John Wintermute, who provided one of the most memorable plays in Gophers football history and a member of the last Gophers football team to win a Big Ten title, died on Jan. 10. Wintermute, who was living in Leland, Mich., was 78.

Wintermute, a three-year letter winner for the Gophers, rushed for 135 yards in the Gophers’ 33-7 victory over Indiana on Nov. 18, 1967. That victory helped the Gophers earn a share of the Big Ten title with Indiana and Purdue. Each team went 6-1 in the Big Ten. Each team went 1-1 against the other two — Indiana defeated Purdue, Purdue defeated the Gophers.

The Gophers opened the 1968 season, Wintermute’s senior year, by playing host to Southern Cal and O.J. Simpson.

With Southern Cal leading 16-13 after a field goal in the fourth quarter, the Gophers’ George Kemp took the ensuing kickoff and started running up middle of the field. When Kemp got to the first wave of tacklers, he threw an overhand lateral pass across the field to Wintermute. The Gophers had a blocking wall along the sidelines and Wintermute followed the blockers for a touchdown. The play, which covered 83 yards, gave the Gophers a 19-16 lead, but USC rallied for a 29-20 victory.

Wintermute played high school football in LaGrange Ill.