View source for Bernie Bierman

{{Short description|American college football player and coach (1894–1977)}}
{{distinguish|Bernard Bierman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Bernie Bierman
| image = Bernie Bierman 1948.png
| alt = 
| caption = Bierman, {{Circa|1948}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1894|3|11}}
| birth_place = [[Springfield, Minnesota]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1977|3|7|1894|3|11}}
| death_place = [[Laguna Hills, California]], U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_sport1 = Football
| player_years2 = 1913–1915
| player_team2 = [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]]
| player_positions = [[Halfback (American football)|Halfback]]
| coach_sport1 = Football
| coach_years2 = 1919–1921
| coach_team2 = [[Montana Grizzlies football|Montana]]
| coach_years3 = 1923–1924
| coach_team3 = [[Tulane Green Wave football|Tulane]] (assistant)
| coach_years4 = 1925–1926
| coach_team4 = [[Mississippi A&M Aggies football|Mississippi A&M]]
| coach_years5 = 1927–1931
| coach_team5 = Tulane
| coach_years6 = 1932–1941
| coach_team6 = [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]]
| coach_years7 = 1942
| coach_team7 = [[Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football|Iowa Pre-Flight]]
| coach_years8 = 1945–1950
| coach_team8 = Minnesota
| coach_sport9 = Basketball
| coach_years10 = 1919–1922
| coach_team10 = [[Montana Grizzlies men's basketball|Montana]]
| coach_years11 = 1925–1927
| coach_team11 = [[Mississippi A&M Aggies men's basketball|Mississippi A&M]]
| coach_years12 = 1928–1930
| coach_team12 = [[Tulane Green Wave men's basketball|Tulane]]
| overall_record = 153–65–12 (football)<br>89–51 (basketball)
| bowl_record = 0–1
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 5 [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National]] (1934–1936, 1940–1941)<br> 3 [[Southern Conference|SoCon]] (1929–1931)<br>7 [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] (1933–1935, 1937–1938, 1940–1941)
| awards = 
* [[Amos Alonzo Stagg Award]] (1958)
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1915 College Football All-America Team|1915]])
* First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Western]] ([[1915 All-Western college football team|1915]])
| coaching_records = 
| CFBHOF_year = 1955
| CFBHOF_id = 1532
}}
'''Bernard W. Bierman''' (March 11, 1894 – March 7, 1977) was an American [[college football]] coach best known for his years as head coach of the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football]] program. Between 1934-41, his Minnesota teams won five [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championships]] ([[1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1934]], [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1935]], [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1936]], [[1940 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1940]], and [[1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1941]]), seven Big Ten championships ([[1933 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1933]], 1934, 1935, [[1937 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1937]], [[1938 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1938]], 1940, and 1941) and had four [[perfect season]]s (1934, 1935, 1940, 1941). Bierman's five national championships rank him among the greatest college football coaches of all time, as only [[Nick Saban]] (7) and [[Bear Bryant]] (6) have won more.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Madsen |first1=Rob |date=Spring 2023 |title=The Cost of Conservatism: The University of Minnesota's Lofted Ideals and Fallen Football Teams |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/918698 |journal=Journal of Sport History |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=85–100 |doi= 10.5406/21558450.50.1.06|access-date=}}</ref>

Bierman was born and raised in Minnesota and attended the [[University of Minnesota]] where he played football, basketball, and track, and was captain of the undefeated [[1915 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1915 football team]].

Bierman later served as the head football coach at the [[University of Montana]] (1919–1921), [[Mississippi State University|Mississippi A&M]] (1925–1926), [[Tulane University]] (1927–1931), [[1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team|Iowa Pre-Flight]] (1942), and Minnesota (1932–1941, 1945–1950). He compiled a career record of 153–65–12 as a head football coach and was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1955. Bierman was also the head basketball coach at Montana (1919–1922), Mississippi A&M (1925–1927), and Tulane (1928–1930), tallying a career college basketball coaching mark of 89–51.

==Early years==
[[File:Bernie_Bierman_1917.jpg|thumb|140px|left|Bierman in 1917]]
Bierman was born in 1894 to German immigrants on a farm near [[Springfield, Minnesota]].<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman, Football Coach Who Led Minnesota to Fame, Dies|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 9, 1977|page=30|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/09/archives/bernie-bierman-football-coach-who-led-minnesota-to-fame-dies.html}}</ref> His family moved to Oklahoma when he was a baby, but returned to Minnesota, living in [[Waseca, Minnesota|Waseca]], [[Paynesville, Minnesota|Paynesville]], [[Litchfield, Minnesota|Litchfield]], and [[Minneapolis]]. The family returned to Litchfield in 1908, and it was there that Bierman attended high school and played football, baseball, and track, before graduating in 1912.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Own Life Story (part 1)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 8, 1936|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-ow/125757033/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Bierman's high school athletic success is remarkable given his bout of [[osteomyelitis]] which confined him to crutches for 3 years as a boy.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Madsen |first1=Rob |date=Spring 2023 |title=The Cost of Conservatism: The University of Minnesota's Lofted Ideals and Fallen Football Teams |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/918698 |journal=Journal of Sport History |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=85–100 |doi= 10.5406/21558450.50.1.06|access-date=}}</ref>

Bierman enrolled at the [[University of Minnesota]] in the fall of 1912. He played for the freshman football team in 1912 and for the varsity team in 1913, though a [[charley horse]] sidelined him early in the season. He became a starter in 1914, and as a senior, he was captain of the undefeated [[1915 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team]].<ref name=part2>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Own Life Story (part 2)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=November 9, 1936|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-ow/125757646/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=obit>{{cite news|title=Gophers legend Bernie Bierman dies|newspaper=Minneapolis Tribune|date=March 9, 1977|pages=1A, 6A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-gophers-legend-bernie-bierm/125720580/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He won a total of seven [[varsity letter]]s at Minnesota, three in football, three in track, and one in basketball.<ref name=part2/>

Bierman was the second of four Bierman brothers to compete in athletics at the University of Minnesota. Older brother Al Bierman played halfback for the football team in 1912 and 1913. George Bierman was the school's top broad jumper. Harlow Bierman was the youngest brother joined the football team in 1917.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fourth Bierman Brother at "U" to Gain More Athletic Fame for Family|newspaper=The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|date=February 23, 1018|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-fourth-bierman-brother-at/125756466/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
===Montana===
In the summer of 1916, Bierman accepted a job as the football coach at Butte High School in [[Butte, Montana]]. His Butte team outscored opponents by a total of 300 to six and was recognized as the Montana state champion. When the United States entered [[World War I]] in April 1917, Bierman enrolled in the [[United States Marine Corps]]. He served in the Marines from May 1917 until April 1919. He was promoted to second lieutenant on July 1, 1918, and to captain on July 2, 1918. He spent most of the war in Cuba.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Life Story (part 3)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 10, 1936|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-li/125758551/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

After completing his military service, he was hired in May 1919 as head football, basketball and track coach at the [[University of Montana]]. He served as head football coach at Montana from 1919 to 1921.<ref name=obit/> The highlight of his time at Montana was an 18–14 upset victory over Washington in October 1920.  In the annual rivalry game with Montana State, Bierman's team's played to a tie in 1919 and won consecutive games in 1920 and 1921. While at Montana, Bierman met his wife Clara McKenzie.<ref name=pt4>{{cite news|title=Bierman's Life Story (part 4)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 11, 1936|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-biermans-life-stor/125759736/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===Tulane and Mississippi A&M===
In 1922, Bierman returned to Minnesota working as a municipal bond trader for Wells Dickey.<ref name=pt4/> He also coached the football team at Pillsbury Academy in [[Owatonna, Minnesota]].<ref name=obit/>

Bierman later recalled that he "couldn't shake my natural love" for football, and in the summer of 1923, he accepted an offer to become a part-time assistant coach at [[Tulane University]] under his Minnesota teammate [[Clark Shaughnessy]]. He was an assistant coach for the football, basketball, and track teams at Tulane in 1923 and 1924. He continued to work part-time in the bond business while at Tulane.<ref name=p5>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Life Story (part 5)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 12, 1936|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-li/125760226/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In April 1925, he was hired as head football coach and associate professor of physical education at Mississippi A&M.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman to A. & M.|newspaper=Daily Clarion-Ledger|date=April 15, 1925|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/clarion-ledger-bierman-to-a-m/125721423/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The position was full time, marking the end of Bierman's time in the bond business. Bierman later recalled that football was at a "low ebb" at Mississippi A&M when he took the job and recalled that a highlight of his time there was a close 6–0 loss to the undefeated, national champion [[1925 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1925 Alabama team]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Life Story (part 5)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 12, 1936|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-li/125760882/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He served as the school's head football coach in 1925 and 1926, compiling an 8–8–1 record.

In April 1927, he was hired as Tulane's head football coach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman Chosen Tulane Coach|newspaper=The Daily Herald|date=April 19, 1927|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-herald-bierman-chosen-tulane-coach/125721257/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> After two rebuilding years, Bierman's Tulane teams did not lose a conference game and won three consecutive [[Southern Conference]] championships from 1929 to 1931.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Life Story (part 6)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 14, 1936|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-li/125761384/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>  The [[1929 Tulane Green Wave football team|1929 Tulane team]] compiled a perfect 9–0 record; the [[1930 Tulane Green Wave football team|1930 team]] was undefeated in conference games but lost to Big Ten champion [[1930 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]. In his final year at Tulane, Bierman led the [[1931 Tulane Green Wave football team|1931 team]] to an 11–0 record in the regular season and a No. 2 ranking in the final [[Dickinson System]] ratings.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dickinson Gives Title to Trojans|newspaper=Monroe Morning World|date=December 13, 1931|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98586142/dickinson-gives-title-to-trojans/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The 1931 team won a berth in the [[1932 Rose Bowl]], losing to No. 1 [[1931 USC Trojans football team|USC]] by a 21–12 score.

===Minnesota===
====1932 to 1941====
[[File:Bert_Baston_1935Dec1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Minnesota's Golden Gophers, 1935 National Champions, coaches: [[Bert Baston]], end coach; Bernie Bierman, head coach; and [[George Hauser]], line coach. The fourth varsity tutor, [[Red Dawson|Lowek (Red) Dawson]], who coached the backfield, was absent when the photograph was taken]]
In January 1932, Bierman was hired to replace [[Fritz Crisler]] as Minnesota's head football coach. After a 5–3 season in 1932, Bierman led Minnesota on a nine-year run from 1933 to 1941 during which they five won national championships ([[1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1934]], [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1935]], [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1936]], [[1940 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1940]], and [[1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1941]]) and seven Big Ten championships ([[1933 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1933]], 1934, 1935, [[1937 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1937]], [[1938 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1938]], 1940, and 1941) and four [[perfect season]]s (1934, 1935, 1940, 1941). Bierman cited the 1934 victory over Pittsburgh as the "high spot" of the season in which the Golden Gophers "blossomed" into a great team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernie Bierman's Life Story (part 7)|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Bernie Bierman|date=September 15, 1936|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bernie-biermans-li/125764952/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Bierman coached nine consensus All-Americans between 1934 and 1941: fullback [[Pug Lund]], halfbacks [[George Franck]] and [[Bruce Smith (halfback)|Bruce Smith]], end [[Frank Larson]], guard [[Bill Bevan]], and tackles [[Ed Widseth]], [[Dick Smith (tackle)|Dick Smith]], [[Urban Odson]], and [[Dick Wildung]].

Bierman published his book, "Winning Football: Strategy, Psychology and Technique", in 1937.<ref>{{cite book|title=Winning Football: Strategy, Psychology and Technique|publisher=Whittlesey House|year=1937|isbn=}}</ref>

Bierman's pre-war Minnesota dynasties deployed the [[single wing]] offensive formation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Madsen |first1=Rob |date=Spring 2023 |title=The Cost of Conservatism: The University of Minnesota's Lofted Ideals and Fallen Football Teams |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/918698 |journal=Journal of Sport History |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=85–100 |doi= 10.5406/21558450.50.1.06|access-date=}}</ref>

====Wartime military service====
Bierman continued to serve in the Marine Corps reserves while coaching at Minnesota. Following the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], Bierman was ordered to report to active duty with the Marines in January 1942.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman Order Hit Gopher Campus Like Bombshell|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=January 5, 1942|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-bierman-order-hit/125766779/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In March 1942, he was named athletic director and head football coach of the Navy's new pre-flight training school at the [[University of Iowa]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman To Iowa|newspaper=The Cedar Rapids Gazette|date=March 5, 1942|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-bierman-to-iowa/125767303/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He led the [[1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team]] to a 7–3 record and the No. 2 ranking in the AP's Service Poll.

In May 1943, the Navy announced that Bierman had been assigned to sea duty and would not be available to coach Iowa Pre-Flight in 1943.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lt. Colonel Bernie Bierman Is Ordered to Sea: Gopher Mentor Leaves in June|newspaper=Minneapolis Star Journal|author=Charles Johnson|date=May 11, 1943|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-lt-colonel-bernie/125767627/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> His order to report for sea duty was remanded, and he spent the summer and early fall of 1943 at Marine Corps base in [[San Diego]]. In March 1944, he was appointed as the athletic director at the [[Naval Air Station Pensacola|Pensacola Naval Air Station]]. He was released by the Navy in October 1944.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman Released, to Rejoin Gophers Oct. 15|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=October 4, 1944|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bierman-releasedd/125768359/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

====1945 to 1950====
After his discharge from the military, Bierman returned to Minnesota as an advisory football coach in October 1944. He resumed his role as Minnesota's head football coach in 1945 and held that post through the 1950 season. His teams did not compete for championships after the war, and he resigned as head coach in November 1950, as his [[1950 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|1950 team]] compiled a 1–7–1 record.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bierman Quits as 'U' Football Coach: Will Stay Till End of Season|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=November 13, 1950|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-bierman-quits-as-u/125721617/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

====Overall record and coaching style====
In 16 years as Minnesota's head football coach, he compiled a 93-35-6 record. He was known for his quiet approach, a coach who "did not believe in whipping his players into an emotional state" before they took the field.<ref name=NYT/> His teams ran a [[single-wing formation]] behind an unbalanced line, emphasizing a conservative running game with little use of the forward pass.<ref name=NYT/>

Bierman was an aloof, intense head coach, whose practices were long and difficult, during which Bierman would talk to the players only to criticize their play.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Madsen |first1=Rob |date=Spring 2023 |title=The Cost of Conservatism: The University of Minnesota's Lofted Ideals and Fallen Football Teams |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/918698 |journal=Journal of Sport History |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=85–100 |doi= 10.5406/21558450.50.1.06|access-date=}}</ref>

==Family and later years==

Bierman remained employed by the University of Minnesota's athletic department until his retirement in the summer of 1959.<ref name=obit/> He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1955.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gophers Bierman, Spears in Hall of Fame|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|author=Dick Gordon|date=July 25, 1955|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-gophers-bierman-sp/125721529/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=CFHOF>{{cite web|title=Bernie Bierman|publisher=National Football Foundation|accessdate=June 1, 2023|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1532}}</ref> He was also inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1958,<ref>{{cite news|title=Celebrate Installation of Hall of Fame|newspaper=Minneapolis Morning Tribune|date=December 17, 1958|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-celebrate-installation-of-h/125721713/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1967,<ref>{{cite news|title=Three men enter La. Hall of Fame|newspaper=Lake Charles American Press|date=January 20, 1967|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lake-charles-american-press-three-men-en/125721668/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1971,<ref>{{cite web|title=Bernie Bierman|publisher=Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame|accessdate=June 3, 2023|url=https://allstatesugarbowl.org/sports/2022/5/2/bernie-bierman-greater-new-orleans-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx}}</ref> and the University of Minnesota "M" Club Hall of Fame in 1991.<ref name=Mclub>{{cite web|title=Bernie Bierman|publisher=University of Minnesota|work=GopherSports.com|accessdate=February 3, 2023|url=https://gophersports.com/sports/2018/5/21/sports-m-club-spec-rel-hof-bierman-html}}</ref>

After retiring in 1959, Bierman moved to southern California. During the 1960s, he continued an association with Minnesota as the color commentator on WCCO's radio broadcasts of Minnesota football.<ref name=obit/>

Bierman died on March 7, 1977, at Saddle Community Hospital in [[Laguna Hills, California]], after a long illness. He was survived by his wife Clara and two sons, William A. Bierman and James Bierman.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Bernie Bierman dies at 82 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121548359/the-spokesman-review/ |newspaper=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |location=[[Spokane, Washington]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=March 9, 1977 |page=21 |access-date=March 24, 2023 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{Open access}} }}</ref>

==Head coaching record==
===Football===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = AP }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Montana Grizzlies football|Montana Grizzlies]]
 | conf      = [[Northwest Conference (1908–1925)|Northwest Conference]]
 | startyear = 1919
 | endyear   = 1921
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1919 college football season|1919]]
 | name         = [[1919 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]
 | overall      = 2–3–2
 | conference   = 0–2–1
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1920 college football season|1920]]
 | name         = [[1920 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]
 | overall      = 4–3
 | conference   = 0–3
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1921 college football season|1921]]
 | name         = [[1921 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]
 | overall      = 3–3–1
 | conference   = 0–2
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Montana
 | overall    = 9–9–3
 | confrecord = 0–7–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Mississippi A&M Aggies football|Mississippi A&M Aggies]]
 | conf      = [[Southern Conference]]
 | startyear = 1925
 | endyear   = 1926
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1925 college football season|1925]]
 | name         = [[1925 Mississippi A&M Aggies football team|Mississippi A&M]]
 | overall      = 3–4–1
 | conference   = 1–4
 | confstanding = T–15th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1926 college football season|1926]]
 | name         = [[1926 Mississippi A&M Aggies football team|Mississippi A&M]]
 | overall      = 5–4
 | conference   = 2–3
 | confstanding = 14th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Mississippi A&M
 | overall    = 8–8–1
 | confrecord = 3–7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Tulane Green Wave football|Tulane Green Wave]]
 | conf      = [[Southern Conference]]
 | startyear = 1927
 | endyear   = 1931
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1927 college football season|1927]]
 | name         = [[1927 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane]]
 | overall      = 2–5–1
 | conference   = 2–5–1
 | confstanding = 18th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1928 college football season|1928]]
 | name         = [[1928 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane]]
 | overall      = 6–3–1
 | conference   = 3–3–1
 | confstanding = T–10th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1929 college football season|1929]]
 | name         = [[1929 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane]]
 | overall      = 9–0
 | conference   = 6–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1930 college football season|1930]]
 | name         = [[1930 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane]]
 | overall      = 8–1
 | conference   = 5–0
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1931 college football season|1931]]
 | name         = [[1931 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane]]
 | overall      = 11–1
 | conference   = 8–0
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[1932 Rose Bowl|Rose]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Tulane
 | overall    = 36–10–2
 | confrecord = 24–8–2
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota Golden Gophers]]
 | conf      = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1932
 | endyear   = 1941
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1932 college football season|1932]]
 | name         = [[1932 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 5–3
 | conference   = 2–3
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1933 college football season|1933]]
 | name         = [[1933 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 4–0–4
 | conference   = 2–0–4
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1934 college football season|1934]]
 | name         = [[1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 8–0
 | conference   = 5–0
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1935 college football season|1935]]
 | name         = [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 8–0
 | conference   = 5–0
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1936 college football season|1936]]
 | name         = [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 7–1
 | conference   = 4–1
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1937 college football season|1937]]
 | name         = [[1937 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 6–2
 | conference   = 5–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 5
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1938 college football season|1938]]
 | name         = [[1938 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 6–2
 | conference   = 4–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 10
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1939 college football season|1939]]
 | name         = [[1939 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 3–4–1
 | conference   = 2–3–1
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1940 college football season|1940]]
 | name         = [[1940 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 8–0
 | conference   = 6–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | year         = [[1941 college football season|1941]]
 | name         = [[1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 8–0
 | conference   = 5–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 1
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name         = [[Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football|Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks]]
 | conf         = Independent
 | startyear    = 1942
 | endyear      = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1942 college football season|1942]]
 | name         = [[1942 Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football team|Iowa Pre-Flight]]
 | overall      = 7–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Iowa Pre-Flight
 | overall    = 7–3
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name         = [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota Golden Gophers]]
 | conf         = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear    = 1945
 | endyear      = 1950
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1945 college football season|1945]]
 | name         = [[1945 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 4–5
 | conference   = 1–5
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1946 college football season|1946]]
 | name         = [[1946 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 5–4
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = 5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1947 college football season|1947]]
 | name         = [[1947 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 6–3
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1948 college football season|1948]]
 | name         = [[1948 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 7–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 16
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1949 college football season|1949]]
 | name         = [[1949 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 7–2
 | conference   = 4–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 8
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1950 college football season|1950]]
 | name         = [[1950 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]
 | overall      = 1–7–1
 | conference   = 1–4–1
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Minnesota
 | overall    = 93–35–6
 | confrecord = 57–28–6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 153–65–12
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = 
 | polltype = Rankings from final [[AP Poll]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{College Football HoF|1532}}
* {{Find a Grave}}

{{Montana Grizzlies football coach navbox}}
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{{Navboxes
| title = Bernie Bierman—championships, awards, and honors
| list1 =
{{1934 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}{{1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1940 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}
{{Amos Alonzo Stagg Award}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bierman, Bernie}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:American football halfbacks]]
[[Category:Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football coaches]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football coaches]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs football coaches]]
[[Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Montana Grizzlies football coaches]]
[[Category:Montana Grizzlies basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Tulane Green Wave football coaches]]
[[Category:Tulane Green Wave men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Tulane Green Wave track and field coaches]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:People from Litchfield, Minnesota]]
[[Category:People from Springfield, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Presidents of the American Football Coaches Association]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]