Minnesota Golden Gophers football under Bernie Bierman Bernie Bierman was the head football coach at the University of Minnesota for 16 seasons , from 1932 through 1941 and then again from 1945 to 1950 . The team had a 93 - 35 - 6 overall record . In the Big Ten , the Golden Gophers had a 57 - 28 - 6 record and won six conference championships . The team won national titles in 1934 , 1935 , 1936 , 1940 and 1941 . Twenty - one players were awarded All - American status . Thirty - six players were named All - Big Ten first team . 1932 . The 1932 season was the Golden Gophers ' first under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won five games and lost three . Total attendance for the season was 113 , 956 , which averaged to 43 , 557 . The season high for attendance was against Northwestern . Tackle Marshall Wells was named All - Big Ten first team . Fullback John Baumgartner was named Academic All - Big Ten . Center Roy Oen was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1933 . The 1933 season was the Golden Gophers ' second under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won four games and tied four . Total attendance for the season was 164 , 301 , which averaged to 27 , 384 . The season high for attendance was against Iowa . End Frank Larson was named an All - American by United Press International ( UPI ) , Collier ' s Weekly / Grantland Rice and Look Magazine . Halfback Pug Lund was named an All - American by the Associated Press , UPI and Liberty Magazine . Frank Larson and Pug Lund were named All - Big Ten . Pug Lund was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1934 . The 1934 season was the Golden Gophers ' third under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won eight games and lost none . Total attendance for the season was 192 , 922 , which averaged to 38 , 584 . The season high for attendance was against rival Michigan . The team was named national champions , the first national championship for the University . End Frank Larson was named an All - American by the Associated Press ( AP ) , Collier ' s Weekly / Grantland Rice and Look Magazine . Halfback Pug Lund was named an All - American by the AP , Collier ’ s Weekly / Grantland Rice , Liberty , Walter Camp Football Foundation and Look Magazine . Guard Bill Bevan was named an All - American by Collier ’ s Weekly / Grantland Rice , Liberty and Look Magazine . End Bob Tenner was named an All - American by the United Press International . Tackle Phil Bengston , Bevan , Larson , Lund , Tenner , and tackle Ed Widseth were named All - Big Ten . Lund received Chicago Tribune Silver Football , awarded to the most valuable player of the Big Ten . Pug Lund was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1935 . The 1935 season was the Golden Gophers ' fourth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won eight games and lost none . Total attendance for the season was 217 , 785 , which averaged to 43 , 557 . The season high for attendance was against Northwestern . The team was named national champions , the second consecutive national championship for the University . Guard Bud Wilkinson was named All - American by Grantland Rice and the Associated Press ( AP ) . Tackle Ed Widseth was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation , United Press International ( UPI ) , Liberty , Hearst and New York World Telegram . Tackle Dick Smith was named an All - American by the AP , UPI , New York World Telegram and Look Magazine . Halfback Sheldon Beise was named an All - American by the American Sports Service and New York Daily Mirror . Beise , quarterback Babe LeVoir , Smith , Widseth and Wilkinson were named All - Big Ten . Quarterback Babe LeVoir was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1936 . The 1936 season was the Golden Gophers ' fifth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won seven games and lost one . Total attendance for the season was 247 , 653 , which averaged to 49 , 531 . The season high for attendance was against Iowa . The team was named national champions , the third consecutive national championship for the University . Tackle Ed Widseth was named an All - American by Collier ' s / Grantland Rice , Associated Press , INS , NEA , New York Sun , Look Magazine , New York Morning Telegram , Hearst , United Press International and Paramount News . Widseth and halfback Andy Uram were named All - Big Ten first team . Widseth was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1937 . The 1937 season was the Golden Gophers ' sixth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won six games and lost two . Total attendance for the season was 254 , 188 , which averaged to 50 , 838 . The season high for attendance was against Notre Dame . End Ray King was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Look Magazine . Fullback Andy Uram was named an All - American by the Associated Press . King , halfback Rudy Gmitro , tackle Lou Midler and guard Frank Twedell were named All - Big Ten first team . Rudy Gmitro was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1938 . The 1938 season was the Golden Gophers ' seventh under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won six games and lost two . Total attendance for the season was 237 , 000 , which averaged to 47 , 400 . The season high for attendance was against Michigan . Guard Francis Twedell was named an All - American by the Associated Press and United Press International . Twedell and quarterback Wilbur Moore were named All - Big Ten first team . Fullback Larry Buhker was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1939 . The 1939 season was the Golden Gophers ' eighth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won three games , lost four and tied one . Total attendance for the season was 229 , 954 , which averaged to 45 , 991 . The season high for attendance was against Northwestern . Tackle Win Pederson was named All - Big Ten first team . Halfback Harold Van Every was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1940 . The 1940 season was the Golden Gophers ' ninth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won eight games and lost none . Total attendance for the season was 234 , 990 , which averaged to 46 , 998 . The season high for attendance was against Michigan . The team finished first in the Associated Press poll , giving the Gophers their fourth national title . Tackle Urban Odson was named an All - American by Liberty . Halfback George Franck was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation , Associated Press , United Press International , Look Magazine and Collier ' s . Franck and Odson were named All - Big Ten first team . Franck placed third in voting for the Heisman Trophy . Bob Paffrath , QB was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1941 . The 1941 season was the Golden Gophers ' tenth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won eight games and lost none . Total attendance for the season was 239 , 227 , which averaged to 47 , 845 . The season high for attendance was against Northwestern . The team finished first in the Associated Press poll , giving the Gophers their second consecutive and fifth national title . Halfback Bruce Smith was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation , INS , Time - Life , United Press International ( UPI ) , Associated Press ( AP ) and Look Magazine . Tackle Dick Wildung was named an All - American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation , INS , Time Life , AP and UPI . Wildung , Smith , Halfback Bill Daley , End Bob Fitch and Guard Len Levy were named All - Big Ten . Bruce Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy , the only Golden Gopher to win the award . Back Bob Sweiger was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1945 . The 1945 season was the Golden Gophers ' eleventh under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won four games and lost five . Total attendance for the season was 246 , 931 , which averaged to 41 , 155 . The season high for attendance was against Ohio State . Tackle Bob Fitch was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1946 . The 1946 season was the Golden Gophers ' twelfth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won five games and lost four . Total attendance for the season was 328 , 003 , which averaged to 54 , 667 . The season high for attendance was against Michigan . Halfback Billy Bye was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1947 . The 1947 season was the Golden Gophers ' thirteenth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won six games and lost three . Total attendance for the season was 289 , 612 , which averaged to 57 , 922 . The season high for attendance was against Purdue . Guard Leo Nomellini was named All - Big Ten . Guard Larry Olsonoski was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1948 . The 1948 season was the Golden Gophers ' fourteenth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won seven games and lost two . Total attendance for the season was 308 , 556 , which averaged to 61 , 711 . The season high for attendance was against Purdue . Guard Leo Nomellini was named All - American by Walter Camp Football Foundation , Associated Press ( AP ) , Collier ' s Weekly / Grantland Rice , The Sporting News , INS , Look Magazine , Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association . Nomellini and end Bud Grant were named All - Big Ten . Halfback Everette Faunce was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1949 . The 1949 season was the Golden Gophers ' fifteenth under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won seven games and lost two . Total attendance for the season was 305 , 200 , which averaged to 61 , 040 . The season high for attendance was against Wisconsin . Tackle Leo Nomellini was named an All - American by Walter Camp Football Foundation , Associated Press ( AP ) , Look Magazine , and the American Football Coaches Association ( AFCA ) . Center Clayton Tonnemaker was named an All - American by Walter Camp Football Foundation , AP , Collier ' s / Grantland Rice , Look Magazine , Football Writers Association of America and the AFCA . Nomellini , Tonnemaker and end Bud Grant were named All - Big Ten first team . Grant was awarded the Team MVP Award . 1950 . The 1950 season was the Golden Gophers ' sixteenth and final under head coach Bernie Bierman . The Golden Gophers won one game , lost seven and tied one . Total attendance for the season was 267 , 015 , which averaged to 53 , 403 . The season high for attendance was against Iowa . Wayne Robinson was awarded the Team MVP Award .