1944 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1944 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1944 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third year under head coach George Hauser, the Golden Gophers compiled a 5–3–1 record but were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 225 to 162.[1]

1944 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
1944 record5–3–1 (3–2–1 Big Ten)
Head coachGeorge Hauser (3rd season)
MVPJohn Lundquist
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1944 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 2 Ohio State $ 6 –0 –0  9 –0 –0
No. 8 Michigan 5 –2 –0  8 –2 –0
Purdue 4 –2 –0  5 –5 –0
Minnesota 3 –2 –1  5 –3 –1
Indiana 4 –3 –0  7 –3 –0
No. 15 Illinois 3 –3 –0  5 –4 –1
Wisconsin 2 –4 –0  3 –6 –0
Northwestern 0 –5 –1  1 –7 –1
Iowa 0 –6 –0  1 –7 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

No players were awarded any major awards, All-American status or All-Big Ten status.[2][3][4] Back John Lundquist was awarded the Team MVP Award.[5]

Total attendance for the season was 179,979, which averaged to 29,997. The season high for attendance was against Northwestern.[6]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendance
September 23Iowa Pre-Flight*
L 13–1931,687
September 30Nebraska*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis (rivalry)
W 39–021,876
October 7Michigan
L 13–2837,256
October 14Missouri*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis
W 39–2724,207
October 28at No. 4 Ohio State
L 14–3443,563
November 4Northwestern
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis
T 14–1446,482
November 11Indiana
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis
W 19–1430,254
November 18at Iowa
W 46–011,200
November 25at Wisconsin
W 28–2630,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Michigan
Week 4: Michigan at Minnesota
1 234Total
• Michigan 0 7714 28
Minnesota 0 067 13

On October 7, 1944, Minnesota lost to Michigan by a 28 to 13 score at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis. The outcome was the first victory by a Michigan team playing on the road against Minnesota since 1932. Michigan fullback Bob Wiese scored three touchdowns. Bill Culligan scored Michigan's first touchdown, and Joe Ponsetto kicked all four points after touchdown. In the first quarter, Michigan stopped two Minnesota drives inside the Michigan 10-yard line. Michigan gained all of its yards from scrimmage on the ground, attempting only one pass, and finishing the game with 265 net rushing yards. Minnesota gained 119 yards rushing and 81 passing yards.[7][8]

gollark: Why the border?
gollark: What *is* that font?
gollark: ... why does it have "NEVER SETTLE" in the corner?
gollark: Exactly! I've made you just treat this all as a convoluted joke and *ignore my alts*!
gollark: But they *do*, a bit, and by making it seem like a joke I discredit the very idea.

References
  1. "1944 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. 179
  3. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 180
  4. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 182
  5. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 181
  6. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160
  7. Arch Ward (October 1, 1944). "Wolverines Gain First Triumph at Minnesota in 12 Years, 28-13". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.
  8. "Michigan Defeats Minnesota, 28 to 13; Fullback Wiese Races Across Gophers' Goal Line Thrice on Minneapolis Gridiron; 40,052 See Stirring Game; Wolverines Twice Halt Rivals on 1-Yard Stripe -- Fumbles Costly to Both Teams". The New York Times. UP. October 1, 1944.
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