Written, Edited, Produced by Gabe Vogel
Game Day
For Gopher Football’s Week 1 matchup against Buffalo, I wanted to create a social piece that wasn’t just about that game, but about the season as a whole.
The concept started with a single theme: multiplication — the idea that “multipliers” make everyone around them better and strengthen the team as a whole.
Covering the team last year and throughout the summer, I saw this theme in action. Multiplication was already part of Row the Boat, and I had strong audio from Coach Fleck to help tell that story. What took more time was figuring out how to show it visually.
I started with what multiplication is built on — numbers.
7.
Game time: 7:00 p.m.
Game Day: 7 letters.
Seven months since the last season.
Number 7: Gousby, a key player for the Gophers.
In football, 7 means scoring.
Game time: 7:00 p.m.
Game Day: 7 letters.
Seven months since the last season.
Number 7: Gousby, a key player for the Gophers.
In football, 7 means scoring.
Prime numbers.
No common factor but 1.
Multiplied, not divided.
No common factor but 1.
Multiplied, not divided.
Bringing these pieces together helped shape a story about more than the game — it became about the season and the team’s identity. I combined visuals and sound carefully to build that connection. At a local used bookstore, I found old books about numbers — one described 7 as lucky and unalterable — and paired them with books about Gopher Football history to tie everything together.
In writing the script, I used language that reinforced the idea of multiplication — words like product and turned in — to give the piece a sense of combination and growth.
From concept to execution, this project challenged me creatively and helped me grow as a storyteller. I’m proud of how it came together and how it reflects the spirit of the team.