1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football Illinois Fighting Illini football team (1927).jpg 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 7–0–1 5–0 Robert Zuppke 15th Single-wing Robert Reitsch Memorial Stadium National champion(Billingsley, Dickinson, Helms, NCF, Davis)Big Ten co-champion 20silliniuniform.png The 1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois in the 1927 Big Ten Conference football season. The Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0–1 record (5–0 against Western Conference opponents) and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 152 to 24.https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1927-schedule.html 1927 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results Illinois was also ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Dickinson System ratings released in December 1927.Illinois Rated As America's Champs: Dr. Dickinson of Illinois Devises Rating System for Grid Teams The Morning Call December 4, 1927 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98582272/dickinson-rankings/ Newspapers.com Illinois was also retroactively named as the national champion for 1927 by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records The National Collegiate Athletic Association 112–114 July 2020 Indianapolis January 12, 2021 November 1, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201101032438/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf live Center Robert Reitsch and guard Russ Crane were selected as first-team players on the 1927 All-America college football team: Reitsch by the North American Newspaper Alliance and Lawrence Perry; and Crane by Grantland Rice for Collier's Weekly.Lawrence Perry Famous Sports Writer Sees Twenty-Nine Teams In Action Harrisburg (PA) Telegraph December 10, 1927 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6939851/famous_sports_writer_sees_twentynine/ Newspapers.com October 8, 2016 Grantland Rice's All-American Grid Team Announced The Scranton Republican December 2, 1927 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6939906/grantland_rices_allamerican_grid_team/ Newspapers.com October 8, 2016 Reitsch was also the team captain.Fighting Illini Football Record Book University of Illinois 2015 December 28, 2016 156 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf November 29, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201129040612/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf dead Other notable players included halfback Jud Timm; end Garland Grange; and tackle Butch Nowack. Schedule October 1 w y Bradley Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 19–0 9,000–16,987 Illinois Flashes New Attack to Beat Bradley Tech, 19-0 Chicago Tribune Walter Eckersall October 2, 1927 29 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98867601/illinois-flashes-new-attack-to-beat/ Newspapers.com October 8 w y 1927 Butler Bulldogs Butler Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 58–0 10,000–10,742 Illinois Aerial Attack Swamps Butler 58 to 0: Zuppke Uncovers Wealth of Material in Reserves; Timm Races 60 Yards Decatur Herald October 9, 1927 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98868605/illinois-aerial-attack-swamps-butler-58/ Newspapers.comDrew 140,000 Decatur Sunday Review November 20, 1927 21 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98869899/drew-140000/ Newspapers.com October 15 t y Iowa State Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 12–12 11,211–12,000 Iowa State Battles Illini To Tie Count The Jacksonville (Illinois) Daily Journal October 16, 1927 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98868888/iowa-state-battles-illini-to-tie-count/ Newspapers.com October 22 w y Northwestern Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL rivalry 7–6 46,580–50,000 Zuppke Springs His Annual Grid Surprise; Lewis Hurt Chicago Tribune Walter Eckersall October 23, 1927 29 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98869147/zuppke-springs-his-annual-grid/ Newspapers.com October 29 w y Michigan Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 14–0 62,000–63,101 Illini Crush Michigan Title Hopes, 14-0 Chicago Tribune Harvey Woodruff October 30, 1927 29 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98869472/illini-crush-michigan-title-hopes-14-0/ Newspapers.com November 5 w y Iowa Iowa Field Iowa City, IA 14–0 22,000 November 12 w Chicago Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 15–6 48,000–48,012 November 19 w y Ohio State Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH Illibuck 13–0 70,000–70,034 Illinois Wins Western Conference Grid Title -- Record Unmarred The Decatur Sunday Review November 20, 1927 21 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98870438/illinois-wins-western-conference-grid/ Newspapers.com Roster thumb|Jack F. Rissman National Intercollegiate Football Trophy — Awarded annually to the team ranked first in the Dickinson National Football Rating PlayerPositionRuss CraneGuardRobert Reitsch (captain)CenterButch NowackTackle, KickerJudson TimmHalfbackFritz HumbertFullbackBlair FrenchQuarterbackDwight StuessyQuarterbackDoug MillsFullback, PunterFrank WalkerFullbackTom NickolFullbackArt D'AmbrosioHalfback, FullbackArnold WolgastTackleJames R. StewartEndWalter JolleyEndErnest W. SchultzTackleKeston J. DeimlingGuardLawrence PerkinsGuardLeonard GrableTackleGarland GrangeHalfback, EndWilliam E. ShortEndLouis GordonGuardLouis MueggeGuardEvert NelsonGuardL. J. WeitzTackleLloyd. S. BurdickTackleNorman McClureGuardMerwin MitterwallnerGuardLester MarrinerGuard Head coach: Robert Zuppke (15th year at Illinois) References Illinois Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football