# 1985 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1985 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second and final year under head coach Lou Holtz, the Golden Gophers compiled a 7–5 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 293 to 240.
When former Minnesota head coach Lou Holtz left the Golden Gophers to coach at the University of Notre Dame, assistant John Gutekunst was tapped to coach the Golden Gophers in the Independence Bowl. Attendance was 42,845.
Quarterback Rickey Foggie was named offensive player of the game, while linebacker Bruce Holmes was named defensive player of the game. Center Ray Hitchcock, linebacker Peter Najarian, offensive guard Jon Lilleberg and strong safety Larry Joyner were named All-Big Ten second team. Running back David Puk was named Academic All-American second team. Puk and linebacker Peter Najarian were named Academic All-Big Ten.
Quarterback Rickey Foggie was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Award given to the team's most valuable player. Ray Hitchcock was awarded the Bruce Smith Award (offensive player). Peter Najarian was awarded the Carl Eller Award (defensive player). Kicker Chip Lohmiller was awarded the Bobby Bell Award (special teams player). Flanker Andy Hare was awarded the Butch Nash Award (academic). David Puk was awarded the Paul Giel Award (unselfishness and most concern about the University).
The total attendance was 426,918, which averaged out to 60,985 per game. The season high for attendance was against rival Wisconsin.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 14 | Wichita State* | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | | W 28–14 | 56,094 |
| September 21 | Montana* | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | | W 62–17 | 55,700 |
| September 28 | No. 2 Oklahoma* | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | TBS | L 7–13 | 62,446 |
| October 5 | Purdue | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | TBS | W 45–15 | 59,503 |
| October 12 | at Northwestern | | Dyche StadiumEvanston, IL | | W 21–10 | 24,512 |
| October 19 | at Indiana | | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN | | W 22–7 | 28,331–38,826 (paid) |
| October 26 | No. 9 Ohio State | No. 20 | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | | L 19–23 | 64,455 |
| November 2 | at Michigan State | | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | | L 26–31 | 63,758 |
| November 9 | Wisconsin | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN (rivalry) | | W 27–18 | 64,571 |
| November 16 | No. 8 Michigan | | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN (Little Brown Jug) | TBS | L 7–48 | 64,129 |
| November 23 | at No. 3 Iowa | | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (rivalry) | | L 9–31 | 66,020 |
| December 21 | vs. Clemson* | | Independence StadiumShreveport, LA (Independence Bowl) | | W 20–13 | 42,800 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Wichita State
### Oklahoma

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 28, 1985
* Game weather: Indoors (dome)

### Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 0 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 23 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
* Date: October 26, 1985
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors (dome)
* Game attendance: 64,455
* Referee: Jim Kemmerling
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
MINN – Chip Lohmiller 36-yard field goal, 8:34. Minnesota 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 4:51.
Second quarter
MINN – Chip Lohmiller 50-yard field goal, 14:56. Minnesota 6–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 5:41.
OSU – Keith Byars 2-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 9:37. Ohio St 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:19.
OSU – Rich Spangler 38-yard field goal, 4:26. Ohio St 10–6. Drive: 9 plays, 34 yards, 4:16.
MINN – Ricky Foggie 7-yard run (run failed), 0:05. Minnesota 12–10. Drive: 11 plays, 66 yards, 4:15.
Third quarter
MINN – Ricky Foggie 1-yard run (Chip Lohmiller kick), 6:15. Minnesota 19–10. Drive: 18 plays, 88 yards, 8:45.
Fourth quarter
OSU – Ed Taggart 1-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Rich Spangler kick), 14:31. Minnesota 19–17. Drive: 16 plays, 90 yards, 6:44.
OSU – Vince Workman 16-yard run (pass failed), 10:36. Ohio St 23–19. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 2:55.
Top passers
OSU – Jim Karsatos – 11/17, 115 yards, TD, INT
MINN – Ricky Foggie – 14/20, 147 yards, INT
Top rushers
OSU – Keith Byars – 18 rushes, 67 yards, TD
MINN – Ricky Foggie – 18 rushes, 57 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
OSU – Mike Lanese – 2 receptions, 36 yards
MINN – Melvin Anderson – 7 receptions, 74 yards :

### Wisconsin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| Minnesota | 7 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: November 9, 1985
* Game weather: Indoors (dome)
* Game attendance: 64,571
Game information :
WIS: Gregoire 23-yard field goal
MIN: M. Anderson 89-yard pass from Foggie (Lohmiller kick)
WIS: Gregoire 49-yard field goal
WIS: Howard 4-yard run (run failed)
MIN: Baylor 5-yard run (Lohmiller kick)
MIN: Lohmiller 22-yard field goal
MIN: Puk 32-yard run (Lohmiller kick)
MIN: Lohmiller 47-yard field goal
WIS: Vinci 36-yard pass from Howard (pass failed)
Top passers
WIS – Howard – 16/32, 167 yards
MINN – Foggie – 5/19, 242 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
WIS – Emery – 25 rushes, 124 yards
MIN – Baylor – 11 rushes, 43 yards
Top receivers
WIS – Vinci – 2 receptions, 51 yards
MIN – Couch – 2 receptions, 124 yards :

### Michigan

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 8 Wolverines | 10 | 21 | 17 | 0 | 48 |
| Golden Gophers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |

### At Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Gophers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| • No. 3 Hawkeyes | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |