Big Ten football.

The Gopher Radio Network is broadcast across the state of Minnesota with more than 40 affiliates.

Only eight states, all with higher populations, are home to more fortune 500 companies than Minnesota. The state has become a leader in corporate business ranging from food companies to health care to retail to Finance and everything in between. Here is the list of companies (Fortune 500 rank): United Health Group (21) Target (28) Supervalu (51) Best Buy (56) CHS (72) 3M (95) U.S. Bancorp (129) General Mills (193) Medtronic (196) Land O' Lakes (224) Xcel Energy (242) Mosaic (276) C.H. Robinson Worldwide (300) Ameriprise Financial (348) Hormel Foods (373) Ecolab (403) Thrivent Financial (409) PepsiAmericas (478) Nash-Finch (492)