1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
National champion (eight selectors)
Big Ten champion
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record8–0 (5–0 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSingle-wing
MVPPug Lund
CaptainPug Lund
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1933
1935 →
1934 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Minnesota $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 0
No. 9 Ohio State 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
No. 6 Illinois 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Purdue 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Wisconsin 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Chicago 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Indiana 1 – 3 – 1 3 – 3 – 2
Iowa 1 – 3 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Michigan 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press

The 1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1934 college football season. In their third year under head coach Bernie Bierman, the Golden Gophers compiled an undefeated 8–0 record, shut out four opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 270 to 38.[1]

The team was named national champion by eight NCAA-designated major selectors in Billingsley, Boand, Dickinson, College Football Researchers Association, Helms, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, and Sagarin),[2] with Alabama also receiving recognition.

Halfback Pug Lund was selected for the team's Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive year.[3] Lund also received Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the most valuable player of the Big Ten,[4] and was named an All-American by the AP, Collier's Weekly/Grantland Rice, Liberty, Walter Camp Football Foundation and Look Magazine.[5]

End Frank Larson was named an All-American by the Associated Press (AP), Collier's Weekly/Grantland Rice and Look Magazine.[5] Guard Bill Bevan was named an All-American by Collier's Weekly/Grantland Rice, Liberty and Look Magazine.[5] End Bob Tenner was named an All-American by the United Press International.[5] Tackle Phil Bengtson, Bevan, Larson, Lund, Tenner, and tackle Ed Widseth were named All-Big Ten.[4]

Total attendance for the season was 192,922, which averaged to 38,584. The season high for attendance was against rival Michigan.[6]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29North Dakota Agricultural*
W 56–1225,000–26,544[7]
October 6Nebraska*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)
W 20–038,000[8]
October 20at Pittsburgh*
W 13–764,850–65,000[9]
October 27at Iowa
W 48–1253,000
November 3Michigandagger
W 34–059,362[10]
November 10Indiana
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 30–028,100
November 17Chicago
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 35–746,000
November 24at Wisconsin
W 34–038,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Roster

References

  1. ^ "1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 112. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  3. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 181[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 180[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ a b c d Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 179[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Gophers crush North Dakota State, 56–12". The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. September 30, 1934. Retrieved October 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ McBride, Gregg (November 6, 1934). "Saturday Turnout is Likely Top Previous Mark at Nebraska U." The Lincoln Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. p. 8. Retrieved March 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Harry Keck (November 4, 1934). "Long Gallops Feature Win of Panthers". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. p. Part 2-2. Retrieved February 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Tod Rockwell (November 4, 1934). "Lund Rallies Gophers and They Down Michigan, 34 to 0: Herd Is Held Scoreless at Half, Then Gallops". Detroit Free Press. pp. Sports 1, 4 – via Newspapers.com.