After the eventful Trent Tucker charity poker tournament we took a break from poker this past weekend to enjoy our other favorite pastime, college football. Since moving to Minnesota it hasn’t been easy for this USC alum to follow his alma mater, so we were pumped up to see USC sign up for a home and home with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Friday night marked the start of the football weekend, as the Twin Cities chapter of the USC Alumni Association hosted an amazing get-together at Stellas in Uptown Minneapolis. The roof top views were spectacular, and the appetizers were delicious, especially the tenderloins.

The setting for the game, TCF Bank Stadium, was beautiful, and the weather cooperated when the skies clearrf up just in time for kickoff. There’s nothing like the campus atmosphere before a college football game in fall.

As for the game itself, USC overcame a penalty-filled first half and a 14-13 deficit to grind out a 32-21 win. The turning point of the game came when freshman Robert Woods followed a Gopher touchdown with 97 yards kickoff return midway through the 3rd quarter. The Trojans regained the momentum and never looked back, using an impressive ground game to close out the Gophers.

The football weekend closed out on a fitting note with another alumni gathering after the game, this time at Smalleys 87 Club in downtown Minneapolis. More good food (huge portions!) and even better company. The highlight of the night had to be when we took over the bar with a raucous round of Fight On! and a spirited SoCal spellout. Some folks at the table behind us were annoyed but I told them to take it up with the owner – yep, that Roy Smalley, hometown World Series champ and oh, by the way, a USC alum.

Fight on!

The perfect weekend continues. First the final table at the Trent Tucker Charity Poker Tournament last night, and tonight is the USC alumni get together at Stellas in Minneapolis.

If you're in the area, stop by and say hi! Fight On!