| 1918Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
|---|---|
 | |
Big Ten co-champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 5–2 (4–0 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive scheme | I formation |
| Captain | Burt Ingwersen |
| Home stadium | Illinois Field |
Seasons | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan + | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois + | 4 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue + | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 1 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The1918 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was anAmerican football team that represented theUniversity of Illinois during the1918 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth season under head coachRobert Zuppke, the Illini compiled a 5–2 record and tied for theBig Ten Conference championship.[1]
CenterJack Depler was a consensus first-team All-American.[2] Depler was selected as a first-team center by the Frank Menke Syndicate.[3] He was the only Big Ten player to be named a consensus All-American in 1918.[2]
TackleBurt Ingwersen, guard Albert Mohr, and halfback Jesse Kirkpatrick received first-team All-Big Ten honors.[4][5] Ingwersen was also the acting team captain.[6]
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 4 | atChanute Air Force Base* |
| W 3–0 | |
| October 12 | Great Lakes Navy* | L 0–7 | 2,535 | |
| October 26 | Chicago Naval Reserve* |
| L 0–7 | |
| November 2 | Iowa | W 19–0 | ||
| November 9 | atWisconsin | W 22–0 | 7,000 | |
| November 16 | Ohio State |
| W 13–0 | 2,786 |
| November 23 | atChicago | W 29–0 | ||
| ||||
On October 5, 1918, Illinois opened its season with a victory over the team fromChanute Aviation Field fromRantoul, Illinois. The Illini won, 3–0, before a crowd of 2,500 inUrbana, 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 byArchie Weston, who had played for Michigan in 1917. Eleven planes from the Chanute Field flew over the game.[7] Illinois had originally been scheduled to playIowa State on the date, but that game was canceled due to travel restrictions.[8]
On October 12, 1918, Illinois lost to theGreat 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.[9] The 1918Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team compiled a 3–0–1 record against Big Ten opponents, went on to win the1919 Rose Bowl, and featured three players (George Halas,Jimmy Conzelman, andPaddy Driscoll) who were later inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame.Charlie Bachman, who was hired as Northwestern's coach after the season and was later inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame, also played for the 1918 Great Lakes team.
On October 26, 1918, Illinois lost, 7–0, againstChicago Naval Reserve a team from the United States Naval Reserve School at Chicago'sMunicipal 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."[10]
On November 2, 1918, Illinois defeatedIowa, 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."[11][12]
On November 9, 1918, Illinois defeatedWisconsin, 22–0, before a crowd of 7,000 atCamp Randall Field inMadison, Wisconsin. According to theChicago 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.[13]
On November 16, 1918, Illinois defeatedOhio State, 13–0, on a muddy field inChampaign, Illinois. Kirkpatrick and Sabo scored touchdowns for Illinois.[14]
On November 23, 1918, Illinois defeatedChicago, 29–0, atStagg Field in Chicago.[15]
| Player | Position |
| Burt Ingwersen (captain) | Tackle |
| William Kopp | Fullback |
| John C. Depler | Center |
| Robert Fletcher | Quarterback |
| Ralph Fletcher | Halfback, kicker |
| Chuck Carney | End, punter |
| Lawrence Walquist | Halfback, quarterback |
| Albert Mohr | Guard |
| Milton Olander | Guard, tackle |
| George Buchheit | End |
| Ralph Lanum | Fullback |
| Neil Leitch | Guard |
| C. Ernest Lovejoy | End |
| Fred Hanschmann | Guard |
| John Sabo Jr. | Halfback |
| Jesse Kirkpatrick | Halfback |
