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 | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
1945 record | 4–5 (1–5 Big Ten) |
Head coach | Bernie Bierman (11th season) |
MVP | Bob Fitch |
Captain | Game captains |
Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
1945 Big Ten Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 22 | Missouri* | W 34–0 | 34,246 | ||
October 6 | at Nebraska* | W 61–7 | 25,000 | ||
October 13 | Fort Warren* | No. 5 |
| W 14–0 | 32,465 |
October 20 | Northwestern | No. 5 |
| W 30–7 | 55,940 |
October 27 | No. 12 Ohio State | No. 5 |
| L 7–20 | 56,000 |
November 3 | at No. 10 Michigan | No. 16 | L 0–26 | 84,472 | |
November 10 | No. 6 Indiana | No. 20 |
| L 0–49 | 41,400 |
November 17 | at Iowa |
| L 19–20 | 13,880 | |
November 24 | Wisconsin |
| L 12–26 | 34,800 | |
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Game summaries
Michigan
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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.[4]
References
- "1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
- Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 181
- Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160
- Edward Burns (November 4, 1945). "Michigan Crushes Minnesota, 26 to 0; Scores 3 Times in 4th". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.