79 Years Ago, Faribault Man Scores Winning Touchdown, Gophers Win

Today is 79 years to the day that Faribault's own Bruce Smith scored on an 80-yard run against Michigan. It was the winning score in a 7-6 game. Will history repeat itself with the Gophers today? Time will tell. 

The University of Minnesota campus is a little bit bigger now than it was in 1940. The #17 Gophers have a showdown today at 11 A.M. with #4 Penn State. (ranking are from the playoff committee not AP or coaches poll).

If we flashback to that Gophers game 79 years ago it was another showdown in Dinkytown. It was then #2 Minnesota hosting #3 Michigan. It was a cold day like today will be and Memorial was sold out, just like 'The Bank' will be today too. There were 63,894 people in attendance that day.

Smith's 80-yard scamper was written by Charlie Johnson of the Minneapolis Tribune: “With his powerful legs he dug in with every step forward until he had cleared 80 of the slipperiest yards that any back ever trod.”

Smith who won the Heisman in 1941 as apart of the undefeated Gophers who finished 8-0, was the hero that day with his big run. Who will be the hero today? Penn State is very good against the run, will the Gophers make enough plays in the passing game to open some holes for the Gopher running game to be effective? In about 2 hours we will find out.

Good luck to the Gophers, even if they lose this game they can still win the West, and have dreams of a rows-bowl in their future.