1897 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season

1897 Illinois Fighting Illini football

Conference| Western Conference
Record| 6–2 (1–1 Western)
Head coach|

* George Huff (3rd season)

Captain| Don Sweney
Home stadium| Illinois Field

Seasons

← 1896

1898 →

1897 Western Conference football standings

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| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Wisconsin $  | 3  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
Chicago | 3  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 11  | – | 1  | – | 0
Michigan | 2  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 1  | – | 1
Illinois | 1  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0
Purdue | 1  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1
Northwestern | 0  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0
Minnesota | 0  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

The 1897 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1897 Western Conference football season. In their third season under head coach George Huff, the Illini compiled a 6–2 record and finished in fourth place in the Western Conference.[1] Tackle Don Sweney was the team captain.[2]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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October 2| | Eureka*|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL

| W 26–0| |
October 9| | Chicago Physicians and Surgeons*|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL

| W 6–0| | [3]
October 16| | Lake Forest*|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL

| W 36–0| |
October 23| | Purdue|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL (rivalry)

| W 34–4| | [4]
October 30| | Chicago|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL

| L 12–18| | [5]
November 12| | Knox*|

* Illinois Field
* Champaign, IL

| W 64–0| |
November 20| 8:00 p.m.| vs. Carlisle*|

* Coliseum
* Chicago, IL

| L 6–23| 10,000–12,000| [6][7][8][9][10]
November 25| | at Eureka*|

* Eureka Field
* Eureka, IL

| W 6–0| |

* *Non-conference game

[1]

## Roster

[edit]

Official Roster

* Beadle, Thomas B.  LE
* Coffeen, Harry C.  RE
* Enochs, Claude D.  RHB
* Fischer, Leon E.  LG
* Forbes, Stuart F.  FB
* Johnston, Arthur R.  LHB
* McLane, E.C.  C
* Merker, Henry F.  RG
* Shuler, Hugh M.  QB
* Sweney, Don  LT (captain)
* Von Oven, Frederick W.  RT
* Wilmarth, Geo H.  QB/E

|   |

Substitutes

* Adsit, Bertram W.  E
* Atwood, James R.  HB
* Branch, James M.  T/E/HB
* Clinton, Edgar M. HB
* Eggleston, J.L.  HB
* Francis, Frank D.  HB
* Frazier, E.A.  RG
* Hall, Arthur R.  HB
* Jack, R.D.  E/T
* Jordan, Geo T.  HB
* King, Wesley E.  C/G
* Lippincott, C.A.  RT
* Logan, Harry R.  HB
* McCormick, Roscoe C.  LG
* Schacht, Frederick W.  RE/LHB
* Webb, Otto  HB

[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "1897 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
2. ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 156. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
3. ^ "Illinois Too Strong". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. October 10, 1897. p. 7. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
4. ^ "Victory for Illinois". Chicago Tribune. October 24, 1897. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Is Won by Chicago: Fiercest Football Game in Years at Champaign". Chicago Tribune. October 31, 1897. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Poor Lo Will Punt". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. November 20, 1897. p. 5. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
7. ^ "Scalped By Poor Lo". The Chicago Chronicle. Chicago, Illinois. November 21, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
8. ^ "Indians Win, 23 To 6". The Sunday Inter Ocean. Chicago, Illinois. November 21, 1897. p. 8. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
9. ^ "Is Won By Red Men". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. November 21, 1897. p. 1. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
10. ^ "Is Won By Red Men (continued)". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. November 21, 1897. p. 4. Retrieved March 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
11. ^ FightingIllini.com All-Time Rosters

* v
* t
* e

Illinois Fighting Illini football

Venues|

* Illinois Field (1890–1922)
* Memorial Stadium (1923–present)
* Soldier Field (1994–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Indiana
* Michigan
* Missouri
* Northwestern
* Ohio State: Illibuck
* Purdue

Culture & lore|

* Illinois Loyalty
* "Oskee Wow-Wow"
* Marching Illini
* Gene Honda
* Fighting Illini Sports Network
* Chief Illiniwek
* 1960s slush fund scandal
* 2021 Penn State game

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties