1929 Big Ten Conference football season

The 1929 Big Ten Conference football season was the 34th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1929 college football season.

1929 Big Ten Conference football season
SportFootball
Number of teams10
ChampionPurdue
  Runners-upIllinois
Season MVPWillis Glasgow
Football seasons
← 1928
1930 →
1929 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Purdue $ 5 0 0 8 0 0
No. 5 Illinois 3 1 1 6 1 1
Minnesota 3 2 0 6 2 0
Northwestern 3 2 0 6 3 0
Iowa 2 2 2 4 2 2
Ohio State 2 2 1 4 3 1
Michigan 1 3 1 5 3 1
Indiana 1 3 1 2 6 1
Chicago 1 3 0 7 3 0
Wisconsin 1 4 0 4 5 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1929 Purdue Boilermakers football team, under head coach Jimmy Phelan, compiled an 8–0 record, won the Big Ten championship, led the conference in scoring offense (23.4 points per game), and was ranked No. 2 in the Dickinson System rankings. Fullback Ralph Welch and tackle Elmer Sleight were consensus first-team All-Americans.

The 1929 Illinois Fighting Illini football team, under head coach Robert Zuppke, compiled a 6–1–1 record, finished in second place in the Big Ten, led the conference in scoring defense (3.4 points allowed per games), and was ranked No. 5 in the Dickinson System rankings.

The 1929 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, under head coach Clarence Spears, compiled a 6–2 and finished in third place in the Big Ten. Tackle Bronko Nagurski was selected as the team's most valuable player and a consensus first-team All-American.

Iowa halfback Willis Glassgow won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Ten. He was also selected as a first-team All-American by Collier's Weekly, the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and the New York Sun.

Season overview

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Results and team statistics

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Conf. Rank Team Head coach Overall record Conf. record DS
rank
PPG PAG MVP
1 Purdue Jimmy Phelan 8–0 5–0 #2 23.4 5.5 Ralph Welch, Glen Harmeson
2 Illinois Robert Zuppke 6–1–1 3–1–1 #5 19.4 3.4
3 (tie) Minnesota Clarence Spears 6–2 3–2 NR 22.4 6.9 Bronko Nagurski
3 (tie) Northwestern Dick Hanley 6–3 3–2 NR 19.1 10.6 Russell Bergherm
5 Iowa Burt Ingwersen 4–2–2 2–2–2 NR 16.0 3.5 Willis Glassgow
6 Ohio State Sam Willaman 4–3–1 2–2–1 NR 11.9 8.6 Wes Fesler
7 (tie) Michigan Harry Kipke 5–3–1 1–3–1 NR 12.1 8.3 James Simrall
7 (tie) Indiana Harlan Page 2–6–1 1–3–1 NR 6.4 14.8
9 Chicago Amos Alonzo Stagg 7–3 1–3 NR 13.0 9.2
10 Wisconsin Glenn Thistlethwaite 4–5 1–4 NR 9.8 8.7 Parks, Russ Rebholz

Key
DS = Rankings from Dickinson System. See 1929 college football season
PPG = Average of points scored per game[1]
PAG = Average of points allowed per game[1]
MVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy

Regular season

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Bowl games

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No Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games during the 1929 season.

All-Big Ten players

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The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP), the United Press (UP), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and/or Walter Eckersall (WE) as first-team players on the 1929 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[2][3][4][5]

Position Name Team Selectors
Quarterback Glen Harmeson Purdue AP, NEA [halfback], UP, WE
Quarterback Forrest Peters Illinois NEA
Halfback Willis Glassgow Iowa AP, NEA, UP, WE
Halfback Ralph Welch Purdue AP, NEA [fullback], UP WE
Fullback Russell Bergherm Northwestern AP, UP, WE
End Wes Fesler Ohio State AP, NEA, UP, WE
End Robert E. Tanner Minnesota AP, NEA, UP, WE
Tackle Bronko Nagurski Minnesota AP, NEA, UP, WE
Tackle Elmer Sleight Purdue AP, UP, WE
Tackle Lou Gordon Illinois NEA
Guard Fred Roberts Iowa AP, UP
Guard Henry J. Anderson Northwestern AP, NEA [tackle], WE
Guard John Parks Wisconsin UP
Guard Russell J. Crane Illinois WE
Center Mickey Erickson Northwestern AP, UP
Center Alan Bovard Michigan NEA, WE

All-Americans

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Four Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1929 College Football All-America Team. They were:

Position Name Team Selectors
Tackle Bronko Nagurski Minnesota AP, UP, COL, NEA, INS, NANA
Fullback Ralph Welch Purdue UP, COL, NEA, INS [halfback], NANA, AAB
Tackle Elmer Sleight Purdue AP, COL, INS, AAB
End Wes Fesler Ohio State AP, INS

Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were:

Position Name Team Selectors
Halfback Willis Glassgow Iowa COL, NEA, NYS, LP
End Robert Tanner Minnesota DW
Tackle Lou Gordon Illinois NANA
Guard Russ Crane Illinois CP
Guard Henry J. Anderson Northwestern NANA

References

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  1. ^ a b "1929 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  2. ^ "Stars From Two Elevens Top Western Grid Ballot". The Independent, St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP story). November 30, 1929. p. 4A.
  3. ^ "Bovard Selected On NEA All-Big 10 Football Eleven". The Escanaba Daily Press. November 30, 1929. p. 12.
  4. ^ Bert Demby (November 26, 1929). "All Big Ten Football Team Named; Picking Best Centers Difficult". The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania). p. 12.
  5. ^ "Eckersall's All-Conference Teams". Detroit Free Press. December 1, 1929. p. 15.