CBS: The best season from every Big Ten program (Minnesota, 1940)

per CBS:

Minnesota (1940)
There was a time when Minnesota was a dominant program. It has claimed seven national titles in its history with five of them coming between 1934 and 1941. Bernie Bierman built a dynasty with his Gophers, and his 1940 team looks to be the best of the bunch. I give it the edge over 1941's title team because according to the strength of schedule metric at College Football Reference, the 1940 team played the most challenging schedule in the country that season. That schedule included three narrow victories at No. 15 Ohio State, at No. 8 Northwestern and home against No. 3 Michigan. The Gophers won those three games by a combined eight points.

Record: 8-0 | Final ranking: No. 1
Coach: Bernie Bierman | MVP: RB George Franck
Championships won: National (consensus), Big Ten
Accolades: Consensus All-American (Franck)
NFL Draft picks on roster: 13
Did you know? After winning another national title in 1941 coach, Bierman left Minnesota to coach at Iowa Pre-Flight. He spent one season there, going 7-3-1 (including a 7-6 win over Minnesota) before returning to Minnesota for the 1945 season following World War II. He was never able to rekindle the magic with the Gophers, though, going 30-23 over six seasons.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...s-the-best-season-from-every-big-ten-program/

Go Gophers!!

Did you know? After winning another national title in 1941 coach, Bierman left Minnesota to coach at Iowa Pre-Flight. He spent one season there, going 7-3-1 (including a 7-6 win over Minnesota) before returning to Minnesota for the 1945 season following World War II. He was never able to rekindle the magic with the Gophers, though, going 30-23 over six seasons.

He who hesitates, loses out. Bierman hesitated with the Gophers. As a result lost the momentum in recruiting in addition to a little something with the players. My opinion for whatever that is worth.

The Gophers and four of their opponents made up half of the final AP top ten that year.

Great Plains Gopher said:

The Gophers and four of their opponents made up half of the final AP top ten that year.

Click to expand...

1940 was an epic season in that many players came of age and they won some very close, exciting games.

That said, the 1941 team was perhaps stronger, and the 1934 team was the best team the U ever put on the field.

Has the program had 13 NFL draft picks in a season since then?

EDIT: The 13 picks may be spread out over multiple seasons. Still pretty impressive.

not totally accurate...

#2Gopher said:

Did you know? After winning another national title in 1941 coach, Bierman left Minnesota to coach at Iowa Pre-Flight. He spent one season there, going 7-3-1 (including a 7-6 win over Minnesota) before returning to Minnesota for the 1945 season following World War II. He was never able to rekindle the magic with the Gophers, though, going 30-23 over six seasons.

He who hesitates, loses out. Bierman hesitated with the Gophers. As a result lost the momentum in recruiting in addition to a little something with the players. My opinion for whatever that is worth.

Click to expand...

He was called up, so the Pentagon told him where to go. He had no choice. The real b.s. was that the "U" had ROTC on campus and all of the players and Bernie could have remained and been switch to the ROTC program, but several top brass wanted Army teams during the war to be dominant, so they broke up the team that would have been top 5, if not #1.

LOL, 1940...Before we entered the 2nd World War. If I couldn't laugh, I would have to cry at this reality. It's getting close to Chicago Cubs territory for years of futility.
Oh well...we'll get em next year...[emoji41]