| 1978 Minnesota Golden Gophers football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 5–6 (4–4 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Marion Barber Jr. |
| Captain | Stan Systma |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Seasons← 19771979 → | |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Michigan + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Michigan State + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Purdue | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 3 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 0 | – | 6 | – | 2 | 1 | – | 8 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 8 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 10 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1978 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. In their seventh and final 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 267 to 210.
Tailback Marion Barber Jr. received the team's Most Valuable Player award. Barber Jr., kicker Paul Rogind, defensive back Keith Brown and defensive end Stan Sytsma were named All-Big Ten first team. Nose guard Doug Friberg and defensive tackle Jim Ronan were named All-Big Ten second team. Sytsma was named Academic All-Big Ten.
Total attendance for the season was 238,072, which averaged to 39,678. The season high for attendance was against Ohio State.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 16 | Toledo* | W 38–12 | 31,223 | ||
| September 23 | No. 16 Ohio State |
| L 10–27 | 55,200 | |
| September 30 | at No. 18 UCLA* | L 3–17 | 40,369 | ||
| October 7 | Oregon State* |
| L 14–17 | 35,083 | |
| October 14 | Iowa |
| W 22–20 | 51,381 | |
| October 21 | at Northwestern | W 38–14 | 16,452 | ||
| October 28 | at No. 8 Michigan | L 10–42 | 105,308 | ||
| November 4 | Indiana |
| W 32–31 | 39,797 | |
| November 11 | at No. 17 Michigan State | L 9–33 | 72,122 | ||
| November 18 | Illinois |
| W 24–6 | 25,388 | |
| November 25 | at Wisconsin | L 10–48 | 61,000 | ||
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References
- "1978 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
- Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), pp. 179–182
- Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160
- "Gophers defuse Toledo, 38–12". Journal and Courier. September 17, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Ohio State 'rushes' to victory". Sunday News. September 24, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Bruins down stubborn Gophers". Tri-City Herald. October 1, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Oregon State stuns Gophers". The Sioux City Journal. October 8, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Gophers beat Iowa, 22–20". The Pantagraph. October 15, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Gamble pays off as Gophers romp". Wisconsin State Journal. October 22, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Tom Henderson (October 29, 1978). "Leach bring Brown Jug back, 42–10". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1E, 9E. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Paul Campbell (October 29, 1978). "Homecoming Victory, 42–10: Wolverines dig Gophers' hole; 'Brown Jug' returns". The Michigan Daily. pp. 1, 9 – via Bentley Historical Library.
- "Last-chance kick caps Gopher rally". The Des Moines Register. November 5, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Michigan State rolls past Minnesota 33–9". The Decatur Daily Review. November 12, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Soph Barber tops 1,000 as Minnesota hammers Illinois". The Rock Island Argus. November 19, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Badgers recover blast Gophers 48–10". The Courier. November 26, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.