1924 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1924 Illinois Fighting Illini football 1924 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.jpg 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 6–1–1 3–1–1 Robert Zuppke 12th Single-wing Frank E. Rokusek Memorial Stadium 20silliniuniform.png The 1924 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1924 Big Ten season. In their twelfth year under head coach Robert Zuppke, the Fighting Illini compiled a 6–1–1 record (3–1–1 in conference games), tied for second place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 204 to 71.https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1924-schedule.html 1924 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 24, 2025 The team was ranked No. 4 in the final Dickinson System rankings for 1924.Dickinson Frank G. Dickinson System February 1941 Dickinson's Football Ratings — from Grange to Harmon Minnesota is the Top Team in Recent Ten Year Rankings Omaha, Nebraska What's What Publishing Company 4–5 After an undefeated season in 1923, and with the return of halfback Red Grange, expectations were high for the Illini in 1924. In a 39–14 victory over Michigan, Grange scored five touchdowns and gained 402 yards on 21 plays. The Illini also defeated Nebraska (9–6), Iowa (36–0), and Ohio State (7–0), tied with Chicago (21–21), and lost to Minnesota (7–20). Grange, known as "The Galloping Ghost", was a unanimous pick on the 1924 All-America team. He also received the inaugural Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Ten. Eight Illinois players received honors on the 1924 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Schedule October 4 2:00 p.m. w y y Nebraska Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE 9–6 22,355 Illinois Noses Out Narrow Victory Over Cornhuskers, 9 to 6: Britton's Toe Is Deciding Factor Sunday State Journal Lincoln, Nebraska October 5, 1924 A9 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star-illinois-noses-out/177351891/ Newspapers.com October 11 w y 1924 Butler Bulldogs Butler Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 40–10 12,599 Illini Show Improved Form As Fast Backs Tear Through Butler For 40-10 Victory: Pass Attack Effective for Both Elevens; Grange Runs, Passes in Stellar Style; McIlwain Makes Long Gains The Daily Illini Tom Morrow October 12, 1924 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-illini-show-improved-fo/177351103/ Newspapers.comIllinois and Chicago Win: Grange, Starring Leads, Team to Easy Victory Over Butler; Illinois, Vastly Improved, Score Almost at Will Decatur Herald October 12, 1924 22 https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-illinois-and-chicago-w/177351303/ Newspapers.com October 18 w Michigan Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 39–14 66,609 Illinois Buries Wolverines 39 to 14: Grange Thrills Huge Crowd by Racing to 5 Touchdowns Chicago Tribune James Crusinberry October 19, 1924 1 (sports) https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-illinois-buries-wolverin/177341757/ Newspapers.comIllini Smash Michigan, 39 to 14: Machine-Like Interference Aids Red in 5 Touchdowns The Daily Illini October 19, 1924 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-illini-smash-michigan/177341946/ Newspapers.comGrange Races 402 Yards in Michigan Tilt The Daily Illini October 19, 1924 9 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-grange-races-402-yards/177341841/ Newspapers.com October 25 w y 1924 DePauw Tigers DePauw Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 45–0 12,196 Ray Gallivan Stars in Illini Victory, 45-0: Five Regulars, Including Grange, Out of Lineup at Start Decatur Herald October 26, 1924 21 https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-ray-gallivan-stars-in/177341615/ Newspapers.comIllinois Second String Rampages Through DePauw, 45-0; Hawk Onslaught Jolts Gophers, 13-0 The Daily Illini October 26, 1924 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-illinois-second-string/177341476/ Newspapers.com November 1 w Iowa Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 36–0 31,330 Eleven-Man Illini Machine Smears Iowa, 36-0: Grange Shows Best in Line Plunging, Passing; M'Ilwain Plays with Smashed Hand The Daily Illini November 2, 1924 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-eleven-man-illini-machi/177341200/ Newspapers.comGrange Leads Illini to 36 to 0 Victory Over Hawkeyes: 'Red' Scores First Two Touchdowns But Fails To Make Long Dashes Decatur Herald Larry Dailey November 2, 1924 20 https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-grange-leads-illini-to/177341321/ Newspapers.com November 8 t y Chicago Stagg Field Chicago, IL 21–21 32,543 Chicago-Illinois Tie: 21-21; M'Carty and Grange Share Hero Honors; 32,000 Cheering Fans Jam Stadium Chicago Tribune Robert M. Lee November 9, 1924 1 (main), 1 (sports) https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-chicago-illinois-tie-21/177340312/ Newspapers.com November 15 l y Minnesota Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 7–20 35,341–40,000 Minnesota Triumphs Over Illinois, 20 to 7: Clarence Schutte Outshines Grange The Minneapolis Tribune George A. Barton November 16, 1924 1, 2 (sports) https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-minnesota-triumphs-over-ill/177340070/ Newspapers.com November 22 w Ohio State Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 7–0 27,378 Illini Win, 7-0 https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review/127997231/ July 10, 2023 Decatur Sunday Herald and Review Associated Press November 23, 1924 19 Newspapers.comFighting Illini Beat Ohio; Chicago Wins Title The Daily Illini November 23, 1924 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-fighting-illini-beat-oh/177339860/ Newspapers.com Game summaries Michigan Michigan at Illinois Michigan Illinois 0 7 0 7 27 0 6 6 October 18, 1924 Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL 67,000 C. J. Masker (Northwestern) Illinois defeated Michigan on October 18, 1924, by a score of 39–14. The game was played before 66,609 spectators, the largest crowd of Illinois' 1924 season. Red Grange gained national notoriety for his performance in the game. Grange returned the opening kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown and scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to give Illinois a 27–0 lead. Grange scored five touchdowns in the game and gained 402 yards on 21 plays. The New York Times reported: "Unbiased experts agree that his performance was among the greatest ever seen on an American gridiron."67,000 See Illinois Beat Michigan, 39 to 14: Red Grange Makes Five of Six Touchdowns Registered by Victors at Urbana The New York Times October 19, 1924 Awards and honors Halfback Red Grange received the inaugural Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the most valuable player in the Big Ten.Tribune Trophy Goes To "Red" Grange: Illinois Flash Voted "Of Most Value To Team" Chicago Tribune Harvey T. Woodruff December 21, 1924 1 (part 2) https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-tribune-trophy-goes-to/177339426/ Newspapers.com He was also a unanimous pick among the major selectors for the 1924 All-America team,Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 6 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf including first-team honors from Walter Camp,Walter Camp Slights Big Three In Naming All-America Eleven: Football Expert Neglects To Name Princeton, Harvard or Yale Man on His First Team Appleton Post-Crescent 1924-12-30 All-America Board, Football World, International News Service (INS), Liberty magazine, Newspaper Enterprise Association,ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1156 Norman E. Brown,Norman E. Brown Brown Picks All-American Team for the Journal Hamilton Evening Journal 1924-12-08 Lawrence Perry,Lawrence Perry Lawrence Perry's All-American Teams Announced Oakland Tribune 1923-12-14 Billy Evans,Evans Names Hancock On Second All-American Iowa City Press-Citizen 1924-12-11 and Walter Eckersall.Eckersall Picks All-American Team Chicago Tribune December 14, 1924 1 (sports) https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-eckersall-picks-all-amer/177355379/ Newspapers.com Grange was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.Red Grange National Football Foundation July 24, 2025 https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1410 End Frank Rokusek was also the team captain.Omaha Boy Leads Illinois Eleven: Frank Rokusek Captain of Illini -- Zuppke Will Try for Another Big Ten Title -- Fourteen Letter Men Back Lincoln State Journal George Chapin August 25, 2025 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star-omaha-boy-leads-ill/177352727/ Newspapers.com Eight other Illinois players received honors from at least one selector for the 1924 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Grange (Billy Evans first team;Billy Evans' All-Western Conference Selections The News-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan) December 1, 1924 5 https://www.newspapers.com/image/51085025/?terms=parkin%2Bbaker%2Bgrange Bill Ingram first team;Ingram Names Two Hawks On All-Conference Iowa City Press-Citizen November 25, 1924 11 https://www.newspapers.com/image/16094786/?terms=gowdy%2Bpondelik%2Bparkin Daily Illini first team;Illinois Student Paper Picks All Conference Team The Journal News (Hamilton, Ohio) December 1, 1924 34 https://www.newspapers.com/image/19372179/?terms=gowdy%2Bpondelik%2Bparkin Hank Casserly first team; The Indianapolis News first team; Larry Dailey first team; Walter Eckersall first team) Halfback Wally McIlwain (Daily Illini first team, Walter Eckersall first teamEckie Selects Big 10 Honor Grid Teams Chicago Tribune November 30, 1924 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1924/11/30/page/25/article/notre-dame-and-army-teams-triumph) End Chuck Kassel (Daily Illini first team, Walter Eckersall first team) End Frank Rokusek (Hank Casserly first team,Sports Writers Pick Stars of Big Ten Season: Capital Times Dopester Fails to Name Single Badger on First Squad The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin) November 26, 1924 17 https://www.newspapers.com/image/20711269/?terms=gowdy%2Bpondelik%2Bparkin The Indianapolis News second team, Larry Dailey second team) Fullback Earl Britton (The Indianapolis News second team,W. F. Fox, Jr. The News' All Conference Selections, 1924 The Indianapolis News November 29, 1924 16 https://www.newspapers.com/image/36037886/?terms=gowdy%2Bpondelik%2Bparkin Larry Dailey second team, Walter Eckersall third team); Guard Louis F. Slimmer (Hank Casserly second team, The Indianapolis News third team) Quarterback Harry A. Hall (Larry Dailey second teamLarry Dailey Grange Only Illini on Dailey's All-Conference Eleven Decatur Herald November 30, 1924 26 https://www.newspapers.com/image/90163277/?terms=gowdy%2Bpondelik%2Bparkin) Tackle Richard L. Hall (The Indianapolis News second team) 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 References Illinois Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football