Nebraska’s sellout streak has spent the last several years hanging around the conversation like a familiar warning sign. Once upon a time, there was no real doubt it would keep rolling forever. But a bowl drought that lasted a decade, followed by two straight bowl seasons that never really sparked, has turned the streak into a yearly stress test.
Even so, the Huskers can at least say this much: it could be worse.
Nebraska has already leaned on some creative ticketing this summer to keep the streak intact, including a package that sold all three non-conference games for $100. That kind of move signals urgency, no doubt. But it still doesn’t reach the level of desperation Minnesota just put on display.
The Golden Gophers posted a promotion tied to Red Baron frozen pizzas, offering a limited supply of tickets for games against Eastern Illinois on 9/3, Akron on 9/19, and Northwestern on 11/21. The deal was simple: buy three Red Baron pizzas, and you “win” two free tickets to one of those games, while supplies last.
Thanks to our friends Red Baron, a limited supply of tickets can now be redeemed for the Gopher Football games vs Eastern Illinois on 9/3, Akron on 9/19, and Northwestern on 11/21.
When you buy 3 Red Baron® pizzas you win 2 free tickets to the game, while supplies last!
🍕🎟️:… pic.twitter.com/F5SdjSU8pD
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (@GopherSports) August 20, 2026
The wildest part isn’t just that Minnesota is pushing hard to fill seats. It’s the shape of the offer itself.
Two of the games are soft non-conference matchups, sure, but the third is Northwestern, the final home game of the season and a Big Ten opponent. That’s the one tucked into a pizza giveaway.
So while Nebraska’s sellout streak has been forced into some uncomfortable territory, it still doesn’t look quite like this. It’s hard to picture the Huskers ever needing to hand out Black Friday tickets against Iowa, or whoever ends up as the final visitor to Memorial Stadium, with a grocery-store promotion.
And the odd part is that Minnesota isn’t exactly a program in free fall. PJ Fleck has kept the Gophers winning consistently since arriving in Minneapolis. He’s regularly handled rivals like Nebraska, and Minnesota is coming off a 9-5 season.
That’s what makes the promotion stand out. It leaves the obvious question hanging: are Gophers fans that spoiled, or is November just that rough that the program has to practically beg people to show up for a game that could even matter in a College Football Playoff push?
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