Widseth was born in Gonvick, Minnesota in 1910. He played high school football at the Northwest School of Agriculture (later renamed
University of Minnesota, Crookston) where he graduated in 1932. At the time, NSA was a boarding school. His family's farm had no access to electricity. He was also student body president. Widseth next enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he played football for
Bernie Bierman's Minnesota Golden Gophers football teams of the mid-1930s. The Golden Gophers compiled a record of 23-1 during Widseth's three seasons on the team from 1934 to 1936. Widseth reportedly "'lived' in enemy backfields and was unquestionably the pillar of strength in the Gopher line" during a period in which they claimed three consecutive national championships. The only game the Golden Gophers lost during Widseth's three years as a starter was a 6–0 loss to Northwestern in 1936. Widseth also won two varsity letters as a pitcher and first baseman for the Minnesota baseball team. the All-America Board,
Liberty, the INS, the North American Newspaper Alliance, the
Central Press Association, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation ("WCFF"). the UP, ''Collier's Weekly
, the INS, the Newspaper Editors Association, Liberty'', the Central Press, and WCFF. ==Professional football==