THIS DAY IN GOPHER HISTORY

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10/28/61- #6 Minnesota 23 Michigan 20
Gophers rally from 20-8 4th quarter deficit. Down 2015, they are stopped at Michigan 2-yard line with 3:00 left. On the next play, however, a Michigan running back, who will go on to a 9-year career as a Chicago Bear cornerback, fumbles. It is recovered by a player from western PA who came to Minnesota with Sandy Stephens and he scores the winning touchdown on 4th down. Can you name these two players? BENNIE MCRAE and JUDGE DICKSON

10/29/55 Minnesota 25 #10 USC 19
Gophers benefit from an early blizzard to take down the Trojans. A flashy back who will go on to be a 5-time Pro Bowler with the Rams manages just 38 rushing yards while a Minnesota fullback from Detroit Lakes mushes ahead for 104 yards. He will also provide the winning points with late field goals in 1956 wins over Pitt and Illinois. Can you name these two players? JON ARNETT and DICK BORSTAD

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7
Gophers get a rushing touchdown from a back from Thief River Falls and Anoka High Schools. He was a 2-time Gopher MVP and a long-time teacher and coach in Twin Cities high schools. Sadly, at age 82 he drowned in Bay Lake, near Brainerd. Also, a safety is recorded by a College Football Hall of Famer from tiny Ogilvie, MN who would go on to play 5 years with the Packers. Can you name these two players? BILLY BYE and CLAYTON TONNEMAKER

10/31/09 Minnesota 42 Michigan State 34
Adam Weber has a career game, passing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns while outdueling Kirk Cousins. The last Gopher score comes on a play where a pass is thrown downfield and over the middle to a tight end. He takes a tremendous hit and the ball ricochets directly to Duane Bennett who secures the ball and goes on to complete a 59-yard play with 6:04 left. Can you name him? NICK TOW-ARNETT

11/1/03 Minnesota 55 Indiana 7
Gophers open the scoring when a safety from Waupaca, WI scoops up a fumble and runs it in from 23 yards out. He has a distinctly Polish surname. Can you name him? JOHN PAWIELSKI

11/2/13 Minnesota 42 at Indiana 39
Gophers go up 42-39 on a 50-yard pass play from Phillip Nelson to Maxx Williams with 3:00 left but Indiana quickly moves downfield. At the Gopher 8-yard line, the Hoosiers try a swing pass which is actually a lateral. Only one player seems to recognize that the ball is live and this Gopher linebacker returns it to the Minnesota 40-yard line, where the clock is run out. Can you name him? AARON HILL

11/3/90 Minnesota 21 at Wisconsin 3
A running back from Little Canada has a 9-yard scoring run. His main value, however, was as a receiver. He is #9 all-time for Minnesota with 132 career catches. Can you name him? CHUCK RIOS
 
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10/28/61- #6 Minnesota 23 Michigan 20
Gophers rally from 20-8 4th quarter deficit. Down 2015, they are stopped at Michigan 2-yard line with 3:00 left. On the next play, however, a Michigan running back, who will go on to a 9-year career as a Chicago Bear cornerback, fumbles. It is recovered by a player from western PA who came to Minnesota with Sandy Stephens and he scores the winning touchdown on 4th down. Can you name these two players?

10/29/55 Minnesota 25 #10 USC 19
Gophers benefit from an early blizzard to take down the Trojans. A flashy back who will go on to be a 5-time Pro Bowler with the Rams manages just 38 rushing yards while a Minnesota fullback from Detroit Lakes mushes ahead for 104 yards. Can you name these two players?

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7
Gophers get a rushing touchdown from a back from Thief River Falls and Anoka High Schools. He was a 2-time Gopher MVP and a long-time teacher and coach in Twin Cities high schools. Sadly, at age 82 he drowned in Bay Lake, near Brainerd. Also, a safety is recorded by a College Football Hall of Famer from tiny Ogilvie, MN who would go on to play 5 years with the Packers. Can you name these two players?

10/31/09 Minnesota 42 Michigan State 34
Adam Weber has a career game, passing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns while outdueling Kirk Cousins. The last Gopher score comes on a play where a pass is thrown downfield and over the middle to a tight end. He takes a tremendous hit and the ball ricochets directly to Duane Bennett who secures the ball and goes on to complete a 59-yard play with 6:04 left. Can you name him?

11/1/03 Minnesota 55 Indiana 7
Gophers open the scoring when a safety from Waupaca, WI scoops up a fumble and runs it in from 23 yards out. He has a distinctly Polish surname. Can you name him?

11/2/13 Minnesota 42 at Indiana 39
Gophers go up 42-39 on a 50-yard pass play from Phillip Nelson to Maxx Williams with 3:00 left but Indiana quickly moves downfield. At the Gopher 8-yard line, the Hoosiers try a swing pass which is actually a lateral. Only one player seems to recognize that the ball is live and this Gopher linebacker returns it to the Minnesota 40-yard line, where the clock is run out. Can you name him?

11/3/90 Minnesota 21 at Wisconsin 3
A running back from Little Canada has a 9-yard scoring run. His main value, however, was as a receiver. He is #9 all-time for Minnesota with 132 career catches. Can you name him?
2013 Indiana - Aaron Hill
 


Holy shit this looks like an awesome thread! Of course I know somewhere between my ass and a hole in the ground (but not the difference between them) regarding these answers. I'm looking forward to some great stories about people that knew the people that are the answers.
Thank you for starting this.
 






10/28/61 Bennie McCray and Judge Dixon. Tom Tiegen caused the fumble. My first game seeing the Gophers play.
Thank you! It was fun to dig up the questions.
Pro-bowler for the rams who played in that 1955 game for USC was Jon Arnette (sp?) I believe.

Fullback Dick Borstad from Detroit Lakes was later an assistant coach for the 1960 Gopher NC team.
 
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10/28/61- #6 Minnesota 23 Michigan 20
Gophers rally from 20-8 4th quarter deficit. Down 2015, they are stopped at Michigan 2-yard line with 3:00 left. On the next play, however, a Michigan running back, who will go on to a 9-year career as a Chicago Bear cornerback, fumbles. It is recovered by a player from western PA who came to Minnesota with Sandy Stephens and he scores the winning touchdown on 4th down. Can you name these two players?

10/29/55 Minnesota 25 #10 USC 19
Gophers benefit from an early blizzard to take down the Trojans. A flashy back who will go on to be a 5-time Pro Bowler with the Rams manages just 38 rushing yards while a Minnesota fullback from Detroit Lakes mushes ahead for 104 yards. He will also provide the winning points with late field goals in 1956 wins over Pitt and Illinois. Can you name these two players?

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7
Gophers get a rushing touchdown from a back from Thief River Falls and Anoka High Schools. He was a 2-time Gopher MVP and a long-time teacher and coach in Twin Cities high schools. Sadly, at age 82 he drowned in Bay Lake, near Brainerd. Also, a safety is recorded by a College Football Hall of Famer from tiny Ogilvie, MN who would go on to play 5 years with the Packers. Can you name these two players?

10/31/09 Minnesota 42 Michigan State 34
Adam Weber has a career game, passing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns while outdueling Kirk Cousins. The last Gopher score comes on a play where a pass is thrown downfield and over the middle to a tight end. He takes a tremendous hit and the ball ricochets directly to Duane Bennett who secures the ball and goes on to complete a 59-yard play with 6:04 left. Can you name him?

11/1/03 Minnesota 55 Indiana 7
Gophers open the scoring when a safety from Waupaca, WI scoops up a fumble and runs it in from 23 yards out. He has a distinctly Polish surname. Can you name him?

11/2/13 Minnesota 42 at Indiana 39
Gophers go up 42-39 on a 50-yard pass play from Phillip Nelson to Maxx Williams with 3:00 left but Indiana quickly moves downfield. At the Gopher 8-yard line, the Hoosiers try a swing pass which is actually a lateral. Only one player seems to recognize that the ball is live and this Gopher linebacker returns it to the Minnesota 40-yard line, where the clock is run out. Can you name him?

11/3/90 Minnesota 21 at Wisconsin 3
A running back from Little Canada has a 9-yard scoring run. His main value, however, was as a receiver. He is #9 all-time for Minnesota with 132 career catches. Can you name him?

Chuck Rios was that Badger beater on 11/03/1990 star!
10/28/61- #6 Minnesota 23 Michigan 20
Gophers rally from 20-8 4th quarter deficit. Down 2015, they are stopped at Michigan 2-yard line with 3:00 left. On the next play, however, a Michigan running back, who will go on to a 9-year career as a Chicago Bear cornerback, fumbles. It is recovered by a player from western PA who came to Minnesota with Sandy Stephens and he scores the winning touchdown on 4th down. Can you name these two players?

10/29/55 Minnesota 25 #10 USC 19
Gophers benefit from an early blizzard to take down the Trojans. A flashy back who will go on to be a 5-time Pro Bowler with the Rams manages just 38 rushing yards while a Minnesota fullback from Detroit Lakes mushes ahead for 104 yards. He will also provide the winning points with late field goals in 1956 wins over Pitt and Illinois. Can you name these two players?

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7
Gophers get a rushing touchdown from a back from Thief River Falls and Anoka High Schools. He was a 2-time Gopher MVP and a long-time teacher and coach in Twin Cities high schools. Sadly, at age 82 he drowned in Bay Lake, near Brainerd. Also, a safety is recorded by a College Football Hall of Famer from tiny Ogilvie, MN who would go on to play 5 years with the Packers. Can you name these two players?

10/31/09 Minnesota 42 Michigan State 34
Adam Weber has a career game, passing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns while outdueling Kirk Cousins. The last Gopher score comes on a play where a pass is thrown downfield and over the middle to a tight end. He takes a tremendous hit and the ball ricochets directly to Duane Bennett who secures the ball and goes on to complete a 59-yard play with 6:04 left. Can you name him?

11/1/03 Minnesota 55 Indiana 7
Gophers open the scoring when a safety from Waupaca, WI scoops up a fumble and runs it in from 23 yards out. He has a distinctly Polish surname. Can you name him?

11/2/13 Minnesota 42 at Indiana 39
Gophers go up 42-39 on a 50-yard pass play from Phillip Nelson to Maxx Williams with 3:00 left but Indiana quickly moves downfield. At the Gopher 8-yard line, the Hoosiers try a swing pass which is actually a lateral. Only one player seems to recognize that the ball is live and this Gopher linebacker returns it to the Minnesota 40-yard line, where the clock is run out. Can you name him?

11/3/90 Minnesota 21 at Wisconsin 3
A running back from Little Canada has a 9-yard scoring run. His main value, however, was as a receiver. He is #9 all-time for Minnesota with 132 career catches. Can you name him?
 


Pro-bowler for the rams who played in that 1955 game for USC was Jon Arnette (sp?) I believe.

Fullback Dick Borstad from Detroit Lakes was later an assistant coach for the 1960 Gopher NC team.
 




10/28/61 Bennie McCray and Judge Dixon. Tom Tiegen caused the fumble. My first game seeing the Gophers play.
You are correct! Wasn't that something? I was 11-years old and remember studying the "Sports Peach", as I always did on Sundays, So many photos showing how a play unfolded in sequence, with arrows showing the path of the ball. Now THAT was a sports section
 

You are correct! Wasn't that something? I was 11-years old and remember studying the "Sports Peach", as I always did on Sundays, So many photos showing how a play unfolded in sequence, with arrows showing the path of the ball. Now THAT was a sports section
Ah the Sports Peach. Miss that.
 

Pro-bowler for the rams who played in that 1955 game for USC was Jon Arnette (sp?) I believe.

Fullback Dick Borstad from Detroit Lakes was later an assistant coach for the 1960 Gopher NC team.
You are correct! Wasn't that something? I was 11-years old and remember studying the "Sports Peach", as I always did on Sundays, So many photos showing how a play unfolded in sequence, with arrows showing the path of the ball. Now THAT was a sports section
Sure was fun to get that Sunday paper and grab the Peach Page.

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7 Billy Bye and Clayton Tonnemaker
 




10/28/61- #6 Minnesota 23 Michigan 20
Gophers rally from 20-8 4th quarter deficit. Down 2015, they are stopped at Michigan 2-yard line with 3:00 left. On the next play, however, a Michigan running back, who will go on to a 9-year career as a Chicago Bear cornerback, fumbles. It is recovered by a player from western PA who came to Minnesota with Sandy Stephens and he scores the winning touchdown on 4th down. Can you name these two players?

10/29/55 Minnesota 25 #10 USC 19
Gophers benefit from an early blizzard to take down the Trojans. A flashy back who will go on to be a 5-time Pro Bowler with the Rams manages just 38 rushing yards while a Minnesota fullback from Detroit Lakes mushes ahead for 104 yards. He will also provide the winning points with late field goals in 1956 wins over Pitt and Illinois. Can you name these two players?

10-30/48 Minnesota 30 Indiana 7
Gophers get a rushing touchdown from a back from Thief River Falls and Anoka High Schools. He was a 2-time Gopher MVP and a long-time teacher and coach in Twin Cities high schools. Sadly, at age 82 he drowned in Bay Lake, near Brainerd. Also, a safety is recorded by a College Football Hall of Famer from tiny Ogilvie, MN who would go on to play 5 years with the Packers. Can you name these two players?

10/31/09 Minnesota 42 Michigan State 34
Adam Weber has a career game, passing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns while outdueling Kirk Cousins. The last Gopher score comes on a play where a pass is thrown downfield and over the middle to a tight end. He takes a tremendous hit and the ball ricochets directly to Duane Bennett who secures the ball and goes on to complete a 59-yard play with 6:04 left. Can you name him?

11/1/03 Minnesota 55 Indiana 7
Gophers open the scoring when a safety from Waupaca, WI scoops up a fumble and runs it in from 23 yards out. He has a distinctly Polish surname. Can you name him?

11/2/13 Minnesota 42 at Indiana 39
Gophers go up 42-39 on a 50-yard pass play from Phillip Nelson to Maxx Williams with 3:00 left but Indiana quickly moves downfield. At the Gopher 8-yard line, the Hoosiers try a swing pass which is actually a lateral. Only one player seems to recognize that the ball is live and this Gopher linebacker returns it to the Minnesota 40-yard line, where the clock is run out. Can you name him?

11/3/90 Minnesota 21 at Wisconsin 3
A running back from Little Canada has a 9-yard scoring run. His main value, however, was as a receiver. He is #9 all-time for Minnesota with 132 career catches. Can you name him?
10/28/61 - Judge Dickson?
 

10/28/61 Bennie McCray and Judge Dixon. Tom Tiegen caused the fumble. My first game seeing the Gophers play.
Judge Dickson came to my mind as well. Got to talk to him and his son when the Gophers played FAU in 2007. His son also played for the Gophers. Early 80s'?
 


Highlights from 2013 Vs. Indiana, what a game!
This was the one trip we have made to Bloomington—and it was a dandy of a game! I was standing next to the uncle of one of the Gopher players who was a minister. (You could stand near the end zone behind a chain link fence.). I yelled “pick-up the f——ing ball” as the lateral was bouncing on the turf. I then remembered I was standing next to a clergy man and apologized for my profanity. He said: “That’s okay—I was thinking it.”
 




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