1952 Big Ten Conference football season

Last updated

1952 Big Ten Conference football season
Sport American football
Number of teams9
Top draft pick Bernie Flowers
Co-champions Wisconsin, Purdue
Season MVP Paul Giel
Football seasons
  1951
1953  
1952 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 Wisconsin + 4 1 16 3 1
No. 18 Purdue + 4 1 14 3 2
No. 17 Ohio State 5 2 06 3 0
Michigan 4 2 05 4 0
Minnesota 3 1 24 3 2
Illinois 2 5 04 5 0
Northwestern 2 5 02 6 1
Iowa 2 5 02 7 0
Indiana 1 5 02 7 0
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1952 Big Ten Conference football season was the 57th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) and was a part of the 1952 college football season.

Contents

The 1952 Wisconsin Badgers football team, under head coach Ivy Williamson, compiled a 6–3–1 record, tied for the Big Ten championship, was ranked No. 10 in the final UP poll and No. 11 in the final AP poll, and lost to USC in the 1953 Rose Bowl. Tackle Dave Suminski was the team's only first-team All-American and was selected as the team's most valuable player. Sophomore Alan Ameche was a first-team All-Big Ten player, set a Wisconsin record with 946 rushing yards, and went on to win the 1954 Heisman Trophy.

The 1952 Purdue Boilermakers football team, under head coach Stu Holcomb, was the Big Ten co-champion and ranked No. 12 in the final UP poll and No. 18 in the final AP poll. Purdue end Bernie Flowers was the Big Ten's only consensus first-team All-American in 1952 and was the first Big Ten player selected in the 1953 NFL draft. Dale Samuels was the first Purdue quarterback to pass for over 1,000 yards in a season.

The conference's statistical leaders included Illinois quarterback Tommy O'Connell with 1,761 passing yards and 1,724 yards of total offense, [1] Alan Ameche with 946 rushing yards, [1] and Indiana's Gene Gedman with 54 points scored. [2]

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1 (tie) Wisconsin Ivy Williamson #11#16–3–14–1–122.815.0 Dave Suminski
1 (tie) Purdue Stu Holcomb #18#84–3–24–1–120.916.8Earl Heninger
3 Ohio State Woody Hayes #17#146–35–221.913.2 Fred Bruney
4 Michigan Bennie Oosterbaan NR#125–44–223.014.9 Ted Topor
5 Minnesota Wes Fesler NRNR4–3–23–1–214.619.0 Paul Giel
6 Illinois Ray Eliot NR#24–52–521.619.4 Al Brosky
7 (tie) Northwestern Bob Voigts NRNR2-6-12-518.428.0Chuck Hren
7 (tie) Iowa Forest Evashevski NRNR2–72–513.424.4Bill Fenton
9 Indiana Bernie Crimmins NRNR2–71–515.924.9 Gene Gedman

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1952 season [3]
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1952 season [3]
PPG = Average of points scored per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold [3]
PAG = Average of points allowed per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold [3]
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; trophy winner in bold [4]

Preseason

Regular season

September 27

  • Wisconsin 42, Marquette 19.
  • Ohio State 33, Indiana 13.
  • Purdue 20, Penn State 20.
  • Michigan State 27, Michigan 13.

October 4

  • Wisconsin 20, Illinois 6.
  • Purdue 21, Ohio State 14.
  • Stanford 14, Michigan 7.

October 11

  • Ohio State 23, Wisconsin 14.
  • Purdue 41, Iowa 14.
  • Michigan 28, Indiana 13.

October 18

  • Wisconsin 42, Iowa 13.
  • Ohio State 35, Washington State 7.
  • Notre Dame 26, Purdue 14.
  • Michigan 48, Northwestern 14.

October 25

  • UCLA 20, Wisconsin 7.
  • Iowa 8, Ohio State 0.
  • Purdue 40, Illinois 12.
  • Michigan 21, Minnesota 0.

November 1

  • Wisconsin 21, Rice 7.
  • Ohio State 24, Northwestern 21.
  • Michigan State 14, Purdue 7.
  • Illinois 22, Michigan 13.

November 8

  • Wisconsin 24, Northwestern 20.
  • Pittsburgh 21, Ohio State 14.
  • Minnesota 14, Purdue 14.
  • Michigan 49, Cornell 7.

November 15

  • Wisconsin 37, Indiana 14.
  • Ohio State 27, Illinois 7.
  • Michigan 21, Purdue 10.

November 22

  • Minnesota 21, Wisconsin 21.
  • Ohio State 27, Michigan 7.
  • Purdue 21, Indiana 16.

Bowl games

Post-season developments

Awards and honors

All-Big Ten honors

The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP)as first-team players on the 1952 All-Big Ten Conference football team. The AP picked separate offensive and defensive units, whereas the UP selected a single, eleven man unit.

AP offense and UP overall selections

PositionNameTeamSelectors
Back Alan Ameche WisconsinAP, UP
Back Paul Giel MinnesotaAP, UP
Back Tommy O'Connell IllinoisAP, UP
BackGeorge GedmanIndianaAP
Back Ted Kress MichiganUP
End Joe Collier NorthwesternAP, UP
End Bernard Flowers PurdueAP, UP
Tackle Roger Zatkoff MichiganAP [linebacker], UP [tackle]
TackleGeorge JacobyOhio StateAP
TackleDavid SuminskiWisconsinAP
TackleRay HuizingaNorthwesternUP
GuardBob KennedyWisconsinAP [defensive guard], UP [guard]
GuardJames ReichenbachOhio StateAP
GuardRobert TimmMichiganAP
GuardGeorge O'BrienWisconsinUP
CenterWalter CudzikPurdueAP
CenterDick O'ShaughnessyMichiganUP

AP defensive unit

PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive endBill FentonIowaAP
Defensive endFrank WodziakIllinoisAP
Defensive tackleFred PreziosioPurdueAP
Defensive tackle Art Walker MichiganAP
Defensive guardBob KennedyWisconsinAP [defensive guard], UP [guard]
Defensive guardPercy ZacharyMinnesotaAP
Linebacker Roger Zatkoff MichiganAP [linebacker], UP [tackle]
Linebacker Tony Curcillo Ohio StateAP
Defensive back Fred Bruney Ohio StateAP
Defensive backRobert McNamaraMinnesotaAP
Safety Al Brosky IllinoisAP

All-American honors

At the end of the 1952 season, only one Big Ten player secured a consensus first-team pick on the 1952 College Football All-America Team. [5] The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:

PositionNameTeamSelectors
End Bernie Flowers PurdueAAB, FWAA, NEA, TSN, UP, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:

PositionNameTeamSelectors
End Joe Collier NorthwesternINS
Tackle Dave Suminski WisconsinAP
GuardMike TakacsOhio StateINS
Back Paul Giel MinnesotaAP, FWAA
Back Lowell Perry MichiganNEA

Other awards

Minnesota running back Paul Giel finished third in the voting for the 1952 Heisman Trophy. [6]

1953 NFL Draft

The following Big Ten players were among the first 100 picks in the 1953 NFL draft: [7]

NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Bernie Flowers EndPurdue214
Gene Gedman BackIndiana225
Dale Samuels QuarterbackPurdue328
Fred Bruney BackOhio State335
Roger Zatkoff TackleMichigan555
Rex SmithEndIllinois561
Tony Curcillo BackOhio State663
Bob KennedyGuardWisconsin667
Lowell Perry EndMichigan890

Related Research Articles

The 1952 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Big Ten Conference teams selected by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) for the 1952 Big Ten Conference football season.

The 1964 Big Ten Conference football season was the 69th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1964 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1947 Big Nine Conference football season was the 52nd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1947 college football season.

The 1939 Big Ten Conference football season was the 44th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1939 college football season.

The 1940 Big Ten Conference football season was the 45th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1940 college football season. The University of Chicago terminated its football program after the 1939 season, leaving only nine conference members fielding football teams. However, Chicago remained a member of the conference and participated in other sports, and the conference remained known generally as the Big Ten.

The 1950 Big Ten Conference football season was the 55th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1950 college football season.

The 1968 Big Ten Conference football season was the 73rd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1968 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1955 Big Ten Conference football season was the 60th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1955 college football season.

The 1954 Big Ten Conference football season was the 59th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1954 college football season.

The 1953 Big Ten Conference football season was the 58th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1953 college football season.

The 1951 Big Ten Conference football season was the 56th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1951 college football season.

The 1971 Big Ten Conference football season was the 76th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1971 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1972 Big Ten Conference football season was the 77th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1972 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1973 Big Ten Conference football season was the 78th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1973 NCAA Division I football season.

The 1974 Big Ten Conference football season was the 79th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1974 NCAA Division I football season.

The 1975 Big Ten Conference football season was the 80th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1975 NCAA Division I football season.

The 1977 Big Ten Conference football season was the 82nd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1977 NCAA Division I football season.

The 1978 Big Ten Conference football season was the 83rd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season.

The 1979 Big Ten Conference football season was the 84th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season.

The 1984 Big Ten Conference football season was the 89th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season.

References

  1. 1 2 "Needs Last Fling". The Kansas City Times. November 26, 1952. p. 17.
  2. "Gedman Chosen Most Valuable at Indiana". Muncie Evening Press. November 26, 1952. p. 9.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "1952 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 26, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. Wilfrid Smith (December 14, 1952). "Paul Giel Voted Big 10's Most Valuable: Gophers' Back Gets 14 First Place Ballots". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.
  5. "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. pp. 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  6. "1952 Heisman Trophy Voting". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  7. "1953 NFL Draft: Full Draft". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved February 4, 2017.