1950 Big Nine Conference football season


The 1950 Big Nine Conference football season was the 55th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1950 college football season.
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, won the 1950 Big Ten championship with a 6–3–1 record and was ranked No. 9 in the final AP Poll. In the last game of the regular season, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 9-3, in the Snow Bowl, played in a blizzard, at 10 degrees above zero, on an icy field, and with winds gusting over 30 miles per hour. Michigan then defeated California in the 1951 Rose Bowl. Don Dufek was selected as the team's most valuable player. Tackle Allen Wahl was a first-team All-American.
The 1950 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Wes Fesler, compiled a 6–3 record, led the conference in scoring offense, and was ranked No. 14 in the final AP Poll. Halfback Vic Janowicz was a consensus first-team All-American and won both the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player and the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football.
The 1950 Illinois Fighting Illini football team, under head coach Ray Eliot, compiled a 7–2 record, led the conference in scoring defense, and was ranked No. 13 in the final AP Poll. End Tony Klimek was selected as the team's most valuable player. Tackle Albert Tate and center Bill Vohaska both received first-team All-American honors.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1MichiganBennie Oosterbaan#9#36–3–14–1–115.011.4Don Dufek
2Ohio StateWes Fesler#14#16–35–231.812.3Vic Janowicz
3WisconsinIvy WilliamsonNR#156–35–215.110.8Bob Radcliffe
4IllinoisRay Eliot#13#67–24–215.26.2Tony Klimek
5NorthwesternBob VoigtsNR#96–33–317.215.9Chuck Hagmann
6IowaLeonard RaffenspergerNR#173–5–12–413.422.3Harold Bradley
7MinnesotaBernie BiermanNR#181–7–11–4–18.821.8Wayne Robinson
8 IndianaClyde B. SmithNR#193–5–11–411.017.2Bob Robertson
8 PurdueStu HolcombNR#92–71–415.922.2James Janosek

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1950 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1950 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 30

On September 30, 1950, the Big Nine football teams played nine-conference games, resulting in four wins, four losses, and one tie.
On October 7, 1950, the Big Nine played two conference games and five non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in four wins and a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 8-5-1.
On October 13 and 14, 1950, the Big Nine played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one win and two losses, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 9-7-1.
On October 21, 1950, the Big Nine played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three wins, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 12-7-1.
On October 28, 1950, the Big Nine played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 12-8-1.
On November 4, 1950, the Big Nine played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 12-9-1.
On November 11, 1950, the Big Nine played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 12-10-1.
On November 18, 1950, the Big Nine played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conferences game resulted in two wins and a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 14-11-1.
On November 25, 1950, the Big Nine played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game was a loss, bringing the Big Nine's non-conference record to 14-12-1. Three of the non-conference losses were to Michigan State.
The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press as first-team players on the 1950 All-Big Nine Conference football team.
PositionNameTeamSelectors
QuarterbackVic JanowiczOhio StateAP, UP
HalfbackChuck OrtmannMichiganAP, UP
HalfbackDick RaklovitsIllinoisAP, UP
FullbackDon Dufek, Sr.MichiganAP
FullbackBill ReichardtIowaUP
EndTony KlimekIllinoisAP, UP
EndDon StonesiferNorthwesternAP, UP
TackleBill TrautweinOhio StateAP, UP
TackleRobert WahlMichiganAP, UP
GuardChuck BrownIllinoisAP, UP
GuardJohn BiltzOhio StateAP, UP
CenterBill VohaskaIllinoisAP, UP

All-Americans

At the end of the 1950 season, Big Ten players secured only one of the consensus first-team picks for the 1950 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-American was:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
HalfbackVic JanowiczOhio StateAAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, TSN, UP, CP, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
EndDon StonesiferNorthwesternAP
TackleRobert WahlMichiganAAB, AP, INS
TackleAlbert TateIllinoisFWAA
GuardBob MomsenOhio StateFWAA
CenterBill VohaskaIllinoisAP
CenterBob McCulloughOhio StateAFCA

1951 NFL Draft

The following Big Nine players were among the first 100 picks in the 1951 NFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Chuck OrtmannRunning backMichigan220
Don StonesiferEndNorthwestern330
Barry "Bear" FrenchTacklePurdue445
Lynn LynchGuardIllinois551
Tony MomsenCenterMichigan559
Bob MomsenTackleOhio780
Dick RaklovitsBackIllinois891
Dick McWilliamsTackleMichigan999