1971 Big Ten Conference football season


The 1971 Big Ten Conference football season was the 76th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1971 NCAA University Division football season.
This was the first season in which Big Ten teams were permitted to schedule 11 games, one season after most schools first did so. Ohio State increased its schedule from nine games to 10, but did not play 11 until 1974, while Purdue first scheduled an 11th game in 1972.
The 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Bo Schembechler, compiled an 11–0 record in the regular season but lost to Stanford, 13–12, on a field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the 1972 Rose Bowl. The Wolverines led the Big Ten in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The team was ranked No. 4 in the final Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the final AP Poll. Linebacker Mike Taylor and offensive guard Reggie McKenzie were consensus first-team All-Americans. Running back Billy Taylor rushed for 1,297 yards, was named as the team most valuable player, and was selected as a first-team All-American by the Football News. Defensive back Thom Darden was selected as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and The Sporting News.
The 1971 Northwestern Wildcats football team, under head coach Alex Agase, compiled a 7–4 record and finished in second place in the Big Ten. Quarterback Maurie Daigneau led the Big Ten with 1,733 passing yards and was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten player. Defensive back Eric Hutchinson was selected as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. The Wildcats did not finish in the first division again until winning the conference and going to the Rose Bowl in 1995.
Michigan State running back Eric Allen led the Big Ten with 1,494 rushing yards and 108 points scored and received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the conference's most valuable player. Purdue halfback/wide receiver Darryl Stingley led the conference with 734 receiving yards, and Minnesota quarterback Craig Curry led the conference with 2,071 total yards.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1MichiganBo Schembechler#6#211–18–035.16.9Billy Taylor
2NorthwesternAlex AgaseNR#197–46–319.216.6John Voorhees
3 Ohio StateWoody HayesNR#56–45–322.412.0Tom DeLeone
3 Michigan StateDuffy DaughertyNR#186–55–320.515.4Eric Allen
3 IllinoisBob BlackmanNRNR5–65–314.821.6Terry Masar
6 WisconsinJohn JardineNRNR4–6–13–521.823.5Neil Graff
6 MinnesotaMurray WarmathNRNR4–73–519.325.3Tom Chandler
6 PurdueBob DeMossNR#173–73–521.022.8Tom Luken
9IndianaJohn PontNRNR3–82–613.823.6Chuck Thomson
10IowaFrank LauterburNRNR1–101–811.034.5Craig Clemons

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1971 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1971 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

Regular season

September 11

On September 11, 1971, the Big Ten football teams opened the season with four conference games and one non-conference game. Purdue did not open its season until the following week.
On September 18, 1971, the Big Ten teams participated in nine non-conference games, resulting in three wins and six losses. Ohio State had a bye week.
On September 25, 1971, the Big Ten teams played 10 non-conference games, resulting in three wins and seven losses. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Big Ten had compiled a 7–13 record against non-conference opponents.
On October 2, 1971, the Big Ten teams played two conference games and six non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three wins and three losses, giving the Big Ten a 10–16 non-conference record to that point in the season.
On October 9, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On October 16, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On October 23, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On October 30, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 6, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 13, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 20, 1971, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
The game was the first Rose Bowl meeting between the two schools since the inaugural Rose Bowl in 1902, in which Michigan crushed Stanford, 49–0. In the 1972 rematch, Michigan was ranked #3 in the country and favored by 10½ points. Michigan's Dana Coin kicked a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter for the only first half scoring. In the first series of the second half, Stanford stopped the Wolverines on fourth and one at Stanford's four-yard line, then tied the game on a 42-yard field goal by Rod Garcia. Early in the fourth quarter, Michigan's Fritz Seyferth scored on a one-yard dive to put Michigan up 10–3. After Stanford got the ball back, the Indians faced fourth and ten from their own 33. Stanford ran a fake punt, with Jim Kehl receiving the snap and handing the ball forward to Jackie Brown through Brown's legs. Brown ran 33 yards for a first down, and followed up a minute later with a 24-yard touchdown run to tie the game. Late in the fourth quarter, Michigan recovered a Stanford fumble near midfield. Facing fourth down with time running down, the Wolverines attempted a 42-yard field goal. The kick was short, and Stanford safety Jim Ferguson caught the ball and attempted to run it out of the end zone. Instead, he was knocked back into the end zone by Ed Shuttlesworth for a controversial Michigan safety, as replays seemed to show that Ferguson's forward progress was to the three-yard line. This made the score 12–10 with just over three minutes to play, and Michigan due to get the ball on a free kick. Following the free kick, Stanford held Michigan to a three-and-out and got the ball back on their own 22-yard line with 1:48 to go. Bunce then threw five consecutive completions to take Stanford to the Michigan 17-yard line with 22 seconds left. The Indians ran twice to get to the Michigan 14-yard line with 12 seconds left. From there, Garcia kicked a 31-yard field goal to give Stanford a 13–12 victory.

Statistical leaders

Passing yards

1. Maurie Daigneau, Northwestern
2. Craig Curry, Minnesota
3. Gary Danielson, Purdue
4. Neil Graff, Wisconsin
5. Frank Sunderman, Iowa

Rushing yards

1. Eric Allen, Michigan State
2. Billy Taylor, Michigan
3. Rufus Ferguson, Wisconsin
4. Otis Armstrong, Purdue
5. Al Robinson, Northwestern
5. Ernie Cook, Minnesota

Receiving yards

1. Darryl Stingley, Purdue
2. Barry Pearson, Northwestern
3. Albert Hannah, Wisconsin
4. Rick Sayers, Purdue
5. Jim Lash, Northwestern

Total yards

1. Craig Curry, Minnesota
2. Maurie Daigneau, Northwestern
3. Gary Danielson, Purdue
3. Eric Allen, Michigan State
5. Neil Graff, Wisconsin

Scoring

1. Eric Allen, Michigan State
2. Billy Taylor, Michigan
2. Rufus Ferguson, Wisconsin
4. Randy Anderson, Northwestern
4. Otis Armstrong, Purdue

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 1971 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Offense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
QuarterbackMaurie DaigneauNorthwesternAP, UPI
Running backEric AllenMichigan StateAP, UPI
Running backRufus FergusonWisconsinAP, UPI
Running backBilly TaylorMichiganAP, UPI
Offensive endDoug KingsriterIllinoisAP, UPI
Offensive endBarry PearsonNorthwesternAP, UPI
Offensive tackleTom LukenPurdueAP, UPI
Offensive tackleTom McCreightNorthwesternAP
Offensive tackleRick SimonOhio StateUPI
Offensive guardJoe DeLamielleureMichigan StateAP, UPI
Offensive guardReggie McKenzieMichiganAP, UPI
CenterTom DeLeoneOhio StateAP, UPI

Defense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive endTab BennettIllinoisAP, UPI
Defensive endMike KellerMichiganAP
Defensive endGary HrivnakPurdueUPI
Defensive tackleRon CurlMichigan StateAP, UPI
Defensive tackleGeorge HasenhorhlOhio StateAP, UPI
Defensive guardGreg BinghamPurdueUPI
LinebackerMike TaylorMichiganAP, UPI
LinebackerBill LightMinnesotaAP
LinebackerStan WhiteOhio StateAP
LinebackerRandy GradisharOhio StateUPI
Defensive backThom DardenMichiganAP, UPI
Defensive backEric HutchinsonNorthwesternAP, UPI
Defensive backBrad Van PeltMichigan StateAP, UPI
Defensive backCraig ClemonsIowaUPI

All-American honors

At the end of the 1971 season, Big Ten players secured two of the consensus first-team picks for the 1971 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
LinebackerMike TaylorMichiganAFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF
Offensive guardReggie McKenzieMichiganAP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Tight endDoug KingsriterMinnesotaAP
CenterTom DeLeoneOhio StateNEA, UPI, FN, Time, TSN
Running backEric AllenMichigan StateAFCA
Running backBilly TaylorMichiganFN
Middle guardRon CurlMichigan StateAFCA
Defensive backBrad Van PeltMichigan StateUPI, FN
Defensive backThom DardenMichiganAFCA, TSN
Defensive backEric HutchinsonNorthwesternFWAA
Defensive backCraig ClemonsIowaNEA, TSN)

Other awards

Running back Eric Allen of Michigan State finished 10th in the voting for the 1971 Heisman Trophy.

1972 NFL Draft

The following Big Ten players were among the first 100 picks in the 1972 NFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Craig ClemonsSafetyIowa112
Thom DardenCornerbackMichigan118
Mike TaylorLinebackerMichigan120
Reggie McKenzieGuardMichigan227
Glenn DoughtyWide receiverMichigan247
Tom BeckmanDefensive endMichigan357
Bart BuetowTackleMinnesota359
Mike KellerLinebackerMichigan364
Tom LukenGuardPurdue368