Wikipedia

1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1945 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 11th non-consecutive year under head coach Bernie Bierman (Bierman was not Minnesota's coach from 1942 to 1944), the Golden Gophers compiled a 4–5 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 177 to 55.[1]

1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–5 (1–5 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPBob Fitch
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1944
1946 →
1945 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Indiana $ 5 – 0 – 1 9 – 0 – 1
No. 6 Michigan 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
No. 12 Ohio State 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Northwestern 3 – 3 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Purdue 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Wisconsin 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 2
Illinois 1 – 4 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Minnesota 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Iowa 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Tackle Bob Fitch was awarded the team's MVP award.[2]

Total attendance for the season was 246,931, which averaged to 41,155. The season high for attendance was against Ohio State.[3]

Schedule edit

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 22Missouri*
W 34–034,246
October 6at Nebraska*
W 61–725,000
October 132:00 p.m.Fort Warren*No. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 14–032,465[4][5][6]
October 20Northwestern No. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 30–755,940
October 27No. 12 Ohio StateNo. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
L 7–2056,000
November 3at No. 10 MichiganNo. 16
L 0–2684,472
November 10No. 6 IndianaNo. 20
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
L 0–4941,400
November 17at Iowa
L 19–2013,880
November 24Wisconsin
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)
L 12–2634,800
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Rankings edit

See also: 1945 NCAA football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked ( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll12345678Final
AP5 (2)55 (1)1620————

Game summaries edit

Michigan edit

Week 7: Minnesota at Michigan
1 234Total
Minnesota 0 000 0
• Michigan 7 0019 26

On November 3, 1945, Minnesota lost to Michigan by a 26 to 0 score. Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Yerges (short run in the first quarter), fullback Jack Weisenburger (13-yard run in fourth quarter), and halfbacks Wally Teninga and Warren Bentz (12-yard pass from Don Robinson). Bob Callahan kicked two points after touchdown. Michigan gained 261 rushing yards and 131 passing yards in the game.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 181[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Fort Warren Hopes For Upset Today". The St. Cloud Daily Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota. Associated Press. October 13, 1945. p. 7. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  5. ^ Johnson, Charles (October 14, 1945). "Gophers Tip Startling Ft. Warren, 14-0". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 21. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  6. ^ Johnson, Charles (October 14, 1945). "Gophers Win (continued)". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 22. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  7. ^ a b Edward Burns (November 4, 1945). "Michigan Crushes Minnesota, 26 to 0; Scores 3 Times in 4th". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.
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