Events

Sophie’s Squad and Golden Gophers Tackle Mental Health Awareness

Posted on by Robert Brent
23
Oct

The University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team is a state institution. Every Fall, tens of thousands of fans gather in Huntington Bank Stadium or tune in on TV to cheer on the Gophers as they represent the state of Minnesota. While the team is a source of great pride for Minnesotans for their performance on the field, they’re also an institution in the community.

Each week, the Gopher football team partners with local nonprofits to lend support to vital missions that improve our community. On September 27th, 2025, the Gophers teamed up with Sophie’s Squad to tackle mental health awareness.

To show their support for Sophie’s Squad, the Gophers’ players wore lapel pins on their walk to Huntington Bank Stadium. Additionally, Sophie’s Squad was also on hand during the game with a booth to disperse mental health awareness resources and meet fans.


Mental Health Matters

The game allowed the organization to interface with an announced attendance of 46,234 fans in Stadium Village. Marketing Coordinator Ryan Bahl spoke about what partnering with the University means for Sophie’s Squad.

“The University of Minnesota is one of the most powerful organizations in our community when it comes to having a platform for positive change. The crowd here is one of the biggest we’ve been in front of and it was an excellent opportunity,” Bahl said. “The Gophers are a fantastic partner, it was a beautiful day and a resounding success for Sophie’s Squad.”

While the Gophers partner with all kinds of community initiatives, mental health in athletics is an issue that has long been one of importance to the University of Minnesota and their head football coach PJ Fleck. In a 2022 article with Fox 9, Fleck spoke about the importance of monitoring and being open about your mental health.

“If anybody is struggling out there, make sure you look for help. It’s OK to not to be OK. Make sure you look out there and talk to some people,” Fleck said. “I think we all need that time and space and those people to talk to, including myself. Not afraid to say that. Constantly letting them now it’s OK to not to be OK.”

Gophers Come Away with Dramatic Victory

While mental health advocacy was a key aspect of the event, Sophie’s Squad also had the opportunity to take in a fantastic game. The Gophers battled Rutgers in a crucial BIG 10 matchup. Rutgers took an early 14-0 lead before the Golden Gophers battled back to take a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

Rutgers pulled ahead early in the fourth quarter to set up a dramatic finish. As the clock wound down, Minnesota took the lead on a touchdown pass from Drake Maye. The Gophers defense held strong for a 31-28 victory to improve to 3-1 on the season at that time.

The partnership between Sophie’s Squad and the University of Minnesota highlighted the impact that can happen when athletics and advocacy come together. With thousands of fans, student-athletes, and staff uniting around the message that it’s OK to not to be OK, the day served as a powerful reminder that mental health awareness belongs everywhere, including the biggest stages in college sports.

Sophie’s Squad is proud to continue working alongside organizations like the University of Minnesota and the broader Minnesota community to make the message of mental health awareness louder than ever.

Check out our photo gallery from the exciting matchup below!

Photos by: Robert Brent and Gopher’s Football

Robert Brent