Minnesota Golden Gophers football under Wes Fesler

The Minnesota Golden Gophers were coached by Wes Fesler for three seasons from 1951 to 1953.^[1] In those three seasons, the Gophers won 10 games, lost 13 and tied four.^[1] In the Big Ten, they won seven games, lost eight and tied four.^[2] Paul Giel was named an All-American twice, the only player award All-American under Fesler.^[3] Two of Minnesota's five Chicago Tribune Silver Football awards were given under Fesler (both to Giel).^[4] Four players were named All-Big Ten first team.^[4]

1951

1951 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
1951 record	2-6-1 (1-4-1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Wes Fesler
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons « 1950 1952 »

1951 Big Ten football standings
v · d · e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#4/3 Illinois †	5	–	0	–	1			9	–	0	–	1
#NR/14 Purdue	4	–	1	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
#8/8 Wisconsin	5	–	1	–	1			7	–	1	–	1
Michigan	4	–	2	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Ohio State	2	–	2	–	2			4	–	3	–	2
Northwestern	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Minnesota	1	–	4	–	1			2	–	6	–	1
Indiana	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Iowa	0	–	5	–	1			2	–	5	–	2
† – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll

The 1951 season was the Golden Gophers' first under head coach Wes Fesler.^[2] The Golden Gophers won two games, lost six and tied one.^[2] Total attendance for the season was 255,851, which averaged to 51,170.^[5] The season high for attendance was against Nebraska.^[2]

No Golden Gophers players were named any major awards, All-American, Academic All-American, All-Big Ten or Academic All-Big Ten.^[3][4][6] It was the last season that no Golden Gopher players achieved any of the awards.^[3][4][6]

Halfback Ron Engel was awarded the Team MVP Award.^[7]

Schedule

Date	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	Result	Attendance
09/29/1951	#8 Washington*		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	L 20-25	51,148
10/06/1951	at California*		California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA	L 14-55	69,000
10/13/1951	Northwestern		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	L 7-21	51,915
10/20/1951	Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 39-20	54,625
10/27/1951	at Michigan		Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI	L 27-54	83,060
11/03/1951	at Iowa		Iowa Stadium • Iowa City, IA	T 20-20	40,000
10/10/1951	Indiana		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 16-14	45,986
11/17/1951	at Purdue		Ross-Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN	L 13-19	29,000
11/24/1951	#8 Wisconsin		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	L 6-30	52,177
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

1952

1952 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
1952 record	4-3-2 (3-1-2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Wes Fesler
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons « 1951 1953 »

1952 Big Ten football standings
v · d · e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#11/10 Wisconsin §	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	3	–	1
#18/12 Purdue §	4	–	1	–	1			4	–	3	–	2
#17/15 Ohio State	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Michigan	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Minnesota	3	–	1	–	2			4	–	3	–	2
Illinois	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Northwestern	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	6	–	1
Iowa	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Indiana	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
§ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll

The 1952 season was the Golden Gophers' second under head coach Wes Fesler.^[2] The Golden Gophers won four games, lost three and tied two.^[2] Total attendance for the season was 270,292, which averaged to 54,058.^[5] The season high for attendance was against rival Iowa.^[2]

Halfback Paul Giel was named an All-American by the Associated Press, FWAA and Look Magazine.^[3] Giel received Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the most valuable player of the Big Ten.^[4] Giel, running back Bob MacNamara and guard Percy Zachary were named All-Big Ten first team.^[4] Giel finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy.^[6]

Paul Giel was awarded the Team MVP Award.^[7]

Schedule

Date	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	Result	Attendance
09/27/1952	at Washington*		Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA	L 13-19	49,000
10/04/1952	California*		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	L 13-49	55,204
10/11/1952	Northwestern		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 27-26	46,732
10/18/1952	Illinois		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 13-7	54,787
10/25/1952	at #19 Michigan		Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI	L 0-21	70,858
11/01/1952	Iowa		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 17-7	60,376
10/08/1952	Purdue		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	T 14-14	53,193
11/15/1952	at Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	W 13-7	40,000
11/22/1952	at #13 Wisconsin		Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI	T 21-21	52,131
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

1953

1953 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
1953 record	4-4-1 (3-3-1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Wes Fesler
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons « 1952 1954 »

1953 Big Ten football standings
v · d · e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#3/3 Michigan State §	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	1	–	0
#7/7 Illinois §	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	1	–	1
#15/14 Wisconsin	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
#NR/20 Ohio State	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Minnesota	3	–	3	–	1			4	–	4	–	1
#20/19 Michigan	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
#9/10 Iowa	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	3	–	1
Purdue	2	–	4	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Indiana	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Northwestern	0	–	6	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
§ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll

The 1953 season was the Golden Gophers' third and final under head coach Wes Fesler.^[2] The Golden Gophers won four games, lost four and tied one.^[2] Total attendance for the season was 293,313, which averaged to 58,662.^[5] The season high for attendance was against Michigan.^[2]

Halfback Paul Giel was named an All-American by the Associated Press, FWAA, Look Magazine, Walter Camp Football Foundation and American Football Coaches Association.^[3] Giel received Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the most valuable player of the Big Ten.^[4] Giel was named All-Big Ten first team.^[4] Giel finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy^[6], receiving the most points for a player not to win the award.^[8]

Paul Giel was awarded the Team MVP Award.^[7]

Schedule

Date	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	Result	Attendance
09/26/1953	at #8 Southern Cal*		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA	L 7-17	66,698
10/03/1953	Michigan State		Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	L 0-21	60,995
10/10/1953	at Northwestern		Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL	W 30-13	40,000
10/17/1953	at Illinois		Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL	L 7-27	55,641
10/24/1953	#5 Michigan		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 22-0	62,795
10/31/1953	Pittsburgh*	#14	Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 35-14	49,092
10/07/1953	Indiana	#13	Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	W 28-20	58,527
11/14/1953	at Iowa	#15	Iowa Stadium • Iowa City, IA	L 0-27	55,355
11/21/1953	#8 Wisconsin		Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN	T 21-21	61,904
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 195, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 199, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 179, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 180, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 160, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf3/80498.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 182, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
7. ^ ^{a b c} Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide, pp. 181, http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 
8. ^ "The Winning Margin: Year By Year". http://www.heisman.com/handbook/winning-margin.html. Retrieved 2007-11-04. ^{[dead link]}