Fleck doesn't think last year's fair catch fiasco adds any juice to Iowa showdown

Fleck is ready to look past last year's fair catch controversy.

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean (3) runs back a punt for a touchdown at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, October 21, 2023 in Iowa City. The touchdown was overturned after review. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

After last year's notorious invalid fair catch signal fiasco, the Gophers will face Iowa in a highly-anticipated rematch this Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Minnesota's win last season was its first in the series since 2014. They will look to go back-to-back for the first time since 2010-11 and Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck knows how significant winning the Floyd of Rosedale is for both programs.

"Rivalries are rivalries because they do go back and forth. They're usually border wars, border battles, they're really close, everybody knows each other, you're recruiting a lot of the same kids," Fleck said. "That's where all the rivalries started. I am just honored to be a part of it, and you'd like to have a little more balance as you go forward and that's what we're working and striving to do all the time here at Minnesota. We're fortunate to have a lot of rivalries."

(Our Gophers conversation starts at the 25:30 mark in the embed below.)

Last year's contest in Iowa City ended unceremoniously when a game-winning punt return from the Hawkeyes was ruled back after an invalid fair catch signal was called on punt returner Cooper DeJean. Fleck was asked if the late-game controversy adds a wrinkle to this year's game.

"No, not at all," Fleck said. "We were 1-0 last year, that was it. You know me, I don't carry things over from one year to the next. That game was its own entity, that game had its own 60 minutes for both teams to have a chance to go and win the football game. We were able to bring Floyd home."

The Gophers opened as 2.5-point underdogs for this year's game. Both teams enter the week 2-1 on the season, with home losses to major non-conference opponents. Fleck is 1-6 all-time against Kirk Ferentz and 0-4 at home. Saturday will be a great opportunity for Minnesota to start Big Ten play with a marquee victory.