1918 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1918
| team = Illinois Fighting Illini
| sport = football
| image = 1918 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.jpg
| image_size = 285
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| short_conf = Big Ten
| record = 5–2
| conf_record = 4–0
| head_coach = Robert Zuppke
| hc_year = 6th
| off_scheme = I formation
| def_scheme =
| captain = Burt Ingwersen
| stadium = Illinois Field
| champion = Big Ten co-champion
}}
{{1918 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
The 1918 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1918 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth season under head coach Robert Zuppke, the Illini compiled a 5–2 record and tied for the Big Ten Conference championship.{{cite web|title=1918 Illinois Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=December 16, 2015|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1918-schedule.html}}
Center Jack Depler was a consensus first-team All-American.{{cite web|title=2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)|year=2014|access-date=August 16, 2014|page=4|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf|archive-date=December 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163944/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf|url-status=dead}} Depler was selected as a first-team center by the Frank Menke Syndicate.ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, p. 1153 He was the only Big Ten player to be named a consensus All-American in 1918.
Tackle Burt Ingwersen, guard Albert Mohr, and halfback Jesse Kirkpatrick received first-team All-Big Ten honors.{{Cite news|title=Eckersall Picks "All Star" Eleven of the Big Ten|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|author=Walter Eckersall|date=December 8, 1918|pages=2–4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8976074/eckersall_picks_allstar_eleven_of_the/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{cite book|title=ESPN Big Ten Football Encyclopedia|publisher=ESPN Books|year=2007|isbn=978-1-933060-49-1|page=191}} Ingwersen was also the acting team captain.{{cite web|title=Fighting Illini Football Record Book|publisher=University of Illinois|year=2015|access-date=December 28, 2016|page=156|url=http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 4
| w/l = w
| away = y
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Chanute Air Force Base
| site_stadium = Chanute Field
| site_cityst = Rantoul, IL
| score = 3–0
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Great Lakes Navy
| site_stadium = Illinois Field
| site_cityst = Champaign, IL
| score = 0–7
| attend = 2,535
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Chicago Naval Reserve
| site_stadium = Illinois Field
| site_cityst = Champaign, IL
| score = 0–7
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| w/l = w
| opponent = Iowa
| site_stadium = Iowa Field
| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA
| score = 19–0
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Wisconsin
| site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium
| site_cityst = Madison, WI
| score = 22–0
| attend = 7,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Ohio State
| site_stadium = Illinois Field
| site_cityst = Champaign, IL
| score = 13–0
| attend = 2,786
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 23
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Chicago
| site_stadium = Stagg Field
| site_cityst = Chicago, IL
| score = 29–0
}}
}}
Game summaries
On October 5, 1918, Illinois opened its season with a victory over the team from Chanute Aviation Field from Rantoul, Illinois. The Illini won, 3–0, before a crowd of 2,500 in Urbana, Illinois. The game's only points were scored by Illinois guard Leitsch on a field goal from the 38-yard line. The Chanute team was led by Archie Weston, who had played for Michigan in 1917. Eleven planes from the Chanute Field flew over the game.{{cite news|title=Illini Register Aerial Victory Over Flyers, 3–0|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=October 6, 1918|pages=2–4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8934088/illini_register_aerial_victory_over/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} Illinois had originally been scheduled to play Iowa State on the date, but that game was canceled due to travel restrictions.{{cite news|title=To Open Season Today: Eight of First Big Ten Play First Games Today|newspaper=The Fort Wayne News and Sentinel|date=October 5, 1918|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8994464/to_open_season_today_eight_of_first/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
On October 12, 1918, Illinois lost to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station team, 7–0, in Urbana, Illinois. Great Lakes scored a touchdown in the first quarter, and both teams were held scoreless thereafter. Paddy Driscoll returned the kickoff at the start of the second half for 65 yards.{{cite news|title=Great Lakes Is Victor Over Illinois Team in Hard-Fought Game, 7–0|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=October 13, 1918|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8935390/great_lakes_is_victor_over_illinois/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} The 1918 Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team compiled a 3–0–1 record against Big Ten opponents, went on to win the 1919 Rose Bowl, and featured three players (George Halas, Jimmy Conzelman, and Paddy Driscoll) who were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Charlie Bachman, who was hired as Northwestern's coach after the season and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, also played for the 1918 Great Lakes team.
On October 26, 1918, Illinois lost, 7–0, against Chicago Naval Reserve a team from the United States Naval Reserve School at Chicago's Municipal Pier. The game was played in Urbana, Illinois. Due to health concerns, "the gates were barred and the spectators limited to coaches, water carriers, officials, and the few others necessary to pull off a contest."{{cite news|title=One Pass Gives Pier Win Over Illinois, 7 to 0: Zuppke's Men Lack Punch Three Times When on Verge of Score|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=October 27, 1918|pages=2–5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8937944/one_pass_gives_pier_win_over_illinois/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
On November 2, 1918, Illinois defeated Iowa, 19–0, at Iowa City. Illinois scored touchdowns in the second, third, and fourth quarters. The Des Moines Register credited Illinois' victory to "perfectly executed forward passes and machinelike teamwork."{{cite news|title=Illinois Defeats Hawkeyes, 19 to 0|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=November 3, 1918|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8941222/illinois_defeats_hawkeyes_19_to_0/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{cite news|title=Illinois' Open Play, Puzzling Hawkeyes, Gives 19–0 Victory|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 3, 1918|pages=2–5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8941307/illinois_open_play_puzzling_hawkeyes/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
On November 9, 1918, Illinois defeated Wisconsin, 22–0, before a crowd of 7,000 at Camp Randall Field in Madison, Wisconsin. According to the Chicago Daily Tribune, the Badgers were "outclassed and outweighed" while the Illini "fought like wildcats" and had the Badgers on the defensive through most of the game.{{cite news|title=Hard Playing Illini Put Out Badgers In Big Ten Race, 22–0|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=November 10, 1918|pages=2–5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8950194/hard_playing_illini_put_out_badgers_in/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
On November 16, 1918, Illinois defeated Ohio State, 13–0, on a muddy field in Champaign, Illinois. Kirkpatrick and Sabo scored touchdowns for Illinois.{{cite news|title=Illinois Pounds Line For Victory Over Ohio: Urbana Boys Make Their First Touchdown Within Five Minutes After Opening of Game; Second in Third Quarter|newspaper=The Decatur Herald|date=November 17, 1918|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8951928/illinois_pounds_line_for_victory_over/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
On November 23, 1918, Illinois defeated Chicago, 29–0, at Stagg Field in Chicago.{{cite news|title=Illini Crush Maroon Team and Claim Title of Big Ten|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 24, 1918|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8930082/illinois_crush_maroon_team_and_claim/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
Roster
| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="60%" style="text-align:center;" |
| style="background:#14294B; color:#DF4E38;"
|Player |Position |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Burt Ingwersen (captain) |Tackle |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|William Kopp |Fullback |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Center |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Robert Fletcher |Quarterback |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Ralph Fletcher |Halfback, kicker |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|End, punter |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Halfback, quarterback |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Albert Mohr |Guard |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Guard, tackle |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|End |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Ralph Lanum |Fullback |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Neil Leitch |Guard |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|C. Ernest Lovejoy |End |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Fred Hanschmann |Guard |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|width="250"|John Sabo Jr. |width="250"|Halfback |
| align="center" bgcolor=""
|Jesse Kirkpatrick |Halfback |
| align="center" bgcolor="" |
- Head coach: Robert Zuppke (6th year at Illinois)
Awards and honors
- Jack Depler, center
:* First-team selection by the Frank Menke Syndicate for the 1918 College Football All-America Team
:* Second-team selection by Walter Camp for the 1918 All-America team{{cite news|title=Camp's All American: Football Dean Names Three Teams from Last Season's Records|work=The New York Times|date=1918-12-31|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/12/31/97058136.pdf|format=PDF}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Illinois Fighting Illini football navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference football champions}}
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons