The 1949 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

1949 Big Nine Conference football season The 1949 Big Nine Conference football season was the 54th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference, Big Nine Conference (also known as the Western Conference and the Big Ten Conference) and was a part of th ...

. In their 15th year under head coach

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 ...

, the Golden Gophers compiled a 7–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 231 to 80. Tackle

Leo Nomellini Leo Joseph Nomellini (June 19, 1924 – October 17, 2000) was an Italian- American Hall of Fame American football offensive and defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers and professional wrestler. He played college football for Minnesota and ...

was named an All-American by

Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of fo ...

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. new ...

(AP), Look Magazine, and the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA). Center Clayton Tonnemaker was named an All-American by Walter Camp Football Foundation, AP,

Collier's ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened in 1905 to ''Coll ...

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 ...

, Look Magazine,

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

and the AFCA. Nomellini, Tonnemaker and end

Bud Grant Harry Peter "Bud" Grant Jr. (born May 20, 1927) is a former head coach and player of American football, Canadian football, and a former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Grant served as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings ...

were named All-Big Ten first team. Guard John Lundin was named All-Big Ten second team. Bud Grant, end, and John Lundin, guard, were awarded the Team MVP Awards. Total attendance for the season was 305,200, which averaged to 61,040. The season high for attendance was against

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

Schedule

Rankings

Roster

Dick Anonsen, QB Jim Malosky, QB Billy Bye, LHB

Dick Gregory Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights leader, business owner and entrepreneur, and vegetarian activist. His writings were best sellers. Gregory became popular among the Afric ...

, LHB George Hudak, LHB Ralph McAlister, RHB Dale Warner, RHB Dick Moy, RHB Frank Kuzma, FB Ken Beiersdorf, FB

, E

Gordy Soltau Gordon Leroy Soltau (born January 25, 1925, in Duluth, Minnesota) was a wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers. His all around athletic versatility was developed as a youth growing up in D ...

, E Clayton Tonnemaker, C Jerry Ekberg, T

, T/G Gene Fritz, G Johnny Lundin, GBob Hefty, United Press, Logansport Pharos Tribune (Logansport, Indiana) September 15, 1949, page 16.

Cal Stoll Calvin C. Stoll (December 12, 1923 – August 25, 2000) was an American football player and coach. He played Defensive End for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 1948 and 1949 seasons. Before graduating from Minnesota in June 1950, Stoll was nam ...

, E Russell James Reed, G

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 t ...

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 ince ...