1949 Big Nine Conference football season


The 1949 Big Nine Conference football season was the 54th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1949 college football season.
Ohio State and Michigan tied for the 1949 Big Ten championship. Ohio State, under head coach Wes Fesler, compiled a 7–1–2 record and was ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll. The Buckeyes defeated California in the 1950 Rose Bowl by a 17–14 score. Center Jack Lininger was selected as the team's most valuable player.
Michigan, under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, compiled a 6–2–1 record and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll. The Wolverines had a 25-game win streak broken with a loss to Army on October 8, 1949. Halfback Dick Kempthorn was selected as the team's most valuable player, and tackle Alvin Wistert was a consensus first-team All-American.
Minnesota, under head coach Bernie Bierman, finished in third place, compiled a 7–2 record, led the conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense, and was ranked No. 8 in the final AP Poll. Bud Grant and John Lundin were selected as the team's most valuable players. Tackle Leo Nomellini and center Clayton Tonnemaker were both consensus first-team All-Americans.

Preseason

After the University of Chicago formally withdrew from the Big Ten Conference in 1946, conference officials began considering other schools to fill the vacancy. In December 1948, conference officials voted unanimously to admit Michigan State College, selecting the Spartans over a competing bid from the University of Pittsburgh. The decision was certified in May 1949, with Spartans' participation slated to begin in the fall of 1950 with the exception of football where their participation was delayed until 1953.
There was one coaching change between the 1948 and 1949 seasons. In December, 1948, Harry Stuhldreher resigned as Wisconsin's head football coach, though he retained his job as athletic director. In January, 1949, Wisconsin hired Ivy Williamson as its new head coach. Williamson had been a star football player at Michigan in the early 1930s and the head football coach at Lafayette from 1947 to 1948.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1 Ohio StateWes Fesler#6#57–1–24–1–120.713.6Jack Lininger
1 MichiganBennie Oosterbaan#7#16–2–14–1–115.09.4Dick Kempthorn
3MinnesotaBernie Bierman#8#37–24–225.78.9Bud Grant
John Lundin
4WisconsinIvy WilliamsonNRNR5–3–13–2–123.014.3Red Wilson
5IllinoisRay EliotNRNR3–4–23–3–116.615.6Johnny Karras
6 IowaEddie AndersonNR#154–53–320.427.4Jack Dittmer
7NorthwesternRobert VoigtsNR#134–53–415.217.3Don Burson
Gaspar Perricone
8PurdueStu HolcombNRNR4–52–413.215.0Lou Karras
9IndianaBo McMillinNRNR1–80–613.028.2Nick Sebek

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1949 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1949 season
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; trophy winner in bold

Regular season

September 24

On September 24, 1949, the Big Ten football teams played one conference game and seven non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in five wins and two losses.
On October 1, 1949, the Big Ten played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two wins and a loss, giving the Big Ten a 7-3 record in non-conference games.
On October 8, 1949, the Big Ten played two conference games and five non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one win and four losses, giving the Big Ten an 8-7 record in non-conference games.
On October 15, 1949, the Big Ten played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two wins and one loss, giving the Big Ten a 10-8 record in non-conference games.
On October 22, 1949, the Big Ten played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a win, giving the Big Ten an 11-8 record against non-conference opponents.
On October 29, 1949, the Big Ten played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a win, giving the Big Ten a 12-8 record against non-conference opponents.
On November 5, 1949, the Big Ten played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a win, giving the Big Ten a 13-8 record against non-conference opponents.
On November 12, 1949, the Big Ten schools played three conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games both resulted in wins, giving the Big Ten a 15-8 record against non-conference opponents. Minnesota had a bye week.
On November 19, 1949, the Big Ten played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a loss.
On January 2, 1950, Ohio State defeated California, 17–14, in the 1950 Rose Bowl. The game's most valuable player was Fred "Curly" Morrison of Ohio State. The game was played on January 2nd, because the first fell on a Sunday.

All-conference players

The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press as first-team players on the 1949 All-Big Nine Conference football team.
PositionNameTeamSelectors
EndBud GrantMinnesotaAP, UP
EndBob WilsonWisconsinAP, UP
TackleLeo NomelliniMinnesotaAP, UP
TackleAlvin WistertMichiganAP, UP
GuardLloyd HeneveldMichiganAP, UP
GuardJack LiningerOhio StateAP
GuardCharles GottfriedIllinoisUP
CenterClayton TonnemakerMinnesotaAP, UP
QuarterbackDon BursonNorthwesternAP, UP
HalfbackChuck OrtmannMichiganAP, UP
HalfbackJohnny KarrasIllinoisAP, UP
FullbackGerry KrallOhio StateAP
FullbackBob MomsenOhio StateUP

All-Americans

At the end of the 1949 season, Big Ten players secured three of the consensus first-team picks for the 1949 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
CenterClayton TonnemakerMinnesotaAll-America Board, AP, UP, COL, FWAA, TSN, NEA, NYS, WCFF, All-Players
TackleLeo NomelliniMinnesotaAAB, UP, COL, TSN, NEA, WCFF
TackleAlvin WistertMichiganAAB, UP, TSN, INS, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
TackleRobert WahlMichiganFWAA, NEA

1950 NFL Draft

The following Big Nine players were among the first 100 players selected in the 1950 NFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Clayton TonnemakerCenterMinnesota14
Fred "Curly" MorrisonBackOhio State110
Leo NomelliniTackleMinnesota111
Bud GrantEndMinnesota114
Jack JenningsTackleOhio State221
Gordy SaltauEndMinnesota330
Art MurakowskiBackNorthwestern331
Lou KarrasTacklePurdue332
Earl MurrayGuardPurdue441
Red WilsonCenterWisconsin452
Floyd JaszewskiTackleMinnesota670
Gaspar PerriconeBackNorthwestern672
Ken GorgalBackPurdue678
Harry SzulborskiBackPurdue895
Ralph McAllisterBackMinnesota896