1896 Western Conference football season

American college football season August 2023 1896 Western Conference football season Football 7 Wisconsin Champion Football 1897 The 1896 Western Conference football season was the first season of college football played by the member schools of the Western Conference (later known as the Big Ten Conference) and was a part of the 1896 college football season. In September 1896, the members of the Western Conference, seven of the most prominent teams in the Midwest, arranged their schedules so as to "compete for the championship of the West."Seven in the Contest The Chicago Tribune September 30, 1896 8 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8036414/seven_in_the_contest/ The 1896 Wisconsin Badgers football team, under head coach Philip King, won the first Western Conference championship with a 7–1–1 record (2–0–1 against conference opponents).1896 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football December 28, 2016 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/wisconsin/1896-schedule.html Wisconsin's sole loss was to the Carlisle Indians in a night game played indoors and under the lights at the Chicago Coliseum before a crowd of 16,000 persons.Won By The Red Men: Wisconsin 'Varsity Loses to the Carlisle School Chicago Inter Ocean December 20, 1896 1, 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8036264/won_by_the_red_men_wisconsin_varsity/ Michigan, led by head coach William Ward, compiled a 9–1 record and led the conference in both scoring offense (26.2 points per game) and scoring defense (1.1 points per game). Michigan started the season with nine consecutive wins in which the Wolverines outscored their opponents by a combined score of 256 to 4. In the final game of the season, Michigan lost to Chicago by a score of 7–6. The 1896 Chicago–Michigan football rivalry game was the first college football game played indoors, and the last portion of the game was also played under electric lights.Chicago Wins by a Point: University Team Defeats Michigan for the First Time; Indoor Play Proves a Success; Coliseum Utilized and Twenty Thousand In Attendance—Herschberger of the Home Eleven Kicks His Way Into Fame Nebraska State Journal November 27, 1896Football Played Indoors The New York Times November 27, 1896 Northwestern finished in third place with a 6–1–2 record, its only loss coming against Chicago by an 18–6 score.1896 Northwestern Wildcats Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football December 28, 2016 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/northwestern/1896-schedule.html In their fifth season under head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, the Chicago Maroons compiled a 15–2–1 record, finished in fourth place in the conference with a 3–2 record against conference opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 368 to 82.1896 Chicago Maroons Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football December 8, 2015 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/chicago/1896-schedule.html Season overview Results and team statistics Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAG1WisconsinPhilip King7–1–12–0–122.93.32MichiganWilliam Ward9–12–126.21.13NorthwesternAlvin H. Culver6–1–22–1–117.35.14ChicagoAmos A. Stagg15–2–13–220.44.65MinnesotaAlexander Jerrems8–21–216.82.46 (tie)IllinoisGeorge Huff4–2–10–2–121.15.16 (tie)PurdueSamuel Hammond4–2–10–2–117.48.6 Key PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game1896 Western Conference Year Summary Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football December 27, 2016 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/western/1896.html Regular season Only 12 conference games were played during the 1896 Western Conference season. The results were as follows: October 17, 1896, Minnesota defeated Purdue, 14-0, before a crowd of 3,500 in MinneapolisPurdue Goes Down The Saint Paul Globe October 18, 1896 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8071946/purdue_goes_down/ October 24, 1896, Michigan defeated Purdue, 16-0, in Lafayette, IndianaSpeed Told in the End Detroit Free Press October 25, 1896 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8071972/speed_told_in_the_end_michiganpurdue/ October 24, 1896, Northwestern defeated Chicago, 46-6Stagg's Hope Is Vain Chicago Tribune October 25, 1896 1, 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8071994/staggs_hope_is_vain/ October 31, 1896, Chicago defeated Illinois, 12-0, at Marshall Field in ChicagoNichols Saves the Day Chicago Tribune November 1, 1896 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072026/nichols_saves_the_day_chicago_v/ November 7, 1896, Michigan defeated Minnesota, 6-4, in MinneapolisThe Champions: Michigan Just Beat Minnesota Out Yesterday Detroit Free Press November 8, 1896 1, 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072070/the_champions_michigan_just_beat/No Disgrace In It The Saint Paul Globe November 8, 1896 19 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072053/no_disgrace_in_it_michigan_v/ November 7, 1896, Northwestern defeated Illinois, 10-4, in Champaign, IllinoisThey Earn The Victory Chicago Tribune November 8, 1896 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072365/they_earn_the_victory_northwestern_v/ November 7, 1896, Wisconsin defeated Chicago, 24-0, at Camp Randall in Madison, WisconsinBadgers Win With Ease Chicago Tribune November 8, 1896 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072120/badgers_win_with_ease_wisconsin_v/ November 14, 1896, Chicago defeated Northwestern, 18-6Chicago Wins Game Chicago Tribune November 15, 1896 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072329/chicago_wins_the_game_chicago_v/ November 21, 1896, Wisconsin defeated Minnesota, 6-0, at Camp Randall in MadisonZero Weather For The Gophers The Saint Paul Globe November 22, 1896 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072247/zero_weather_for_the_gophers_wisconsin/Badgers Win The Game Chicago Tribune November 22, 1896 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072265/badgers_win_the_game_wisconsin_v/ November 26, 1896, Illinois and Purdue tied, 4-4, before a crowd of 2,000 in Lafayette, IndianaTie Game At Lafayette Chicago Tribune November 27, 1896 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072299/tie_game_at_lafayette_purdue_v/ November 26, 1896, Chicago defeated Michigan, 7-6, at Chicago ColiseumThe Champion? Chicago Trimmed Michigan by One Point Yesterday Detroit Free Press November 27, 1896 1, 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072162/the_champion_chicago_trimmed_michigan/Maroon Is On High Chicago Tribune November 27, 1896 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072189/maroon_is_on_high_chicago_v_michigan/ November 26, 1896, Wisconsin and Northwestern tied, 6-6, in Evanston, IllinoisPurple and Cardinal Tie Chicago Tribune November 27, 1896 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8072217/purple_and_cardinal_tie_northwestern/ Notable non-conference games during the 1896 season included the following: October 10, 1896, Chicago defeated Iowa by a 6–0 score at Chicago. October 14, 1896, Chicago defeated Notre Dame by an 18–0 score at South Bend, Indiana. October 17, 1896, Illinois defeated Missouri by a 10–0 score at St. Louis. October 24, 1896, Minnesota defeated Iowa Agricultural by an 18–6 score at Minneapolis. October 31, 1896, in the only intersectional match played by a Western Conference team, Michigan defeated Lehigh by a 40–0 score at the Detroit Athletic Club.Won the Eastern Game: Lehigh Failed to Score on the Men from Michigan The U. of M. Daily November 2, 1896 1 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071730696/105 Bentley Historical LibraryWon It Easily: Michigan Had No Trouble with the Lehigh Players Detroit Free Press November 1, 1896 6–7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21698432/won_it_easily_michigan_had_no_trouble/ Newspapers.com November 14, 1896, Purdue defeated Notre Dame by a 28–22 at South Bend, Indiana.Purdue Has Close Call: Notre Dame Makes Five Touchdowns Against Her Chicago Tribune November 15, 1896 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21116689/purdue_has_close_call_notre_dame_makes/ Newspapers.com November 28, 1896, Minnesota defeated Kansas by a 12–0 score at Lawrence, Kansas. December 19, 1896, Wisconsin lost to Carlisle by an 18–8 score at the Chicago Coliseum. Bowl games No bowl games were played during the 1896 season. Awards and honors All-Western players In the Chicago Inter Ocean, a sports writer known as "The Man Up a Tree" published the following selections for an All-Western football team:To The Man Up A Tree: An Opinion as to the Men for an All-Western Team The Man Up a Tree Chicago Inter Ocean November 30, 1896 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8071844/the_man_up_a_tree_an_opinion_as_to_the/ PositionNameTeamEndJohn M. HarrisonMinnesotaEndChester BrewerWisconsinTackleFrank VillaMichiganTackleJ. F. A. "Sunny" PyreWisconsinGuardHardingMinnesotaGuardJohn E. RyanWisconsinCenterPierceNorthwesternQuarterbackGordon ClarkeChicagoHalfbackJesse Van DoozerNorthwesternHalfbackJohn "Ikey" KarelWisconsinFullbackClarence HerschbergerChicago All-Americans the complete All-America selections 1896 College Football All-America Team No Western Conference players were selected for the 1896 College Football All-America Team. References