1936 Big Ten Conference football season


The 1936 Big Ten Conference football season was the 41st season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1936 college football season.
The 1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, under head coach Bernie Bierman, compiled a 7–1 record and was ranked No. 1 in the final AP Poll, giving Minnesota its third consecutive national championship. Tackle Ed Widseth was a consensus first-team All-American and was the first Big Ten player taken in the 1937 NFL Draft with the fourth overall pick.
The 1936 Northwestern Wildcats football team, under head coach Pappy Waldorf, compiled a 7–1 record, won the Big Ten championship, and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll. The team's only loss came on the last day of the season against Notre Dame. Guard Steve Reid was a consensus first-team All-American.
The 1936 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Francis Schmidt, compiled a 5–3 record, led the Big Ten in scoring defense, and outscored opponents 160 to 27. End Merle Wendt, tackle Charley Hamrick, and guard Inwood Smith were first-team All-Big Ten players.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Key
PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game
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 1936 season.

All-Big Ten players

The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press as first-team players on the 1936 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
PositionNameTeamSelectors
EndMerle WendtOhio StateAP, UP
EndJohnny KovatchNorthwesternAP, UP
TackleEd WidsethMinnesotaAP, UP
TackleCharley HamrickOhio StateAP, UP
GuardSteve ReidNorthwesternAP, UP
GuardInwood SmithOhio StateAP
GuardLester G. SchreiberNorthwesternUP
CenterEd SayreIllinoisAP, UP
QuarterbackFred VanzoNorthwesternAP, UP
HalfbackAndy UramMinnesotaAP, UP
HalfbackDon HeapNorthwesternAP
HalfbackVern HuffmanIndianaUP
FullbackCecil IsbellPurdueAP
FullbackJohnny DrakePurdueUP

All-Americans

Two Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1936 College Football All-America Team. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
TackleEd WidsethMinnesotaAAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, TSN, UP, CP, WCFF
GuardSteve ReidNorthwesternAAB, COL, LIB, NANA, NEA, TSN, WCFF

Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
HalfbackDon HeapNorthwesternCP
HalfbackAndy UramMinnesotaTSN

1937 NFL Draft

The following Big Ten players were among the first 100 players selected in the 1937 NFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Ed WidsethBackMinnesota14
Eddie JankowskiBackWisconsin19
Johnny DrakeTacklePurdue110
Charley HamrickTackleOhio State217
Jules AlfonseTackleMinnesota220
Vern HuffmanEndIndiana327
Bud WilkinsonEndMinnesota329
Bud SvendsenEndMinnesota439
Dewitt GibsonGuardNorthwestern549
Inwood SmithTackleOhio State550
John GolemgeskeTackleWisconsin653
George BellTacklePurdue657
Merle WendtTackleOhio State659
Chris Del SassoTackleIndiana660
Steve ReidTackleNorthwestern871
Elvin SayreBackIllinois877
Steve TothCenterNorthwestern878
Matt PatanelliTackleMichigan985
Ray AntilBackMinnesota1091