The 1914 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois in the Western Conference during the 1914 college football season. In their second season under head coach Robert Zuppke, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0 record (6–0 in conference games), won the Western Conference championship, shut out four of seven opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 224 to 22.
There was no contemporaneous system in 1914 for determining a national champion. However, Illinois was retroactively named as the national champion by the Billingsley Report and as a co-national champion by Parke H. Davis. Army was chosen as co-champion by Davis and as national champion by three other selectors.
End Perry Graves and guard Ralph Chapman were consensus picks for the 1914 All-America college football team. Chapman was the team captain. Seven Illini players were also honored on the 1914 All-Western Conference football team selected by Walter Eckersall: quarterback Potsy Clark (first team); halfbacks Harold Pogue (first team); ends George K. Squier (first team) and Perry Graves (second team); guard Ralph Chapman (first team); fullback Eugene Schobinger (second team); and tackle Lennox F. Armstrtong (second team).
Schedule
Roster PlayerPositionPerry GravesRight endManley Ross PettyRight tackleFrank StewartRight guardJohn Ward NelsonRight guardJohn Wesley WatsonCenterRalph Chapman (captain)Left guardLennox Francois ArmstrongLeft tackleOlay MadsenLeft tackleSylvester Randall DerbyLeft endGeorge Kasson SquierLeft endGeorge ClarkQuarterbackBart MacomberRight halfbackFrank Howard PethybridgeRight halfbackEugene SchobingerFullbackOrlie RueFullbackAlexander WagnerLeft halfbackHarold PogueLeft halfback
Head coach: Robert Zuppke (second year at Illinois)
Awards and honors Perry Graves, end Consensus first-team selection on the 1914 All-America team Ralph Chapman, guard Consensus first-team selection on the 1914 All-America team Lennox F. Armstrong, tackle Third-team All-American selection by Frank G. Menke, sporting editor of the International News Service Potsy Clark Third-team All-American selection by Frank G. Menke Outing magazine's "Football Roll of Honor: The Men Whom the Best Coaches of the Country Have Named as the Stars of the Gridiron in 1914" Harold Pogue, halfback First-team selection by Fred M. Walker of the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times and The Michigan Daily for the 1914 All-America teamSpalding's Official Football Guide 1915 Second-team selection by Walter Eckersall for the 1914 All-America team of the Chicago Tribune Third-team selection by Walter Camp and Frank G. Menke for the 1914 All-America team Outing magazine's "Football Roll of Honor"
References