The 1925 Big Ten Conference football season was the 30th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1925 college football season. Over the course of the season, Big Ten teams played 36 non-conference games, compiling a 27–9 record (.750) in those games.

The 1925 Big Ten Conference champion was Michigan. The team compiled a 7–1 record, shut out seven opponents, and outscored opponents by a combined score of 227 to 3. The only points allowed by the team were in a 3 to 2 loss to Northwestern in a game played in a heavy rainstorm on a field covered in mud five or six inches deep in some places. Quarterback Benny Friedman and left end Bennie Oosterbaan, sometimes referred to as "The Benny-to-Bennie Show," were both consensus All-Americans and became known as one of the greatest passing combinations in college football history.

Northwestern's center, Tim Lowry, won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player. Lowry received 23 votes; Benny Friedman of Michigan finished second with 18 votes. Four Big Ten players were consensus picks for the 1925 All-America team:Benny Friedman of Michigan at quarterback; Red Grange of Illinois at halfback; Bennie Oosterbaan of Michigan at end; and Ed Hess of Ohio State at guard.

Season overview

Results and team statistics Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAG1MichiganFielding H. Yost7–15–128.40.42WisconsinGeorge Little6–1–13–1–116.46.3 3NorthwesternGlenn Thistlethwaite5–33–110.18.64ChicagoAmos A. Stagg3–4–12–2–15.59.55MinnesotaClarence Spears5-2-11-1-122.010.66 (tie)IllinoisRobert Zuppke5–32–212.37.46 (tie)IowaBurt Ingwersen5–32–215.19.38Ohio StateJohn Wilce4–3–11–3–16.95.6 9 (tie)PurdueJames Phelan3–4–10–3–114.94.99 (tie)IndianaBill Ingram3–4–10–3–112.814.4 Key PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game

Regular season Index to colors and formattingNon-conference matchup; Big Ten member wonNon-conference matchup; Big Ten member lostConference matchupBig Ten teams displayed in bold

October 3 All 10 conference teams opened their seasons on October 3, playing 10 games against non-conference opponents, resulting in eight wins and two losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceOctober 3MichiganMichigan StateFerry Field, Ann Arbor, MIW 39–030,000October 3NorthwesternSouth DakotaDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 14–718,000October 3WisconsinIowa StateCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 30–010,000October 3ChicagoKentuckyStagg Field, Chicago, ILW 9–032,000October 3IllinoisNebraskaMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILL 0–1440,000October 3IowaArkansasIowa Field, Iowa City, IAW 26–0 October 3MinnesotaNorth DakotaMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 25–620,000October 3Ohio StateOhio WesleyanOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 10–345,000October 3IndianaMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INW 31–0 October 3PurdueWabashRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INL 7–13

October 10 On October 10, the conference teams played two intra-conference games and six non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in six victories and no losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceOctober 10MichiganIndianaFerry Field, Ann Arbor, MIW 63–036,000October 10ChicagoOhio StateStagg Field, Chicago, ILT 3–335,000October 10NorthwesternCarletonDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 17–011,000October 10WisconsinFranklin UniversityCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 35–0 October 10IllinoisButlerMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 16–1312,599October 10IowaSaint LouisIowa Field, Iowa City, IAW 41–0 October 10PurdueRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INW 39–0

October 17 On October 17, the conference teams played three intra-conference games and four non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three victories and one loss.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceOctober 17WisconsinMichiganCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIL 0–2144,000October 17ChicagoNorthwesternStagg Field, Chicago, ILW 6–034,000October 17IowaIllinoisIowa Field, Iowa City, IAW 12–1024,738October 17MinnesotaWabashMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 32–618,000October 17Ohio StateColumbiaOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 9–0 October 17IndianaSyracuseMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INW 14–08,000October 17PurdueRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INW 44–0

October 24 On October 24, the conference teams played three intra-conference games and four non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one victory and three losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceOctober 24IllinoisMichiganMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILL 0–366,609October 24WisconsinPurdueCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 7–014,000October 24Ohio StateIowaOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHL 0–1533,000October 24NorthwesternTulaneStagg Field, Chicago, ILL 7–1815,000October 24PennChicagoFranklin Field, Philadelphia, PAL 0–755,000October 24MinnesotaNotre DameMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNL 7–1952,000October 24IndianaMiami (OH)Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, INW 25–7

October 31 On October 31, the conference teams played three intra-conference games and four non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in four victories and no losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceOctober 31NorthwesternIndianaDyche Stadium, Evanston, ILW 17–14 October 31MinnesotaWisconsinMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNT 12–1240,000October 31ChicagoPurdueStagg Field, Chicago, ILW 6–034,000October 31MichiganNavyFerry Field, Ann Arbor, MIW 54–047,000October 31PennIllinoisFranklin Field, Philadelphia, PAW 24–260,000October 31IowaWabashIowa Field, Iowa City, IAW 28–7 October 31Ohio StateOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 17–017,000

November 7 On November 7, the conference teams played four intra-conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two victories and no losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceNovember 7NorthwesternMichiganSoldier Field, Chicago, ILW 3–240,000November 7IowaWisconsinIowa Field, Iowa City, IAL 0–6 November 7IllinoisChicagoMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 13–668,864November 7Ohio StateIndianaOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHW 7–030,500November 7MinnesotaButlerMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 33–720,000November 7PurdueFranklinRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INW 20–0

November 14 On November 14, the conference teams played three intra-conference games and four non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three victories and one loss.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceNovember 14MichiganOhio StateFerry Field, Ann Arbor, MIW 10–059,000November 14PurdueNorthwesternRoss–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INL 9–13 November 14MinnesotaIowaMemorial Stadium, Minneapolis, MNW 33–045,000November 14WisconsinMichigan StateCamp Randall Stadium, Madison, WIW 21–10 November 14ChicagoDartmouthStagg Field, Chicago, ILL 7–3334,000November 14IllinoisWabashMemorial Stadium, Champaign, ILW 21–020,466November 14IndianaMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INW 32–7

November 21 On November 21, the conference teams played four intra-conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two losses.

Date Home team Visiting team Site Result Attendance SourceNovember 21MichiganMinnesotaFerry Field, Ann Arbor, MIW 35–047,000November 21ChicagoWisconsinStagg Field, Chicago, ILL 7-2034,000November 21Ohio StateIllinoisOhio Stadium, Columbus, OHL 9–1472,657November 21IndianaPurdueMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, INT 0–015,000November 21Notre DameNorthwesternCartier Field, South Bend, INL 10–1332,000November 21USCIowaLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CAL 0–1866,000

Bowl games No Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games during the 1925 season.

All-Big Ten players

The following players were picked by multiple selectors as first-team players on the 1925 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Players selected as first-team players by all seven selectors are shown in bold.

Bennie Oosterbaan, end, Michigan (AP, BE, BTW, NB, JW, UP, WE) Chuck Kassel, end, Illinois (AP, BE, BTW, UP, WE) Dick Romey, end, Iowa (JW, NB) Fred "Bub" Henderson, tackle, Chicago (AP, BE, BTW, JW, NB, UP, WE) Tom Edwards, tackle, Michigan (BTW, NB, UP, WE) Harry Hawkins, tackle, Michigan (AP, BE, BTW, JW) Ed Hess, guard, Ohio State (AP, BE, BTW, JW, NB, UP, WE) Bernie Shively, guard, Illinois (AP, BE, JW) Robert J. Brown, center/guard, Michigan (AP, BE, BTW, JW, NB, UP) Tim Lowry, Northwestern (BTW, UP, WE) Benny Friedman, quarterback, Michigan (AP, BE, BTW, JW, UP, WE) Red Grange, halfback, Illinois (AP, BE, BTW, NB, JW, UP, WE) Austin McCarty, halfback/fullback, Chicago (AP, BE, BTW, WE) Loren L. Lewis, fullback, Northwestern (AP, UP)

All-Americans

Four Big Ten players were consensus first-team selections to the 1925 College Football All-America Team: Bennie Oosterbaan, end, Michigan (AAB, AP, COL, FW, INS, NEA, UP, A&S, BE, NB, RKN, Sun, WC, WE) Ed Hess, guard, Ohio State (COL, LIB, NEA, UP, A&S, BE, NB, HR) Benny Friedman, quarterback, Michigan (AAB, LIB, UP, RKN, Sun, SW) Red Grange, halfback, Illinois (AP, COL, FW, INS, LIB, NEA, UP, A&S, BE, HR, NB, RKN, Sun, SW, WC, WE)

Other Big Ten players receiving first-team honors from at least one selector included:

Dick Romey, end, Iowa (LIB) Cookie Cunningham, end, Ohio State (HR) Harry Hawkins, tackle, Michigan (FW) Tom Edwards, tackle, Michigan (WE) Fred "Bub" Henderson, tackle, Chicago (NB) Merwin Mitterwallner, guard, Illinois (HR) Robert Brown, center, Michigan (INS, LIB, NEA, A&S, BE, NB, SW) Tim Lowry, center, Northwestern (FW)

References