1944 Wisconsin Badgers football team
| 1944 Wisconsin Badgers football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 3–6 (2–4 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Clarence Esser |
| Captain | Allan Shafer |
| Home stadium | Camp Randall Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Ohio State $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Michigan | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Illinois | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1944 Wisconsin Badgers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1944 Big Ten Conference football season. The team compiled a 3–6 record (2–4 against conference opponents) and finished in seventh place in the Big Ten Conference. Harry Stuhldreher was in his ninth year as Wisconsin's head coach.[1][2] This was the first season since 1905 that the Badgers started the season away from home.
On November 11, 1944, Allan Shafer, a 17-year-old freshman quarterback, died at Wisconsin General Hospital from a hemorrhage to the lung after a hit sustained in the second half of Wisconsin's 26-7 victory over Iowa.[3] His jersey number (No. 83) was retired, and his name appears on the Camp Randall Stadium facade.[4][5]
Tackle Clarence Esser received the team's most valuable player award.[6] Shafer was the team captain.[7] Jug Girard, a 17-year-old freshman, was selected by Look magazine as a first-team halfback on the 1944 College Football All-America Team.[8]
The team played its home games at Camp Randall Stadium. During the 1944 season, the average attendance at home games was 22,010.[9]
Schedule[edit]
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 30 | at Northwestern | W 7–6 | ||||
| October 7 | Marquette* | W 21–2 | 27,000 | [10] | ||
| October 14 | No. 8 Ohio State | No. 19 |
| L 7–20 | 40,000 | |
| October 21 | at No. 1 Notre Dame* | L 13–28 | 36,086 | |||
| October 28 | No. 16 Great Lakes Navy* |
| L 12–40 | 24,000 | [11] | |
| November 4 | at Purdue | L 0–35 | 16,000 | |||
| November 11 | Iowa |
| W 26–7 | |||
| November 18 | at No. 5 Michigan | L 0–14 | 20,885 | |||
| November 25 | Minnesota |
| L 26–28 | 30,000 | ||
| ||||||
Rankings[edit]
| Week | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Final |
| AP | 19т | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "1944 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. March 13, 2017.
- ^ a b "Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book" (PDF). University of Wisconsin. 2016. pp. 212, 219. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
- ^ "Allan Shafer, Badger Gridder, Fatally Injured in Iowa Tilt: Youthful Quarterback Sustains Hemorrhage; Wisconsin Wins, 26-7". Green Bay Press-Gazette. November 13, 1944. p. 12.
- ^ Flaherty, Tom (November 13, 1994). "Never A Star, No. 83 Left Mark At Wisconsin". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ "Shafer's Jersey Number to be Retired". University of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 181.
- ^ Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 185.
- ^ Hal Sayles (November 30, 1944). "Speaking of Sports". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 7.
- ^ Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 258.
- ^ Hank Casserly (October 8, 1944). "Badgers Manhandle Marquette 21-2". The Capital Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Great Lakes Washes Over Badgers, 40-12". The Eau Claire Leader. October 29, 1944. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.