The 1939 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1939 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 27th season under head coach Robert Zuppke, the Illini compiled a 3–4–1 record and finished in sixth place in the Big Ten Conference.[1] Bill Lenich was selected as the team's most valuable player.[2]
1939 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
Record | 3–4–1 (3–3 Big Ten) |
Head coach |
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MVP | Mel Brewer |
Captain | William Lenich |
Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 15 Ohio State $ | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Iowa | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 20 Michigan | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 2 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chicago | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Illinois was ranked at No. 62 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[3]
Schedule
editDate | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 30 | Bradley* | T 0–0 | 12,000 | [4] | |
October 14 | at USC* | L 0–26 | 60,000 | [5] | |
October 21 | Indiana |
| L 6–7 | 20,000 | [6] |
October 28 | at Northwestern | L 0–13 | 35,000 | [7] | |
November 4 | No. 2 Michigan |
| W 16–7 | 31,025 | [8] |
November 11 | Wisconsin |
| W 7–0 | 17,665 | [9] |
November 18 | at No. 8 Ohio State | L 0–21 | 46,643 | [10] | |
November 25 | at Chicago | W 46–0 | 4,500 | [11] | |
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References
edit- ^ "1939 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ E. E. Litkenhous (December 31, 1939). "Vols Second In Final Litkenhous Grid Rankings; Southern California Tenth". Johnson City Sunday Press. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Howard Barry (October 1, 1939). "Bradley Holds Illinois to Scoreless Tie". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Paul Zimmerman (October 15, 1939). "Troy's Thundering Herd Swamps Outclassed Illini, 26 to 0: Nave Opens Scoring Spree". The Los Angeles Times. p. II-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Irving Vaughan (October 22, 1939). "Hoosiers End Jinx; Win at Illinois, 7 to 6". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1, II-5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Charles Bartlett (October 29, 1939). "Soper Runs 74 Yards in 13 to 0 Defeat of Illini". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Edward Prell (November 5, 1939). "Illinois Beats Michigan, 16-7: Harmon Scores But So Do Three Illini Players". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Irving Vaughan (November 12, 1939). "Illini Beat Wisconsin, 7-0: Smith Runs 82 Yards to Score as Illini Win". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Fritz Howell (November 19, 1939). "Ohio State Shows Power in Defeating Illinois, 21 to 0". The Sandusky Register. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Charles Bartlett (November 26, 1939). "Illinois Finds Par Against the Maroons Is 46: Chicago Winds Up Season with Another Zero". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.