1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football Big Ten Conference Big Ten 1 8–0 5–0 Bernie Bierman 10th Single-wing Bob Sweiger Bruce Smith Memorial Stadium AP Poll national championBig Ten champion The 1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1941 Big Ten Conference football season. In their tenth year under head coach Bernie Bierman, the Golden Gophers compiled an undefeated 8–0 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 186 to 38.1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 1, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/minnesota/1941-schedule.html The team's national championship run in the days before the attack on Pearl Harbor was chronicled in journalist Danny Spewak's book, "From the Gridiron to the Battlefield: Minnesota's March to a College Football Title and into World War II," published in 2021 by Rowman & Littlefield.Danny Spewak https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538157626/From-the-Gridiron-to-the-Battlefield-Minnesota%27s-March-to-a-College-Football-Title-and-into-World-War-II From the Gridiron to the Battlefield: Minnesota's March to a College Football Title and into World War II 9781538157626 Rowman.com 2021 2022-06-04 September 28, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220928221726/https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538157626/From-the-Gridiron-to-the-Battlefield-Minnesota%27s-March-to-a-College-Football-Title-and-into-World-War-II dead The team was selected national champion by eleven NCAA-designated major selectors in Associated Press, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELO-Chess).http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2018 December 11, 2018112 Halfback Bruce Smith was named an All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, INS, Time-Life, United Press (UP), Associated Press (AP) and Look Magazine. Smith was also awarded the Heisman Trophy, the only Golden Gopher to win the award. Keiser Jeff 2007 Media Guide 182 2007 http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 March 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Tackle Dick Wildung was named an All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, INS, Time Life, AP and UPI. Keiser Jeff 2007 Media Guide 179 2007 http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 March 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Wildung, Smith, halfback Bill Daley, end Bob Fitch and guard Len Levy were named All-Big Ten. Keiser Jeff 2007 Media Guide 180 2007 http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 March 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Back Bob Sweiger was awarded the team most valuable player award. Keiser Jeff 2007 Media Guide 181 2007 http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 March 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Total attendance for the season was 239,227, which averaged to 47,845. The season high for attendance was against Northwestern. Keiser Jeff 2007 Media Guide 160 2007 http://www.gophersports.com//pdf3/80498.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 July 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Schedule 1941 AP September 27 w y y Washington Husky Stadium Seattle, WA 14–6 43,000 Smith and Daley Star as Gophers Rip Huskies, 14–6: Halfback Scoots to 2 Scores Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson September 28, 1941 Sports 1–2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35795762/gophers_rip_huskies_146_halfback/ Newspapers.com October 11 w Illinois Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 34–6 50,435 Gophers Crush Illini, 34–6: Minnesota Tallies 4 Times in First Half Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson October 12, 1941 Sports 1–2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35795890/gophers_crush_illini_346_minnesota/ Newspapers.com October 18 w y 1 Pittsburgh Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 39–0 35,000 Gophers Pound Pitt, 39–0: Higgins Is Sensation in Victory Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson October 19, 1941 Sports 1–2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35795996/gophers_pound_pitt_390_higgins_is/ Newspapers.com October 25 w y 1 Michigan 3 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI Little Brown Jug 7–0 85,753 Minnesota Edges Out Michigan on Second-Period Score, 7 to 0, as Crowd of 85,753 Looks On Detroit Free Press John N. Sabo October 26, 1941 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35796134/minnesota_edges_out_michigan_on/ Newspapers.com November 1 w y 1 Northwestern 9 Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 8–7 64,464 Gophers Cage Wildcats, 8–7 Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson November 2, 1941 Sports 1, 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35796256/gophers_cage_wildcats_87/ Newspapers.com November 8 w y 2 Nebraska Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN rivalry 9–0 42,893 Gophers Held To 9–0 Win Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson November 9, 1941 Sports 1–2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35796433/gophers_held_to_90_win/ November 15 w y 1 Iowa Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA rivalry 34–13 43,200 Minnesota Mauls Iowa, 34–13 The Des Moines Register Bert McGrane November 16, 1941 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35796746/minnesota_mauls_iowa_3413/ Newspapers.com November 22 w 1 Wisconsin Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN rivalry 41–6 52,984 Gophers Tip Badgers, 41–6, Win Big Ten, U.S. Titles: Smith Heroic in Last Game Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal Charles Johnson November 23, 1941 Sports 1–2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35796897/gophers_tip_badgers_416_win_big_ten/ Newspapers.com Rankings 1941 college football rankings AP 1 8 1 (66) 1 (69) 1т (60) 2 (34.5) 1 (99) 1 (112) 1 (95) 1 (84.5) Game summaries Michigan Week 5: Minnesota at Michigan Minnesota Michigan 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 October 25, 1941 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan 85,753 Frank Birch (Earlham) On October 25, 1941, Minnesota, ranked #1 in the AP Poll, played Michigan, ranked #3 in the country. Minnesota won the game by a 7 to 0 score on a five-yard touchdown run by halfback Herman Frickey in the second quarter. The touchdown was set up by a 78-yard punt and a 43-yard pass, both by 1941 Heisman Trophy winner Bruce Smith. Minnesota gained 179 rushing yards in the game, while Michigan tallied 135 rushing yards. In the fourth quarter, Michigan twice drove deep into Minnesota territory, but both drives ended with pass interceptions by Minnesota's quarterback Bill Garnaas. The loss was the eighth in a row for the Wolverines against the Golden Gophers. The crowd of 85,753 at Michigan Stadium was the largest to that date to see a football game between two Big Ten Conference teams.Minnesota Bears Michigan, 7–0: Gophers Score Touchdown in Second Period; 85,753 See Losers' Line Outplayed Arch Ward Arch Ward Chicago Tribune October 26, 1941 2–1 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1941/10/26/page/23/article/minnesota-beats-michigan-7-0-n-u-wins85,753 See Gophers; Bruce Smith Hurt After Punting 78 Yards and Hurling Pass for 43 Allison Danzig The New York Times October 26, 1941 https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/26/archives/85753-see-gophers-bruce-smith-hurt-after-punting-78-yards-and.html References Minnesota Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Minnesota Golden Gophers football