1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
Record | 7–0–1 (5–0 Big Ten) |
Head coach |
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Offensive scheme | Single-wing |
Captain | Robert Reitsch |
Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
Uniform | |
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 1 Illinois + | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 3 Minnesota + | 3 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 0 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Michigan | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chicago | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 2 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio State | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 1 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1927 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois in the 1927 Big Ten Conference football season. The Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0–1 record (5–0 against Western Conference opponents) and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 152 to 24.[1]
Illinois was also ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Dickinson System ratings released in December 1927.[2] Illinois was also retroactively named as the national champion for 1927 by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, National Championship Foundation, and Parke H. Davis.[3]
Center Robert Reitsch and guard Russ Crane were selected as first-team players on the 1927 All-America college football team: Reitsch by the North American Newspaper Alliance and Lawrence Perry; and Crane by Grantland Rice for Collier's Weekly.[4][5] Reitsch was also the team captain.[6] Other notable players included halfback Jud Timm; end Garland Grange; and tackle Butch Nowack.
Schedule
[edit]Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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October 1 | Bradley* | W 19–0 | 9,000–16,987 | [7] | |
October 8 | Butler* |
| W 58–0 | 10,000–10,742 | [8][9] |
October 15 | Iowa State* |
| T 12–12 | 11,211–12,000 | [10][9] |
October 22 | at Northwestern | W 7–6 | 46,580–50,000 | [11] | |
October 29 | Michigan![]() |
| W 14–0 | 62,000–63,101 | [12][9] |
November 5 | at Iowa | W 14–0 | 22,000 | ||
November 12 | Chicago |
| W 15–6 | 48,000–48,012 | [9] |
November 19 | at Ohio State | W 13–0 | 70,000–70,034 | [13] | |
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Roster
[edit]Player | Position |
Russ Crane | Guard |
Robert Reitsch (captain) | Center |
Butch Nowack | Tackle, Kicker |
Judson Timm | Halfback |
Fritz Humbert | Fullback |
Blair French | Quarterback |
Dwight Stuessy | Quarterback |
Doug Mills | Fullback, Punter |
Frank Walker | Fullback |
Tom Nickol | Fullback |
Art D'Ambrosio | Halfback, Fullback |
Arnold Wolgast | Tackle |
James R. Stewart | End |
Walter Jolley | End |
Ernest W. Schultz | Tackle |
Keston J. Deimling | Guard |
Lawrence Perkins | Guard |
Leonard Grable | Tackle |
Garland Grange | Halfback, End |
William E. Short | End |
Louis Gordon | Guard |
Louis Muegge | Guard |
Evert Nelson | Guard |
L. J. Weitz | Tackle |
Lloyd. S. Burdick | Tackle |
Norman McClure | Guard |
Merwin Mitterwallner | Guard |
Lester Marriner | Guard |
- Head coach: Robert Zuppke (15th year at Illinois)
References
[edit]- ^ "1927 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results".
- ^ "Illinois Rated As America's Champs: Dr. Dickinson of Illinois Devises Rating System for Grid Teams". The Morning Call. December 4, 1927. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2020. pp. 112–114. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- ^ Lawrence Perry (December 10, 1927). "Famous Sports Writer Sees Twenty-Nine Teams In Action". Harrisburg (PA) Telegraph. p. 13. Retrieved October 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Grantland Rice's All-American Grid Team Announced". The Scranton Republican. December 2, 1927. p. 17. Retrieved October 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 156. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ Walter Eckersall (October 2, 1927). "Illinois Flashes New Attack to Beat Bradley Tech, 19-0". Chicago Tribune. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Illinois Aerial Attack Swamps Butler 58 to 0: Zuppke Uncovers Wealth of Material in Reserves; Timm Races 60 Yards". Decatur Herald. October 9, 1927. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Drew 140,000". Decatur Sunday Review. November 20, 1927. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Iowa State Battles Illini To Tie Count". The Jacksonville (Illinois) Daily Journal. October 16, 1927. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Walter Eckersall (October 23, 1927). "Zuppke Springs His Annual Grid Surprise; Lewis Hurt". Chicago Tribune. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harvey Woodruff (October 30, 1927). "Illini Crush Michigan Title Hopes, 14-0". Chicago Tribune. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Illinois Wins Western Conference Grid Title -- Record Unmarred". The Decatur Sunday Review. November 20, 1927. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.