1929 Big Ten Conference football season

August 2023 1929 Big Ten Conference football season Football 10 Purdue Champion Illinois Willis Glasgow Football 1928 1930 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. 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 Results and team statistics Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordDSrankPPGPAGMVP 1PurdueJimmy Phelan8–05–0#223.45.5Ralph Welch, Glen Harmeson2IllinoisRobert Zuppke6–1–13–1–1#519.43.43 (tie)MinnesotaClarence Spears6–23–2NR22.46.9Bronko Nagurski3 (tie)NorthwesternDick Hanley6–33–2NR19.110.6Russell Bergherm5IowaBurt Ingwersen4–2–22–2–2NR16.03.5Willis Glassgow6Ohio StateSam Willaman4–3–12–2–1NR11.98.6Wes Fesler7 (tie)MichiganHarry Kipke5–3–11–3–1NR12.18.3James Simrall7 (tie)IndianaHarlan Page2–6–11–3–1NR6.414.8 9ChicagoAmos Alonzo Stagg7–31–3NR13.09.2 10WisconsinGlenn Thistlethwaite4–51–4NR9.88.7Parks, Russ Rebholz Key DS = Rankings from Dickinson System. See 1929 college football season PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game1929 Big Ten Conference Year Summary Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football February 9, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/western/1929.html 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 Bowl games No Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games during the 1929 season. All-Big Ten players the complete All-Big Ten selections 1929 All-Big Ten Conference football team 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.Stars From Two Elevens Top Western Grid Ballot The Independent, St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP story) November 30, 1929 4A https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19291130&id=_8lPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f1QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4638,1859994Bovard Selected On NEA All-Big 10 Football Eleven The Escanaba Daily Press November 30, 1929 12All Big Ten Football Team Named; Picking Best Centers Difficult Bert Demby The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania) November 26, 1929 12 https://www.newspapers.com/image/52851603/?terms=fesler%2Bharmeson%2B%22united%2Bpress%22Eckersall's All-Conference Teams Detroit Free Press December 1, 1929 15 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5215929/eckersalls_allconference_teams/ PositionNameTeamSelectorsQuarterbackGlen HarmesonPurdueAP, NEA [halfback], UP, WEQuarterbackForrest PetersIllinoisNEAHalfbackWillis GlassgowIowaAP, NEA, UP, WEHalfbackRalph WelchPurdueAP, NEA [fullback], UP WEFullbackRussell BerghermNorthwesternAP, UP, WEEndWes FeslerOhio StateAP, NEA, UP, WEEndRobert E. TannerMinnesotaAP, NEA, UP, WETackleBronko NagurskiMinnesotaAP, NEA, UP, WETackleElmer SleightPurdueAP, UP, WETackleLou GordonIllinoisNEAGuardFred RobertsIowaAP, UPGuardHenry J. AndersonNorthwesternAP, NEA [tackle], WEGuardJohn ParksWisconsinUPGuardRussell J. CraneIllinoisWECenterMickey EricksonNorthwesternAP, UPCenterAlan BovardMichiganNEA, WE All-Americans the complete All-America selections 1929 College Football All-America Team Four Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1929 College Football All-America Team. They were: PositionNameTeamSelectorsTackleBronko NagurskiMinnesotaAP, UP, COL, NEA, INS, NANAFullbackRalph WelchPurdueUP, COL, NEA, INS [halfback], NANA, AABTackleElmer SleightPurdueAP, COL, INS, AABEndWes FeslerOhio StateAP, INS Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were: PositionNameTeamSelectorsHalfbackWillis GlassgowIowaCOL, NEA, NYS, LPEndRobert TannerMinnesotaDWTackleLou GordonIllinoisNANAGuardRuss CraneIllinoisCPGuardHenry J. AndersonNorthwesternNANA References