The 1943 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
in the
1943 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1943 Big Ten Conference football season was the 48th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1943 college football season.
The 1943 Purdue ...
. In their second year under head coach
George Hauser
George Wesley Hauser (February 24, 1893 – November 8, 1968) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Colgate University from 1926 until 1927 and at the University of Minnesota from 1942 to 1944, compili ...
, the Golden Gophers compiled a 5–4 record but were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 184 to 170.
Fullback Bill Daley and end Herb Hein were named All-Americans by the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
. Daley was also named an All-American by
Collier's/
Grantland Rice
Henry Grantland "Granny" Rice (November 1, 1880July 13, 1954) was an early 20th-century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.
Early years
Rice wa ...
.
Tackle
Paul Mitchell was named All-Big Ten first team.
Paul Mitchell was awarded the Team MVP Award.
In the final
Litkenhous Ratings The Litkenhous Difference by Score Ratings system was a mathematical system used to rank football and basketball teams. The Litrating system was developed by Vanderbilt University professor Edward E. Litkenhous (1907 – December 22, 1984) and his b ...
, Minnesota ranked 21st among the nation's college and service teams with a rating of 96.4.
Total attendance for the season was 182,779, which averaged to 26,111. The season high for attendance was against
Purdue.
Schedule
Game summaries
Michigan
On October 23, 1942, Minnesota played Michigan in the annual
Little Brown Jug game. The Wolverines had lost nine straight games to
Bernie Bierman
Bernard W. Bierman (March 11, 1894 – March 7, 1977) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. He coached from 1919 to 1950 except for a span during World War II when he served in the U.S. armed forces. Bierman was t ...
's Minnesota teams, the last Michigan victory having been in 1932.
Michigan defeated Minnesota by a score of 49 to 6 in front of a crowd of 45,000 spectators at
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third largest stadium in the world, and the ...
. The 43-point margin made it the worst defeat sustained by a Minnesota team to that point in the program's history.
[ On the first play from scrimmage, ]Elroy Hirsch
Elroy Leon "Crazylegs" Hirsch (June 17, 1923 – January 28, 2004) was an American professional football player, sport executive and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1 ...
ran 61 yards on a reverse around right end for a touchdown. Hirsch scored a total of three touchdowns and also intercepted a Minnesota pass to stop a drive in the fourth quarter. Bill Daley, the V-12 transfer who played for Minnesota in 1942, became the first player to play for both sides in Little Brown Jug games.[ Prior to the game, the ''Chicago Daily Tribune'' referred to Daley as "the Gophers' war time gift to their football foes."][
Minnesota's only touchdown was set up by an interception of a pass thrown by ]Jack Wink
Jack S. Wink (August 3, 1922 – September 16, 1995) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1942, 1946–1947) and University of Michigan (1943). He served in the United Stat ...
. The interception was returned to Michigan's 15-yard line, and Frank Loren scored the touchdown late in the second quarter. Bob Wiese blocked Minnesota's extra point kick. In the fourth quarter, Wink threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Farnham Johnson. Bob Nussbaumer
Robert John Nussbaumer (April 23, 1924 – July 26, 1997) was an American football halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, and the Chicago Cardinals. He played college football at t ...
also scored a touchdown for Michigan. Merv Pregulman
Mervin Pregulman (October 10, 1922 – November 30, 2012) was an All-American football player, businessman, and philanthropist. He played football as a tackle and center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1941 to 1943 and was se ...
added four extra points. Michigan dominated the game with 230 rushing yards and 128 passing yards, while holding Minnesota to 60 rushing yards and 14 passing yards.
References
{{Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
Minnesota Golden Gophers football seasons
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represents the University of Minnesota in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Founded in 1882, Minnesota has been a member of the Big Ten Conference since its incept ...