The 1907 Western Conference football season was the twelfth season of college football played by the member schools of the Western Conference (later known as the Big Ten Conference) and was a part of the 1907 college football season.
In April 1907, Michigan was voted out of the conference for refusing to adhere to new league rules that had been adopted earlier and spearheaded by UM president James Burrill Angell. As a result, Western Conference schools were not supposed to play Michigan again until they rejoined the league in 1918.
In 1907, Iowa helped form the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association with Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Washington University in St. Louis, while still maintaining membership in the Western Conference. The MVIAA would eventually become the Big Eight Conference.
Season overview With a 4–0 conference record, the Chicago Maroons would claim the 1907 championship, finishing 4–1 overall. Their only loss came to the Carlisle Indians, led by head coach Pop Warner, All-American Pete Hauser, and newcomer Jim Thorpe
Wisconsin would finish behind the Maroons at 3-1-1 (all Western games), and Illinois followed at 3-2 (also, all Western games). Iowa also had a 3–2 overall record, but went 1–1 in conference play.
Minnesota, Indiana, and Purdue all wrapped up the year winless in the conference, but only Purdue went the 1907 season without a victory.
Northwestern was in their second season without a football program, last playing a game in 1905. The Purple would be welcomed back to the gridiron in 1908.
Chicago
Wisconsin
Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana
Purdue
Bowl games No Western Conference schools participated in any bowl games during the 1907 season.
All-American honors
The following Western Conference players were selected as first-team players on the 1907 All-America college football team. (Consensus All-Americans displayed in bold).
Quarterbacks Walter Steffen, Chicago (College Football Hall of Fame) (WC-3)
Halfbacks George Capron, Minnesota (WC-3)
Key NCAA recognized selectors for 1907 WC = Collier's Weekly as selected by Walter Camp CW = Caspar Whitney
Other selectors NYH = New York Herald NYT = New York Tribune NYW = New York World (Robert Edgren) NYP = New York Press FY = Fielding H. Yost, football coach of the University of Michigan, for the North American Press Syndicate. ("Of all the football men in America, none has attained greater prominence than Fielding H. Yost, who has coached the University of Michigan for six years. Yost's football vision is broad. His football judgment is superior. His football pre-eminence is generally accepted. It is thus a matter of considerable football moment when Mr. Yost breaks his previous precedence and names an all-American football team. This he has done for the North American Press Syndicate.") CF = Carl Flanders CR = Constant Reader AFR = Abilene Semi Weekly Farm Reporter. "selected not according to their weight, but their conception of the new game"
Bold = Consensus All-American 1 – First-team selection 2 – Second-team selection 3 – Third-team selection
All-Western selections
Hewitt, End, Chicago (CA, CDN, CP, CRH) Harlan Page, End, Chicago (CIO, CJ, CP) (CBHOF) Harlan Rogers, End, Wisconsin (CE) John Messmer, Tackle, Wisconsin (CA, CIO, CJ, COL [guard], CRH, WE [guard]) George Leland Case, Tackle, Minnesota (CDN, CIO, CP, WE) Ivan Doseff, Tackle, Chicago (CE, CJ, COL) Forest Van Hook, Guard, Illinois (CA, CDN, CE, CIO, CJ, COL, CP, CRH, WE) William John Bandelin, Guard, Minnesota (CA, CE) Harris, Guard, Chicago (CDN) Walter Steffen, Quarterback, Chicago (CA, CDN, CE, CIO, CJ, COL, CP, CRH, WE) (CFHOF) Leo DeTray, Halfback,Chicago (CA [fullback], CDN, CE, CIO, CJ, COL, CP, CRH [fullback], WE) Carroll N. Kirk, Halfback,Iowa (CA, CE, CRH) John Robert Schuknecht, Halfback,Minnesota (CIO, CJ, COL [fullback]) Harold Iddings, Halfback,Chicago (CDN, COL [end], WE) Oscar Osthoff, Halfback, Wisconsin (CP) George Capron, Fullback, Minnesota (CA [halfback], CDN, CE, CIO, CJ, COL [halfback], CP, CRH [halfback], WE [end])
References