Minnesota Football: St Patrick's Day Special #TBT

From the South Bend New-Times.

Faced with the bitter prospect of a third defeat in as many years at the hands of a Notre Dame football eleven, a powerful Minnesota team which would not admit defeat beat Notre Dame at its own game in the last two minutes of an epochal struggle, by falling back upon the aerial game to score a touchdown after three thrusts at the Irish line had gained little yardage.

This touchdown and the successful try for point which followed, tied the score at 7-7 and added the final
dramatic touch which was needed to make the game one of the most spectacular ever staged on a gridiron. The 27,000 fans who jammed the limited space in the Cartier field stands witnessed a thrill-packed battle to the finish between two of the most powerful football machines in the country.

Played under conditions which were not conducive to good football, there was not a moment in the game which was uninteresting. Apparently unconscious of the biting cold and the frequent flurries of snow, the Irish and the Vikings fought with a courage and a tenacity which produced thrill after thrill for the benefit of the excited fans. Only the frequent fumbling, especially on the part of. Notre Dame, indicated that the players were affected by the adverse weather.

In game action from 1927!

Both teams came into the November 1927 game unbeaten. Minnesota had never (and still has not) defeated the Fighting Irish having been outscored 19-7 and 20-7 the previous two years. The Gophers traveled to Indiana for the second time that season (having previously tied the Hoosiers).

Here is the scoring play from the end of the game. Near the goal line Minnesota faced a 4th down having failed to rush the ball in. Fullback and Captain Herb Joesting took the hike and surprised everyone passing to Leonard Walsh for the score. Kicker Art Pharmer booted the extra point. Minnesota would end the season 6-2-0, and tied (tying is clearly the theme of this blog post) Illinois for the year's Big Ten Championship.

Interestingly there is a website that sells reproduction posters for this game. HistoricFootballPosters.com