ANNUAL GOPHERHOLE PICTORIAL COUNTDOWN TO GOPHERS SEASON OPENER!!

[Eastside Forever]

They say Bruce Smith was pretty good, too.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

They say Bruce Smith was pretty good, too.

Indeed

 

[Eastside Forever]

#54 Bruce Smith is the Golden Gopher's only Heisman Trophy winner, to this point. Paul Giel was runner up to USC Frank Gifford in the early 50s. Jersey #54 was RETIRED in 1977 to recognize Smith's achievement.

 

[IceBoxGopher]

Smith:
2x National Champion, 2x Big Ten Champion, All-American, All-Big Ten, Heisman Trophy Winner, College Football HOF.

 

[Eastside Forever]

Smith:
2x National Champion, 2x Big Ten Champion, All-American, All-Big Ten, Heisman Trophy Winner, College Football HOF.
View attachment 37675

From Faribault Minnesota.

 

[Married@SiebertField]

55!

Tony Dungy threw a 55-yard touchdown pass for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1974. The recipient of the pass was Rick Upchurch.
This was the longest passing play of the year for the Golden Gophers in 1974. Dungy played quarterback for Minnesota from 1973 to 1976 and set school records for passing yards and touchdown passes during his career.

If you are wondering what game that took place, so am I. I can find evidence of the play on the UofM archive website, but didn't find box scores to confirm which game that took place.

I did learn a lot about the 1974 Gopher football team during my browsing though. Despite having household names Tony Dungy and Rick Upchurch, the Gophers went 4-7 (2-6 in the B1G) under Cal Stoll that season and Dungy did not complete 50% of his passes.
For the season, Dungy went 39 for 94 with a total of 612 passing yards with 5 TD's and 7 interceptions. Pedestrian, in nearly any college football era. 1975 would be a much better year for Dungy passing the ball.

G	Date	Day	School		Opponent	Conf		Pts	Opp	W	L	T	Streak	Notes
1	Sep 14, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		(4) Ohio State	Big Ten	L	19	34	0	1	0	L 1
2	Sep 21, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		North Dakota	Non-Major	W	42	30	1	1	0	W 1
3	Sep 28, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		Texas Christian	SWC	W	9	7	2	1	0	W 2
4	Oct 5, 1974	Sat	Minnesota	@	(6) Nebraska	Big 8	L	0	54	2	2	0	L 1
5	Oct 12, 1974	Sat	Minnesota	@	Indiana	Big Ten	L	3	34	2	3	0	L 2
6	Oct 19, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		Iowa	Big Ten	W	23	17	3	3	0	W 1
7	Oct 26, 1974	Sat	Minnesota	@	(3) Michigan	Big Ten	L	0	49	3	4	0	L 1
8	Nov 2, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		Northwestern	Big Ten	L	13	21	3	5	0	L 2
9	Nov 9, 1974	Sat	Minnesota	@	Purdue	Big Ten	W	24	20	4	5	0	W 1
10	Nov 16, 1974	Sat	Minnesota		Illinois	Big Ten	L	14	17	4	6	0	L 1
11	Nov 23, 1974	Sat	Minnesota	@	Wisconsin	Big Ten	L	14	49	4	7	0	L 2

On the opening play of the Iowa game Upchurch scored on an 86 yard run—if memory serves.

 

[Married@SiebertField]

From Faribault Minnesota.

His father Lucius Smith was a legendary attorney who practiced law into his late 90s. As a young man, Lucius was the Rice County Attorney. Lucius was a Gopher football player and the story goes one of his teams lost an excruciating game to Michigan & Lucius vowed he would raise a son who would play for Minnesota and beat Michigan every time—which Bruce’s 1939-1941 teams accomplished.