1969 Big Ten Conference football season


The 1969 Big Ten Conference football season was the 74th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1969 NCAA University Division football season.
The 1969 Michigan Wolverines football team, in the program's first year under head coach Bo Schembechler, was ranked No. 9 in the final AP Poll. The 1969 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game was considered one of the biggest upsets in college football history, as Ohio State came into the game with an 8–0 record, a 22-game winning streak and the No. 1 ranking in the polls. Michigan defeated Ohio State, 24–12, to win the Big Ten's berth in the 1970 Rose Bowl, where they lost to USC. Michigan tight end Jim Mandich and defensive back Tom Curtis were consensus first-team All-Americans. Mandich was selected as the team's most valuable player.
The 1969 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Woody Hayes, was ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll every week until losing to Michigan in the final game of the regular season. After the loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes dropped to No. 4 in the final AP Poll. Defensive back Jack Tatum, running back Jim Otis, and middle guard Jim Stillwagon were consensus first-team All-Americans. Otis was selected as the team's most valuable player.
The 1969 Purdue Boilermakers football team, in its final season under head coach Jack Mollenkopf, compiled an 8–2 record and was ranked No. 18 in the final polls. Quarterback Mike Phipps totaled 2,527 passing yards, won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the conference's most valuable player, was selected as the consensus first-team All-American quarterback, received the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top collegiate passer, and finished second in the voting for the 1969 Heisman Trophy.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1 Ohio StateWoody Hayes#4#18–16–142.610.3Jim Otis
1 MichiganBo Schembechler#9#78–36–132.013.5Jim Mandich
3PurdueJack Mollenkopf#18#88–25–235.426.4Mike Phipps
4MinnesotaMurray WarmathNR#194–5–14–321.026.0Ray Parson
5 IowaRay NagelNRNR5–53–425.527.5Larry Ely
5 IndianaJohn PontNR#104–63–425.224.2John Isenbarger
5 NorthwesternAlex AgaseNRNR3-73-413.730.6Don Ross
5 WisconsinJohn CoattaNRNR3–73–419.634.9Stu Voigt
9Michigan StateDuffy DaughertyNR#124–62–520.223.1Ron Saul
10IllinoisJim ValekNRNR0–100–710.639.7Doug Dieken

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1969 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1969 season
PPG = Average of points scored per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold
PAG = Average of points allowed per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold
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

Preseason

On December 24, 1968, the University of Michigan announced that head football coach Bump Elliott would assume a new job as associate athletic director and that a new football coach was being sought. Two days later, the university announced that Bo Schembechler had been hired as Elliott's replacement.

Regular season

September 20

September 27

October 4

October 11

October 18

October 25

November 1

November 7

November 15

November 22

Bowl games

On January 1, 1970, Michigan lost to USC, 10-3, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The score was tied, 3-3, at halftime. With three minutes to play in the third quarter, USC quarterback Jimmy Jones threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Bob Chandler to give the Trojans the 10-3 victory. Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler suffered a heart attack the night before the game and was in the hospital during the game. Defensive coordinator Jim Young assumed the coaching responsibilities for the game.

Statistical leaders

The Big Ten's individual statistical leaders include the following:

Passing yards

1. Mike Phipps, Purdue
2. Larry Lawrence, Iowa
3. Harry Gonso, Indiana
4. Maurie Daigneau, Northwestern
5. Phil Hagen, Minnesota

Rushing yards

1. John Isenbarger, Indiana
2. Jim Otis, Ohio State
3. Don Highsmith, Michigan State
4. Alan Thompson, Wisconsin
5. Billy Taylor, Michigan

Receiving yards

1. Kerry Reardon, Iowa
2. Stan Brown, Purdue
3. Ashley Bell, Purdue
4. Jim Mandich, Michigan
5. Jade Butcher, Indiana

Total yards

1. Mike Phipps, Purdue
2. Larry Lawrence, Iowa
3. Don Moorhead, Michigan
4. Rex Kern, Ohio State
5. Harry Gonso, Indiana

Point scored

1. Jim Otis, Ohio State
1. Stan Brown, Purdue
3. Garvie Craw, Michigan
4. Ashley Bell, Purdue
5. Jade Butcher, Indiana

Awards and honors

All-Big Ten honors

The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press International as first-team players on the 1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Offense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
QuarterbackMike PhippsPurdueAP, UPI
Running backJohn IsenbargerIndianaAP, UPI
Running backJim OtisOhio StateAP, UPI
Running backMike AdamleNorthwesternAP
Running backBilly TaylorMichiganUPI
EndJim MandichMichiganAP, UPI
EndRay ParsonMinnesotaAP
EndJade ButcherIndianaUPI
TackleDan DierdorfMichiganAP, UPI
TacklePaul DeNuccioPurdueAP
TackleCharles HutchisonOhio StateUPI
GuardRon SaulMichigan StateAP, UPI
GuardDon DeSalleIndianaAP
GuardJon MeskimenIowaUPI
CenterBrian DonovanOhio StateAP
CenterGuy MurdockMichiganUPI

Defense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive endDave WhitfieldOhio StateAP, UPI
Defensive endMark DebeveOhio StateAP
Defensive endRich SaulMichigan StateUPI
Defensive tacklePaul SchmidlinOhio StateAP, UPI
Defensive tackleRon CurlMichigan StateAP
Defensive tackleBill YancharPurdueUPI
Middle guardJim StillwagonOhio StateAP, UPI
LinebackerVeno ParaskevasPurdueAP, UPI
LinebackerJack TatumOhio StateAP, UPI
LinebackerMarty HuffMichiganAP
LinebackerDoug AdamsOhio StateUPI
Defensive backTom CurtisMichiganAP, UPI
Defensive backTed ProvostOhio StateAP, UPI
Defensive backMike SensibaughOhio StateAP, UPI

All-American honors

At the end of the 1969 season, Big Ten players secured six of the consensus first-team picks for the 1969 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-American was:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive backJack TatumOhio StateAFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA , UPI, FN, TSN, WCFF
Tight endJim MandichMichiganAFCA , AP, CP , FWAA, NEA, UPI , FN, Time, WCFF
QuarterbackMike PhippsPurdueAFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF
Running backJim OtisOhio StateAP , CP , FWAA, UPI, FN, WCFF
Middle guardJim StillwagonOhio StateAFCA, AP, CP, NEA, UPI, FN, WCFF
Defensive backTom CurtisMichiganAP, CP, UPI, FN, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Offensive guardRon SaulMichigan StateCP, NEA, Time, TSN
Offensive guardChuck HutchisonOhio StateTime
Running backRex KernOhio StateCP, FN
Running backJohn IsenbargerIndianaFN
Defensive backTed ProvostOhio StateTime, TSN
Defensive backTim FoleyPurdueTime

Other awards

Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps received the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top collegiate passer. He also finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.