1892 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1892 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1892 college football season. After the departure of Tom Eck, head coach in 1891, the University of Minnesota team played for one season without a coach. This year, an organization was formed called the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest by representatives of Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Northwestern.^[1]: 20 Minnesota went undefeated this season, including wins over all three other members of the league, so they won the first league championship.^[1]: 22

1892 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
IAANW champion
Conference	Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest
Record	5–0 (3–0 IAANW)
Head coach	None
Captain	William C. Leary
Seasons ← 1891 1893 →

1892 Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Minnesota $	3	–	0	–	0			5	–	0	–	0
Wisconsin	2	–	2	–	0			4	–	3	–	0
Michigan	1	–	2	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Northwestern	1	–	3	–	0			6	–	4	–	2
$ – Conference champion

The game against Michigan was Minnesota's first game in the historic rivalry that would spawn the most famous of all rivalry trophies, the Little Brown Jug. The game against Northwestern was also the first meeting with that school.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 1		Ex-Collegiates*	Minneapolis, MN	W 18–10
October 17		Michigan	Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)	W 14–6	800
October 22		Grinnell*	Minneapolis, MN	W 40–24
October 29		at Wisconsin	Madison, WI (rivalry)	W 32–4		[2]
November 8	2:48 p.m.	Northwestern	Minneapolis, MN	W 18–12	1,000	[3]
*Non-conference game

Roster

• Center, James E. Madigan
• Guards, Everhard P. Harding (right guard); Augustus T. Larson (left guard)
• Tackles George C. Sikes (right tackle); Constant Larson (left tackle)
• Ends Edgar C. Bisbee (right end); William F. Dalrymple (left end)
• Quarterback, Alfred F. Pillsbury
• Halfbacks, William C. Leary (captain and right halfback); Eugene L. Patterson (left halfback)
• Fullback, Russell H. Folwell
• Substitutes, David R. Burbank, Harry E. White, Fred W. Foote, John E. LeCrone, William C. Muir.^[1]: 38

Game summaries

Michigan

October 17, 1892, Minnesota faced Michigan in Minneapolis. The game was the first of more than 90 meetings in the Little Brown Jug rivalry. Minnesota won the game, 14–6. The game was played on a Monday afternoon during a hard rain that made the field wet and muddy. The Detroit Free Press's account of the game reported that Michigan was "badly outclassed at center and could not withstand Minnesota's rush."^[4] At the end of a 45-minute first half, Minnesota led 10-0. Michigan's only touchdown came on a long run by George Jewett in the second half. Jewett and Ralph Hayes were also praised for making "great tackles."^[4]

References

1. The General Alumni Association (1928). Martin Newell (ed.). The History of Minnesota Football. The General Alumni Association of the University of Minnesota.
2. "Minnesota defeats Wisconsin 32-4". Milwaukee Journal. October 31, 1892. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
3. "Minnesota Wins". The Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. November 9, 1892. p. 5. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
4. "Foot Ball: Michigan Beaten by Minnesota". Detroit Free Press. October 18, 1892. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 17, 2012.(The Detroit Free Press reported the game's final score as 16–6, the difference in the accounts being the goal after touchdown on Minnesota's final touchdown in the second half.)