The Little Brown Jug has returned to Minneapolis and Golden Gopher football is beginning to create a buzz on campus. 

Coming off a 30-14 defeat of Michigan in their Big Ten opener, the Gophers - now 4-1 on the season - look poised to make some noise in the conference for the second year in a row. Led by senior running back David Cobb, Minnesota has established  one of the best run games in the country. Cobb in particular is a player to keep a close eye on, as he's currently on pace to break the school's single-season rushing record of 1,464 yards, set by Gopher great Laurence Maroney in 2005.

Now is the time to jump on the bandwagon, Gopher fans! So why should you come to home games the rest of the year? Here are five reasons why you should come  support your Golden Gophers.

1. TCF Bank Stadium

Here at the University of Minnesota, we are lucky to call one of the newest stadiums in the NCAA home. "The Bank" seats over 50,000 fans and is easily one of the nicest stadiums in the Big Ten. Conveniently located right on campus, you don’t really have an excuse not to attend the biggest party at the U on a Saturday.

2. Get Loud and Proud

One of the best parts about game day is the tailgates and the high level of school spirit. Rage your face off at your tailgate, but the party doesn’t have to stop there! Come down to the stadium with your fellow Gophers and blow off some steam! Get dressed up in your game day bibs, paint your face, and rock the Golden Gopher look for a Saturday afternoon. Be proud of the University you attend and be loud about it at the game. I mean, are you really a Gopher if you haven’t chanted M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A after a touchdown or started a "Who Hates Iowa!" chant? 

3. We Are Good

Wait, what did he say? The Gophers are good this year and aren’t going to break our hearts? Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The Gophers are going to win games this year and have a legitimate shot at winning its first Big Ten title since 1967. 

Our only loss of the year thus far is to ninth-ranked TCU (a 30-7 setback in which we did not play well at all). The Gophers have a solid defense despite some injuries up front, and the aforementioned run game has looked better than it ever has since the days of Maroney and Marion Barber. The Big Ten is really up for grabs this year with no clear favorites especially in the West.

Minnesota games are a lot of fun especially when we are winning a lot! So come to the home games and watch them win, maybe you’ll even get to storm the field like last year. 

4. Getting Tickets is Cheap and Easy

The tickets for Gopher football games are not that hard or expensive to get, with the exception being the homecoming game. I personally think it is worth it to just buy the season tickets; for around 100 bucks you get tickets relatively cheap and don’t have to go through the hassle of finding them before the game. Although if you forgot to buy yours, post on your chapter’s Facebook page and see if any of the freshmen aren’t using theirs that weekend. Easy way to get a ticket! 

Next option: buy one ahead of time online because the big games are going to fill up fast. Tickets usually aren’t that expensive, typically costing anywhere from $10-$30 dollars - not bad for an afternoon of football fun!

5. Greek Community

The Greek community has always been big supporters of Gopher athletics, and a Greek student section could possibly be a thing next year - which would be awesome! Chances are you know someone in your chapter or in the community who is going to the game. No excuse to say you didn’t have anyone to go with. 

Also it is a great chance to bond with your brothers  or sisters over a Gopher win. The atmosphere of game day at the Bank promotes that strong brotherhood/sisterhood bond we all joined our chapters for. Show off that Gopher pride, Greeks! 

There are a number of other reasons I could go into about why Gopher games are awesome: the band, dance team, cheerleaders, food, etc. I will let you experience those for yourself though. Most members of the Greek community tailgates on game day, but don’t sell your Game Day experience short by not showing up for the actual game. Come watch the Gophers take the Big Ten this season and experience all the fun that comes with attending a game!