A brief look back at Minnesota vs USC

[MinnMarchDTF]

Since I'm a guy who enjoys some sports history, here's some stuff I dug up about how the gophers of yore fared against the Men of Troy. Since 1945, Minnesota has played USC 6 times and have a 1-4-1 record against the Trojans. The last time they met was September 27, 1980, at Memorial Stadium. The Trojans won 24-7. In 1979, the gophers traveled to LA to take on the top ranked Trojans and lost 14-48. 11 years prior, the Trojans entered Memorial Stadium to fight the 16th ranked gophers and upset the maroon and gold 29-20. The only tie in the series occurred in 1965 in Los Angeles, where the 7th ranked Trojans and gophers fought to a 20-20 score. The solo gopher win in this series occurred in 1955 on October 29 in Memorial Stadium. The Gophers defeated the 10th ranked Trojans 25-19. 2 years prior in LA, the first meeting resulted in a 17-7 win for the 8th ranked Trojans.

 

[gopher71runner]

Had the pleasure to attend the '79 game at the Colosseum and the '68 game at the brick house. Fun to watch even though the end results were less than satisfying.

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

I was a child in '55 and sat through a blizzard to see the Gophers win, led by QB Don Swanson. USC had an All-American in their backfield, Jon Arnett, and he seemed very unhappy with the weather. In '53, the Gophers outplayed 'SC in LA, but lost on fumbles and mistakes, 7-17. Paul Giel had a field day running against the Trojans and the LA Times described him as a player "who looks like a man but runs like a cat."

 

[Handsome Pete]

Since I'm a guy who enjoys some sports history, here's some stuff I dug up about how the gophers of yore fared against the Men of Troy. Since 1945, Minnesota has played USC 6 times and have a 1-4-1 record against the Trojans. The last time they met was September 27, 1980, at Memorial Stadium. The Trojans won 24-7. In 1979, the gophers traveled to LA to take on the top ranked Trojans and lost 14-48. 11 years prior, the Trojans entered Memorial Stadium to fight the 16th ranked gophers and upset the maroon and gold 29-20. The only tie in the series occurred in 1965 in Los Angeles, where the 7th ranked Trojans and gophers fought to a 20-20 score. The solo gopher win in this series occurred in 1955 on October 29 in Memorial Stadium. The Gophers defeated the 10th ranked Trojans 25-19. 2 years prior in LA, the first meeting resulted in a 17-7 win for the 8th ranked Trojans.

This is awesome- thanks.

 

[mnboiler]

Wow, so these two storied programs have never met in the Rose Bowl. To me that is amazing.

 

[grunkiejr]

I was a child in '55 and sat through a blizzard to see the Gophers win, led by QB Don Swanson. USC had an All-American in their backfield, Jon Arnett, and he seemed very unhappy with the weather. In '53, the Gophers outplayed 'SC in LA, but lost on fumbles and mistakes, 7-17. Paul Giel had a field day running against the Trojans and the LA Times described him as a player "who looks like a man but runs like a cat."

At the time the Minneapolis Tribune described that game as the worst conditions for a Gopher football game. Coming in to the game the Gopher were 1-4 and the Trojans won the Rose Bowl the previous season so it was a pretty big upset.

 

[GopherTwin]

53 Game in LA

I knew someone who attended the 53 game in LA. She said that when the USC band struck up the rouser half of the stadium stood up. She said it was quite an impressive and unexpected sight.

 

[FreakyDeke]

I'm usually pretty good at picking up sarcasm on this board, but was some intended here? We are a storied program (pre 1963ish) but we've only been to 2 Rose Bowls.

 

[mnboiler]

I'm usually pretty good at picking up sarcasm on this board, but was some intended here? We are a storied program (pre 1963ish) but we've only been to 2 Rose Bowls.

No I wasn't using sarcasm. I'm not a Gopher football histroy buff by any means, although I know that they have 6 NC's the last one dating to around 1960. I guess I figured with that many NC's a school would have to meet another storied program in the "Grand-daddy of them All" at some point. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Carlson 79]

Thanks!

Really enjoyed the posts above. Thanks to my fellow posters for sharing their memories here. This truly adds to my appreciation of this board, and also (ahem!) makes me feel I'm not the oldest guy here (I'm 52).

Go, Gophers!

 

[parkinglotgopher]

This pin is from my collection of Gopher stuff. It's the U's Homecoming pin from 1955, a game referenced above. Great slogan - and the Gophs did just that in a 25-19 win.