1977 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

1977 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record7–5 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPSteve Midboe
CaptainSteve Midboe
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 9 Michigan + 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 11 Ohio State + 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 6 – 1 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
Indiana 4 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Purdue 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Iowa 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Illinois 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1977 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Cal Stoll, the Golden Gophers compiled a 7–5 record but were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 180 to 171.[1]

Steve Midboe received the team's Most Valuable Player award. Kicker Paul Rogind and defensive tackle Steve Midboe were named All-Big Ten first team. Defensive tackle Mark Merrill, center Mark Slater and defensive back Bobby Weber were named All-Big Ten second team. Offensive lineman Dennis Fitzpatrick, offensive lineman Bryson Hollimon, defensive lineman Stan Sytsma and corner back Bob Weber were named Academic All-Big Ten.[2]

Total attendance for the season was 247,118, which averaged to 35,302. The season high for attendance was against rival Michigan.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10Western Michigan*
W 10–729,619
September 17at No. 6 Ohio State
L 7–3887,799
September 24No. 18 UCLA*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 27–1341,076
October 1Washington*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 19–1731,895
October 8at Iowa
L 6–1857,460
October 15Northwesterndagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 13–739,021
October 22No. 1 Michigan
W 16–044,165
October 29at IndianaNo. 19
L 22–3430,399
November 5Michigan State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
L 10–2930,600
November 12at Illinois
W 21–037,689
November 19Wisconsin
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)
W 13–730,742
December 22vs. Maryland
L 7–1747,000[4]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1977 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 86 Jeff Anhorn So
WR Roger Artis
QB Wendell Avery
WR 20 Elmer Bailey So
RB Marion Barber Fr
TE Glenn Bourquin So
RB Steven Breault
WR Elwin Burditte
C Chris Engel
TE Jim Fahnhorst
OT Dennis Fitzpatrick
G Thomas Fitzpatrick
G Bryson Hollimon
FB Kent Kitzmann
OT Jeff Morrow
OT Greg Murtha
WR Dana Noel Fr
G Darrell Schwen
C Mark Slater Sr
OT Martin Stein
FB Jeff Thompson
FB Garry White Fr
TE Ken Wypyszynski
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DT Alan Blanshan
S Keith Brown
LB Edward Burns
CB Ray Dilulo
S Keith Edwards
CB Kenneth Foxworth
NG Doug Friberg
CB John Hoffman
LB 84 Michael Hunt Sr
S Craig Kirtland
NG John Kuduk
CB Thomas Luckemeyer
DE 88 Mark Merrill Sr
LB Donald Meyer
DT Steve Midboe
DT James Ronan
S Brian Snyder
LB 97 Steve Stewart Sr
CB Bobby Weber
DE Desirray Williamson Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K Paul Rogind So
P J. Terrence Simmons
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

Michigan

1 234Total
Michigan 0 000 0
• Minnesota 10 303 16
Scoring summary
14:28MINNRogind 41-yard field goalMINN 3-0
18:35MINNBarber 3-yard run (Rogind kick)MINN 10-0
2MINNRogind 37-yard field goalMINN 13-0
4MINNRogind 32-yard field goalMINN 16-0

[5]

References

  1. ^ "1977 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), pp. 179–182[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Maryland wins first ever Hall of Fame". Birmingham Post-Herald. December 23, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "No. 1 Michigan Shut Out by Gophers." Palm Beach Post. 1977 Oct 23.