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1917 Ohio State

8–⁠0–⁠1 (4–⁠0 Western Conference), coached by John Wilce.

Schedule and results

Ohio State in 1917, game by game: won vs. Case 49–0; won vs. Ohio Wesleyan 53–0; won vs. Northwestern 40–0; won vs. Denison 67–0; won at Indiana 26–3; won at Wisconsin 16–3; won vs. Illinois 13–0; tied vs. Auburn 0–0; won vs. Camp Sherman 28–0+67Won 49–0 vs. Case+49CaseWon 53–0 vs. Ohio Wesleyan+53Ohio WesleyanWon 40–0 vs. Northwestern+40NorthwesternWon 67–0 vs. Denison+67DenisonWon 26–3 at Indiana+23IndianaWon 16–3 at Wisconsin+13WisconsinWon 13–0 vs. Illinois+13IllinoisTied 0–0 vs. Auburn0AuburnWon 28–0 vs. Camp Sherman+28Camp Sherman
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 29vsCaseW 49–⁠092%
Oct 6vsOhio WesleyanW 53–⁠092%
Oct 13vsNorthwesternW 40–⁠064%
Oct 27vsDenisonW 67–⁠093%
Nov 3atIndianaW 26–⁠361%
Nov 10atWisconsinW 16–⁠349%
Nov 17vsIllinoisW 13–⁠058%
Nov 24vsAuburnT 0–⁠060%
Nov 29vsCamp ShermanW 28–⁠095%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Camp Sherman 28–⁠0; Western Conference champions.

In program history: The 63rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1917.

Western Conference champions4–⁠0 in the conference

2 consensus All-AmericansCharles Bolen, E; Chic Harley, RB/QB

Record
8–⁠0–⁠1
Conference
4–⁠0 first in Western Conference
AP poll
Began in 1936
Points
292–⁠6
Coach
John Wilce
Elo
1656 +114 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
33.6 No. 3 of 88 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—

All-Big Ten

5 first team

First team

From Wikipedia’s 1917 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1917 Western Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Ohio State4–⁠08–⁠0–⁠1
Minnesota3–⁠14–⁠1
Northwestern3–⁠25–⁠2
Wisconsin3–⁠24–⁠2–⁠1
Illinois2–⁠2–⁠15–⁠2–⁠1
Chicago2–⁠2–⁠13–⁠2–⁠1
Indiana1–⁠25–⁠2
Michigan0–⁠18–⁠2
Purdue0–⁠43–⁠4
Iowa0–⁠23–⁠5

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.