1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

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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

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]

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 20NorthwesterndaggerNo. 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
  • daggerHomecoming
  • 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 Open access icon.
  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 Open access icon.
  6. ^ Johnson, Charles (October 14, 1945). "Gophers Win (continued)". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. 22. Retrieved March 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  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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