1941 Big Ten Conference football season


The 1941 Big Ten Conference football season was the 46th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1941 college football season.
The 1941 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, led by head coach Bernie Bierman, compiled a perfect 8–0 record, led the conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense, was ranked No. 1 in the final AP Poll, and won the program's second consecutive national championship. Halfback Bruce Smith was a consensus All-American and won the 1941 Heisman Trophy. Tackle Dick Wildung was also a consensus first-team All-American.
Michigan, under head coach Fritz Crisler, compiled a 6–1–1 record, outscored opponents 147 to 41, and was ranked No. 5 in the final AP Poll. Fullback Bob Westfall was selected as a consensus first-team player on the 1941 College Football All-America Team. In addition to Westfall, two other Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1941 All-Big Ten Conference football team: center Robert Ingalls and tackle Al Wistert.
Ohio State, under head coach Paul Brown, compiled a 6–1–1 record, outscored opponents 167 to 110, and was ranked No. 13 in the final AP Poll. In the Chicago Tribune's poll of coaches, officials and experts, Ohio State fullback Jack Graf was selected as the Big Ten's most valuable player.
Northwestern lost to three top 10 teams and was ranked No. 11 in the final AP Poll. Two Northwestern players received first-team honors on the All-Big Ten team: tackle Alf Bauman and end Bob Motl. The team also featured halfback Otto Graham who was later inducted into the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame.

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

September 27

Six conference teams opened their seasons on September 27, playing six games against non-conference opponents, resulting in four wins and two losses. Northwestern, Wisconsin and Illinois did not play.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 27WashingtonMinnesotaHusky Stadium, Seattle, WAW 14–643,000
September 27MichiganMichigan StateMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MIW 19–767,079
September 27Ohio StateMissouriOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 12–749,671
September 27IowaDrakeIowa Stadium, Iowa City, IAW 25–820,000
September 27PurdueVanderbiltRoss-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INL 0–317,000
September 27IndianaDetroitMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INL 7–1410,000

October 4

Eight conference teams played games on October 4, consisting of one conference matchup and six non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in four wins and two losses. Minnesota did not play.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 4MichiganIowaMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MIW 6–029,807
October 4USCOhio StateLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CAW 33–065,000
October 4NorthwesternKansas StateDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 51–340,000
October 4WisconsinMarquetteCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIL 7-2840,000
October 4PittsburghPurduePitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, PAW 6-024,000
October 4Notre DameIndianaNotre Dame Stadium, South Bend, INL 6-1942,000
October 4IllinoisMiami Memorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 45-020,585

October 11

Six conference teams played games on October 11, consisting of two conference matchups and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in a win and a loss. Ohio State, Iowa, and Purdue did not play. After three weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 9–4.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 11MinnesotaIllinoisMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 34–650,435
October 11MichiganPittsburghMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MIW 40–034,403
October 11NorthwesternWisconsinDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 41–1440,000
October 11IndianaTCUMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INL 14–2024,000

October 18

All nine conference teams saw action on October 18, consisting of three conference games and three non-conference games. In the week's biggest matchup, No. 6 Michigan defeated No. 5 Northwestern. The non-conference games resulted in three wins. After four weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 12–4.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 18No. 1 MinnesotaPittsburghMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 39–035,000
October 18No. 5 NorthwesternNo. 6 MichiganDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 14-747,000
October 18No. 10 Ohio StatePurdueOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 16–1466,074
October 18WisconsinIowaCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 23–020,000
October 18No. 15 NebraskaIndianaMemorial Stadium, Lincoln, NEW 21–1333,000
October 18IllinoisDrakeMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 40–012,000

October 25

All nine conference teams saw action on October 25, consisting of four conference games and one non-conference game. In the week's biggest matchups, No. 1 Minnesota defeated No. 3 Michigan, and No. 13 Northwestern defeated No. 11 Ohio State. The non-conference game resulted in three wins. After five weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 12–5.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 25No. 3 MichiganNo. 1 MinnesotaMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MIW 7–085,753
October 25No. 11 Ohio StateNo. 13 NorthwesternOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 14–771,896
October 25WisconsinIndianaCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 27–2533,000
October 25PurdueIowaRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INW 7–622,000
October 25No. 7 Notre DameIllinoisNotre Dame Stadium, South Bend, INL 14–4945,000

November 1

All nine conference teams saw action on November 1, consisting of three conference games and three non-conference games. In the week's biggest matchup, No. 1 Minnesota defeated No. 9 Northwestern. The non-conference games resulted in one win and two losses. After six weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 13–7.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
November 1No. 1 MinnesotaNo. 9 NorthwesternMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 8–764,464
November 1IllinoisNo. 7 MichiganMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 20–030,101
November 1PittsburghOhio StatePitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, PAW 21–1450,000
November 1WisconsinSyracuseCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIL 20–2719,000
November 1IowaIndianaIowa Stadium, Iowa City, IAW 13–728,000
November 1No. 3 FordhamPurduePolo Grounds, New York, NYL 0–1720,500

November 8

Eight conference teams played games on November 8, consisting of three conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in a win and a tie. After seven weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 14–7–1. Michigan did not play.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
November 8No. 2 MinnesotaNebraskaMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 9–042,893
November 8No. 20 Ohio StateWisconsinOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 46–3458,519
November 8No. 10 NorthwesternIndianaDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 20–1435,000
November 8IllinoisIowaMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 21–014,339
November 8PurdueMichigan StateRoss-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INT 0–017,000

November 15

Eight conference teams played games on November 15, consisting of three conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in a win and a loss. In the week's biggest matchup, No. 5 Notre Dame defeated No. 8 Northwestern. After eight weeks, Big Ten teams had compiled a non-conference record of 15–8–1. Indiana did not play.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
November 15IowaNo. 1 MinnesotaIowa Stadium, Iowa City, IA W 34–1343,200
November 15ColumbiaNo. 7 MichiganBaker Field, New York, NYW 28–035,000
November 15No. 20 Ohio StateIllinoisOhio Stadium, Columbus, OH W 12–741,544
November 1No. 8 NorthwesternNo. 5 Notre DameDyche Stadium, Evanston, IL L 6–748,000
November 15WisconsinPurdueCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 13–025,000

November 22

All nine conference teams played games on November 22, consisting of four conference games and one non-conference game. In the week's biggest matchup, No. 7 Michigan played No. 14 Ohio State to a 20–20 tie. The non-conference game resulted in a loss. Big Ten teams finished the season with a non-conference record of 15–9–1.
DateHome teamVisiting teamSiteResultAttendanceSource
November 22No. 1 MinnesotaWisconsinMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MN W 41–652,984
November 22No. 7 MichiganNo. 14 Ohio StateMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI T 20–2085,753
November 22No. 10 NorthwesternIllinoisDyche Stadium, Evanston, IL W 27–05,000
November 1NebraskaIowaMemorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE L 13–1420,000
November 22IndianaPurdueMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN W 7–023,000

Bowl games

During the 1941 season, the Big Ten maintained its long-standing ban on postseason games. Accordingly, no Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games.

All-Big Ten players

The following players were picked by the Associated Press, the United Press, and/or the International News Service as first-team players on the 1941 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
At the end of the 1941 season, Big Ten players secured three of the 12 consensus first-team picks for the 1941 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:
Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
Two Big Ten players, Bob Westfall and Urban Odson, were selected in the first round of the 1942 NFL Draft. In all, 26 players from Big Ten football teams were selected in the 1942 NFL Draft, as follows:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Bob WestfallFullbackMichigan15
Urban OdsonTackleMinnesota19
Alf BaumanTackleNorthwestern215
Bob SweigerBackMinnesota323
Len LevyGuardMinnesota427
Gordon PaschkaGuardMinnesota428
Bill GreenBackIowa539
Italo RossiTacklePurdue752
Bob FitchEndMinnesota756
Joe RogersEndMichigan859
John PettyBackPurdue980
Jud RingerEndMinnesota1084
Bill DiehlCenterIowa1085
Gene FlickCenterMinnesota1089
Tom FarrisBackWisconsin1199
Jim DaniellTackleOhio State12110
Bruce SmithBackMinnesota13119
Bill DeCorrevontBackNorthwestern14126
Jim TrimbleTackleIndiana15139
Tom KinkadeBackOhio State16149
Don ClawsonBackNorthwestern17152
Dick FisherBackOhio State17155
Jack GrafBackOhio State18162
Robert IngallsCenterMichigan18169
George BensonBackNorthwestern19179
Al CouppeeBackIowa22196