The 1935 Big Ten Conference football season was the 40th 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 1935 college football season.
The 1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, under head coach Bernie Bierman, compiled an undefeated 8–0 record, outscored opponents, 194 to 36, and has been recognized as the 1935 national champion by seven of the 13 selectors recognized as official by the NCAA. Tackle Ed Widseth was a consensus, first-team All-American.
The 1935 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Francis Schmidt, compiled a 7–1 record, tied with Minnesota for the Big Ten championship, led the conference in scoring offense (29.6 points per game), and outscored opponents, 237 to 57. Ohio State's sole loss was to Notre Dame by an 18-13 score. Center Gomer Jones was a consensus, first-team All-American.
Chicago Maroons halfback Jay Berwanger was the first recipient of the Heisman Trophy, received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player, and was the first player selected in the 1936 NFL draft.
Season overview
Results and team statistics Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordUPfinalPPGPAGMVP1 (tie)MinnesotaBernie Bierman8–05–0#124.35.8Babe LeVoir1 (tie)Ohio StateFrancis Schmidt7–15–0#529.67.1Gomer Jones3PurdueNoble Kizer4–43–3NR8.17.1Frank Loebs4IndianaBo McMillin4–3–12–2–1NR8.86.9Wendel Walker5NorthwesternPappy Waldorf4–3–12–3–1#1611.39.9Wally Cruice6IowaOssie Solem4–2–21–2–2#1815.34.9Dick Crayne7 (tie)ChicagoClark Shaughnessy4–42–3NR12.813.8Jay Berwanger7 (tie)MichiganHarry Kipke4–42–3NR8.516.4William Renner9 (tie)IllinoisRobert Zuppke3–51–4NR7.46.8Ed Gryboski9 (tie)WisconsinClarence Spears1–71–4NR6.621.4Eddie Jankowski Key UP final = Rankings from UP sports writers. See 1935UP sports writers' poll PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game 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
Regular season
Bowl games No Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games during the 1935 season.
All-Big Ten players
The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP), the United Press (UP) and/or the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as first-team players on the 1935 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
PositionNameTeamSelectorsQuarterbackBabe LeVoirMinnesotaAP, UPHalfbackJay BerwangerChicagoAP, NEA [quarterback], UPHalfbackOzzie SimmonsIowaAP, NEA [fullback], UPHalfbackAndy PilneyNotre DameNEAFullbackSheldon BeiseMinnesotaAP, NEA [halfback], UPEndMerle WendtOhio StateAP, NEA, UPEndMatt PatanelliMichiganUPEndHenry W. LongfellowNorthwesternAPEndTrevor J. ReesOhio StateNEATackleEd WidsethMinnesotaAP, NEA, UPTackleDick SmithMinnesotaAP, NEA, UPGuardPaul TangoraNorthwesternAP, UPGuardBud WilkinsonMinnesotaAP, NEAGuardEd GrybowskiIllinoisUPCenterGomer JonesOhio StateAP, UPCenterTed OsmaloskiIowaNEA
All-Americans
Three Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1935 College Football All-America Team. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectorsHalfbackJay Berwanger Chicago AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, TSN, UP, CP, KCS, NYS, PTH, WCFFTackleEd Widseth Minnesota AAB, INS, LIB, NANA, TSN, UP, CP, KCSCenterGomer Jones Ohio State AAB, LIB, NANA, UP, CP, KCS, WCFF
Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectorsTackleDick Smith Minnesota AP, COL, INS, NEA, UP, NYS, PTHEndMerle WendtOhio StateLIB, NEAGuardPaul TangoraNorthwesternAP, TSNGuardInwood SmithOhio StateCOL, PTHHalfbackOzzie SimmonsIowaTSNFullbackSheldon BeiseMinnesotaNANA, CP
1936 NFL draft The following Big Ten players were among the first 100 players selected in the 1936 NFL draft: NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pickJay BerwangerHalfbackChicago11Dick CrayneFullbackIowa14
References