From 1924 to 1981, the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
called home one of the greatest football stadiums in the country.
Through the decades, Memorial Stadium would play host to some
of the most memorable games in college football history.

It was here where the Gophers stuffed Illinois' Red Grange,
the "Galloping Ghost", in a stirring 20-7 upset win. It
was within the confines of this stadium where Gopher legend
Bronko Nagurski became, well, a legend. 

The Brickhouse, as it would later be known, also was home
to the incomparable Gopher dynasty built by Bernie Bierman
in the 1930s and 1940s. The Gophers would stop the great
Tom Harmon of Michigan in the mud in 1940 to help clinch
a National Championship with a 7-6 win.

During the fifties, Paul Giel would run wild to the cheers
of rabid Gopher backers, and in the sixties Murray Warmath's
defenses would lay waste to one offense after another.
Right here on this field.

In 1960 one of the greatest games in Gopher history occurred
here when the #3 Gophers throttled #1 Iowa, 27-10, to help
pave the way for their sixth National Championship.

In 1977 it was here where Cal Stoll's squad completely shut
down #1 Michigan, 16-0, in a win that propelled the Gophers
into the postseason.

And in 1981, the Gophers were victorious for the last time 
on this field in a thrilling 35-31 win over Ohio State.

On this field, Gophers such as Herb Joesting, Bronko Nagurski,
Pug Lund, Ed Widseth, Sonny Franck, Bruce Smith, Leo Nomellini,
Paul Giel, Bobby Bell, Carl Eller, Aaron Brown, and others
passed the torch of football excellence that had long been
synonymous with Gopher Football.

Not to be forgotten is the list of greats who visited the
Brickhouse, a list that includes Red Grange, Bennie Oosterbahn,
Nile Kinnick, Tom Harmon, Forest Evashevski, Hugh McElhenny,
Alex Karras, Alan Ameche, Leroy Keyes, Archie Griffin,
Rob Lytle, Mark Hermann, and countless others.

Also, the list of coaching greats to have visited the Brickhouse
is astounding. Many of the game's greatest coaches brought 
their teams to Memorial Stadium to compete, a list that
includes Knute Rockne, Fielding Yost, Robert Zuppke, Jock
Sutherland, Fritz Crisler, Pappy Waldorf, Elmer Layden,
John McKay, Woody Hayes, Evashevski, Milton Bruhn, Duffy
Daugherty, Bo Schembechlar, Terry Donoghue, Don James,
Tom Osborne, and many others.

Minnesota was so fortunate to have had a stadium with so
much history, tradition, and pride. The Brickhouse was a
vital, physical link to football's past. How many schools
wished they had what the Gophers had?