The 1985 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second and final year under head coach Lou Holtz, the Golden Gophers compiled a 7–5 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 293 to 240. When former Minnesota head coach Lou Holtz left the Golden Gophers to coach at the University of Notre Dame, assistant John Gutekunst was tapped to coach the Golden Gophers in the Independence Bowl. Attendance was 42,845.