1996 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1996
| team = Minnesota Golden Gophers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| short_conf = Big Ten
| record = 4–7
| conf_record = 1–7
| head_coach = Jim Wacker
| hc_year = 5th
| off_coach = Bob DeBesse
| oc_year = 5th
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Tim Rose
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| mvp =
| captain = Gann Brooks
| captain2 = Jerome Davis
| captain3 = Ben Langford
| captain4 = Cory Sauter
| stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
}}
{{1996 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
The 1996 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth and final year under head coach Jim Wacker, the Golden Gophers compiled am overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for ninth at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, and were outscored 340 to 236.
Linebacker Luke Braaten, offensive tackle James Elizondo, offensive guard Pat Hau, quarterback Rob Jones, long snapper Derek Rackley, cornerback Fred Rodgers, quarterback Cory Sauter, linebacker Jim Tallman, linebacker Parc Williams and quarterback Spergon Wynn were named Academic All-Big Ten.{{Citation|last=Keiser |first=Jeff |title=2007 Media Guide |pages=182 |year=2007 |url=http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Wide receiver Ryan Thelwell and offensive tackle Gann Brooks were awarded the Bronko Nagurski Award.{{Citation|last=Keiser |first=Jeff |title=2007 Media Guide |pages=181 |year=2007 |url=http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Wide receiver Tutu Atwell was awarded the Bruce Smith Award. Parc Williams was awarded the Carl Eller Award. Free safety Rishon Early was awarded the Bobby Bell Award. Cory Sauter was awarded the Butch Nash Award. Defensive tackle Jerome Davis was awarded the Paul Giel Award.
Total attendance for the season was 261,113, which averaged out to 43,519 per game. The season high for attendance was again rival Iowa.{{Citation | last = Keiser | first = Jeff | title = 2007 Media Guide | pages = 160 | year = 2007 | url = http://www.gophersports.com//pdf3/80498.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1996
| poll = AP
| timezone = Central
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 7
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Northeast Louisiana
| site_stadium = Malone Stadium
| site_cityst = Monroe, LA
| tv =
| score = 30–3
| attend = 24,842
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 14
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Ball State
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| tv =
| score = 26–23
| attend = 41,007
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| time = 7:30 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Syracuse
| opprank = 23
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 35–33
| attend = 45,756
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time = 11:20 am
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Purdue
| site_stadium = Ross–Ade Stadium
| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN
| tv = ESPN Plus
| score = 27–30
| attend = 39,343
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| time = 11:30 am
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Northwestern
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Dyche Stadium
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 24–26
| attend = 35,848
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| time = 3:00 pm
| w/l = l
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Michigan State
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| tv =
| score = 9–27
| attend = 45,434
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| time = 6:00 pm
| w/l = l
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename = Little Brown Jug
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 10–44
| attend = 41,246
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| time = 11:30 am
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Ohio State
| opprank = 2
| site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbus, OH
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 0–45
| attend = 93,588
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| time = 11:20 am
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Wisconsin
| site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium
| site_cityst = Madison, WI
| gamename = rivalry
| tv = ESPN Plus
| score = 28–45
| attend = 78,006
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| time = 6:00 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Illinois
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| tv = MSC
| score = 23–21
| attend = 34,321
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 23
| time = 7:30 pm
| w/l = l
| opponent = Iowa
| site_stadium = Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename = rivalry
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 24–43
| attend = 53,349
}}
}}
Roster
{{American football roster/Header
| year = 1996
| team = Minnesota Golden Gophers
| teamcolors = y
| offensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=20|class=Fr|first=Jim|last=Bean|pos=RB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=60|class=Sr|first=Chris|last=Bergstrom|pos=G}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=11|class=Sr|first=Rob|last=Jones|pos=QB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=17|class=Jr|first=Cory|last=Sauter|pos=QB|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=4|class=Jr|first=Ryan|last=Thelwell|pos=WR|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=61|class=Fr|first=Jason|last=Zander|pos=C}}
| defensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=22|class=Fr|first=Tyrone|last=Carter|pos=DB|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=24|class=Sr|first=Rodney|last=Heath|dab=Rodney Heath (American football)|pos=CB|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=23|class=Jr|first=Crawford|last=Jordan|pos=FS}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=32|class=Jr|first=Mike|last=Juszczak|pos=SS}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=39|class=Jr|first=Ray|last=Kaiser|pos=OLB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=94|class=Fr|first=Josh|last=Rawlings|pos=DT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=58|class=So|first=Antoine|last=Richard|pos=DT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=2|class=So|first=Craig|last=Scruggs|pos=CB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=46|class=So|first=Rufus|last=Smith|pos=ILB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=15|class=Jr|first=Don|last=Williams|pos=OLB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=37|class=So|first=Parc|last=Williams|pos=ILB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=93|class=Fr|first=Jude|last=Wimberger|pos=ILB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=26|class=Fr|first=Blake|last=Zochert|pos=OLB}}
| special_teams_players=
}}
{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961225173553/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfc/big10/sfcd06ra.htm
| head_coach = *Jim Wacker
| asst_coach =
- Lee Fobbs (Outside linebackers)
| accessdate=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}