1968 Big Ten Conference 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 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Woody Hayes, compiled a perfect 10–0 record, won the Big Ten championship, defeated USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl, and was recognized as the consensus national champion. Offensive end Dave Foley was a consensus first-team All-American, and offensive tackle Rufus Mayes was also recognized as a first-team All-American by two selectors. Running back Jim Otis led the team with 985 rushing yards and 102 points scored, and Rex Kern led the team with 1,506 yards of total offense. Linebacker Jack Tatum was a first-team All-Big Ten player.
The 1968 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Bump Elliott, finished in second place with an 8–2 record and was ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll. Michigan was ranked No. 4 before losing to Ohio State, 50-14, in the final game of the season. In a victory over Wisconsin, Ron Johnson set an NCAA record with 347 rushing yards. Johnson led the Big Ten with 1,391 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the conference's most valuable player. Quarterback Dennis Brown led the conference with 1,562 passing yards and 1,777 yards of total offense. Defensive back Tom Curtis set a new Big Ten single season record with 10 interceptions.
The 1968 Purdue Boilermakers football team, under head coach Jack Mollenkopf, was ranked No. 1 in the AP poll before losing to Ohio State in week four. The Boilermakers finished in third place and were ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll. Leroy Keyes rushed for 1,003 yards and finished second in the 1968 Heisman Trophy voting. Keyes was the first Big Ten player selected in the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft with the third overall pick. Keyes and middle guard Chuck Kyle were both selected as first-team consensus All-Americans. Quarterback Mike Phipps totaled 1,096 passing yards.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. rankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1Ohio StateWoody Hayes#1#110–07–032.315.0Mark Stier
2MichiganBump Elliott#12#48–26–127.715.5Ron Johnson
3 PurdueJack Mollenkopf#10#18–25–229.116.7Leroy Keyes
3 MinnesotaMurray WarmathNR#156–45–220.719.0Wayne King
5 IndianaJohn PontNR#136–44–325.026.2Harry Gonso
Al Gage
5 IowaRay NagelNRNR5–54–332.228.9Ed Podolak
7Michigan StateDuffy DaughertyNR#125–52–520.215.1Al Brenner
8 IllinoisJim ValekNRNR1–91–610.733.3Rich Johnson
8 NorthwesternAlex AgaseNRNR1–91–610.932.5Jack Rudnay
10WisconsinJohn CoattaNRNR0–100–78.631.0Ken Criter

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1968 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1968 season
PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game
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

Preseason

Regular season

September 20–21

The Big Ten Conference football teams opened their seasons with nine non-conference games resulting in five wins and five losses. Northwestern's game was played on Friday, September 20, 1968, and the other eight games were played on Saturday, September 21, 1968. Ohio State had a bye week.
On September 28, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played 10 non-conference games resulting in four wins and six losses, bringing the conference's record against non-conference opponents to 9–11 on the season.
On October 5, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played three conference games and four non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three wins and one loss, bringing the conference's record against non-conference opponents to 12–12 on the season.
On October 12, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played four conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two losses, bringing the conference's record against non-conference opponents to 12–14 on the season.
On October 19, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played four conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one win and one loss, bringing the conference's record against non-conference opponents to 13–15 on the season.
On October 26, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played four conference games and two non-conference games. The non-conference games both resulted in victories, bringing the conference's record against non-conference opponents to 15–15 on the season.
On November 2, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played five conference games.
On November 9, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played five conference games.
On November 16, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams played five conference games.
On November 23, 1968, the Big Ten Conference football teams concluded their regular seasons with five conference games.
The 1969 Rose Bowl matched No. 1 Ohio State against No. 2 USC led by Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson. The Buckeyes defeated the Trojans, 27–16, before a crowd of 102,063 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Simpson rushed for 171 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run. USC had five turnovers, including two by O.J. Simpson.

Post-season developments

On December 24, 1968, the University of Michigan announced that head football coach Bump Elliott would assume a new job as associate athletic director and that a new football coach was being sought. Two days later, the university announced that Bo Schembechler had been hired as Elliott's replacement.

Statistical leaders

The Big Ten's individual statistical leaders for the 1968 season include the following:

Passing yards

Rushing yards

Receiving yards

Total yards

Scoring

Awards and honors

All-Big Ten honors

The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press International as first-team players on the 1968 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Offense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
QuarterbackDennis BrownMichiganAP, UPI
Running backRon JohnsonMichiganAP, UPI
Running backLeroy KeyesPurdueAP, UPI
Running backEd PodolakIowaAP
Running backPerry WilliamsPurdueUPI
Offensive endJade ButcherIndianaAP, UPI
Offensive endJim MandichMichiganAP, UPI
Offensive tackleRufus MayesOhio StateAP, UPI
Offensive tackleDave FoleyOhio StateAP, UPI
Offensive guardGary RobertsPurdueAP, UPI
Offensive guardJon MeskimenIowaAP
Offensive guardDick EnderleMinnesotaUPI
CenterJack RudnayNorthwesternAP, UPI

Defense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive endPhil SeymourMichiganAP, UPI
Defensive endBob SteinMinnesotaAP, UPI
Defensive tackleCharles BaileyMichigan StateAP
Defensive tackleTom GossMichiganAP
Defensive tackleBill YancharPurdueUPI
Middle guardChuck KylePurdueAP, UPI
LinebackerKen CriterWisconsinAP, UPI
LinebackerJack TatumOhio StateAP, UPI
LinebackerNoel JenkeMinnesotaAP
LinebackerTom StincicMichiganUPI
Defensive backAl BrennerMichigan StateAP, UPI
Defensive backTom CurtisMichiganAP, UPI
Defensive backTed ProvostOhio StateAP
Defensive backNate CunninghamIndianaUPI

All-American honors

At the end of the 1968 season, three Big Ten players secured consensus first-team honors on the 1968 College Football All-America Team. The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Offensive endDave FoleyOhio StateAFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, FN, Time, WCFF
Running backLeroy KeyesPurdueAFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF
Middle guardChuck KylePurdueAFCA, CP, FWAA, UPI, WCFF

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Offensive tackleRufus MayesOhio StateTime, TSN
Running backRon JohnsonMichiganFWAA, FN
Defensive tackleBob SteinMinnesotaWCFF
Defensive backAl BrennerMichigan StateAFCA, NEA

Other awards

In December 1968, the Heisman Trophy was awarded to O. J. Simpson of USC. Two Big Ten players finished among the top six in the voting for the trophy. They were: Purdue running back Leroy Keyes and Michigan running back Ron Johnson.

1969 NFL/AFL Draft

The following Big Ten players were among the first 100 picks in the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Leroy KeyesRunning backPurdue13
Rufus MayesOffensive tackleOhio State114
Ron JohnsonRunning backMichigan120
Dave FoleyOffensive tackleOhio State126
Ed PodolakRunning backIowa248
Tom StincicLinebackerMichigan368
Rich JohnsonRunning backIllinois378
Dennis HaleDefensive backMinnesota485
Jim SniadeckiLinebackerIndiana486
Perry WilliamsRunning backPurdue490