1929 college football rankings

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The 1929 college football rankings ranked the best teams participating in the 1929 college football season.

Contents

Champions (by method)

Various different rankings (using differing methodologies) have identified Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, or the University of Southern California as the season's champion. [1]

Note: Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Erskine Trophy poll, and Bonniwell Trophy vote were given contemporary. All other rankings were given retroactively

Dickinson System

The Dickinson System was a mathematical rating system devised by University of Illinois economics professor Frank G. Dickinson.

Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, both with nine wins and no losses or ties (9–0) were ranked first and second by Dickinson, with the Irish getting the higher rating based on their opposition. [4] As Grantland Rice noted in his column, "There is no questioning the fact that among the unbeaten teams who were not even tied, Notre Dame fought its way through the hardest field. But when it comes to saying that Notre Dame could beat Pittsburgh or that Notre Dame could beat Purdue or that Pittsburgh could beat Purdue -- that is something else again," [5]

Jack F. Rissman Trophy, awarded to the team ranked first in the Dickinson System Rissman Trophy 1929.jpg
Jack F. Rissman Trophy, awarded to the team ranked first in the Dickinson System
Dickinson System
RankTeamRecordRating
1 Notre Dame 9–025.00
2 Purdue 8–023.60
3 Pittsburgh 9–022.00
4 California 7–1–120.00
5 Illinois 6–1–118.70
6 USC 9–217.75
7 Nebraska 4–1–316.82
8 TCU 9–0–116.51
9 SMU 6–0–416.31
10 Tulane 9–016.22
11 Penn 7–215.00

Erskine Trophy

The Albert Russel Erskine Trophy poll results were released on January 2. [3] In the final ballot between only the three top contenders, Notre Dame won the trophy and the national championship with 179 votes, followed by Pittsburgh with 41 and Purdue with 2.

Notre Dame received the Erskine Trophy following the season. Erskine Trophy Presentation 1929 Notre Dame.jpg
Notre Dame received the Erskine Trophy following the season.
Erskine Trophy
RankTeamRecord
1 Notre Dame (179)9–0
2 Pittsburgh (41)9–1
3 Purdue (2)8–0

Notes

  1. ↑ Dickinson System (received Rissman Trophy), Dunkel System, Houlgate System, per Erksine poll (received Erskine Trophy), unanimous consensus of board of the Veteran Athletes of Philadelphia (awarded Bonniwell Trophy), Billingsley Report, Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, Helms Athletic Foundation, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings Elo chess method
  2. ↑ per Berryman QPRS, and Sagarin Ratings Predictor method
  3. ↑ per Parke H. Davis (Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide)
  4. ↑ awarded upon unanimous consensus of the board of the Veteran Athletes of Philadelphia
  5. ↑ for Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. 2017. p. 111. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Knute Rockne: The Wizard of Notre Dame". Metropolitan Newspaper Service. October 24, 1930. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Written at New York. "Erskine Trophy is Given Notre Dame — Named Football 'Champs' of Past Season". Pasadena Star-News . Pasadena. United Press. January 2, 1930. The final ballot of sports experts who voted on the award showed Notre Dame with 179 votes, Pittsburgh with 41, and Purdue with 2.
  4. ↑ "Irish Acclaimed National Victors," Charleston (WV) Gazette, December 1, 1929, p16
  5. ↑ Grantland Rice, "The Sport Light", from The Salt Lake Tribune, December 7, 1929, p 7
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