The 1931 Big Ten Conference football season was the 36th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was part of the 1931 college football season.
The 1931 Purdue Boilermakers football team, under head coach Noble Kizer, compiled a 9–1 record, shut out six of ten opponents, tied for the Big Ten championship, and was recognized as national co-champion by Parke H. Davis. End Paul Moss and center Ookie Miller were recognized as first-team All-Americans.
The 1931 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Harry Kipke, compiled an 8-1-1 record and finished the season in a three-way tie with Purdue and Northwestern for the Big Ten championship. The team shut out eight of ten opponents and led the conference in scoring defense (2.7 points allowed per game). The Wolverines also started a 22-game undefeated streak that lasted until October 1934. Center Maynard Morrison was selected as a first-team All-American.
The 1931 Northwestern Wildcats football team, under head coach Dick Hanley, compiled a 7–1–1 record and finished in a three-way tie for the Big Ten championship. Their sole loss was against Purdue on the final day of the season. Three Northwestern players were consensus first-team All-Americans: halfback Pug Rentner and tackles Jack Riley and Dallas Marvil.
Minnesota guard Biggie Munn won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten and was also selected as a consensus first-team All-American.
Season overview
Results and team statistics Conf. RankTeamHead coachOverall recordConf. recordDSrankPPGPAGMVP 1 (tie)PurdueNoble Kizer9–15–1#1019.23.9James Purvis1 (tie)MichiganHarry Kipke8–1–15–1NR18.12.7Bill Hewitt1 (tie)NorthwesternDick Hanley7–1–15–1NR15.34.4Paul Engebretsen4Ohio StateSam Willaman6–34–2NR21.68.2Robert Haubrich5MinnesotaFritz Crisler7–33–2NR19.17.2Biggie Munn6WisconsinGlenn Thistlethwaite5–4–13–3NR10.511.0Harold Smith7IndianaEarl C. Hayes2–5–11–4–1NR6.412.3Joe Zeller8ChicagoAmos Alonzo Stagg3–7–11–4NR7.113.8Samuel Horwitz9IowaBurt Ingwersen1–6–10–3–1NR0.916.4Oliver Sansen10IllinoisRobert Zuppke2–60–6#47.317.5Fred Frink Key DS = Rankings from Dickinson System. See 1931 college football season 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 1931 season.
All-Big Ten players
The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP), the United Press (UP) and/or the team captains (CPT) as first-team players on the 1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
PositionNameTeamSelectorsQuarterbackCarl CramerOhio StateAP, CPT, UPHalfbackPug RentnerNorthwesternAP, CPT, UPHalfbackLew HinchmanOhio StateAPHalfbackJim PurvisPurdueCPTFullbackJack MandersMinnesotaAP, CPT, UPEndPaul MossPurdueAP, CPT, UPEndIvy WilliamsonMichiganAP, UPEndBill HewittMichiganCPT, UP [halfback]TackleJack RileyNorthwesternAP, CPT, UPTackleDallas MarvilNorthwesternAP, CPT, UPGuardBiggie MunnMinnesotaAP, CPT, UPGuardGreg KabatWisconsinAP, CPTGuardJoe ZellerIndianaUPCenterMaynard MorrisonMichiganAP, CPTCenterOokie MillerPurdueUP
All-Americans
Four Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1931 College Football All-America Team. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectorsGuardBiggie MunnMinnesotaAAB, AP, COL, INS, NEA, UPHalfbackPug RentnerNorthwesternAAB, AP, COL, INS, NEA, UPTackleJack RileyNorthwesternAAB, LIB, NEATackleDallas MarvilNorthwesternAP, INS
Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were:
PositionNameTeamSelectorsEndPaul MossPurdueLIBCenterMaynard MorrisonMichiganCOL, NEACenterCharles MillerPurdueUP, CH
References