1944 Wisconsin Badgers football team

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.

1944 Wisconsin Badgers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record3–6 (2–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPClarence Esser
CaptainAllan Shafer
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
1944 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Ohio State $ 6 –0 –09 –0 –0
No. 8 Michigan 5 –2 –08 –2 –0
Purdue 4 –2 –05 –5 –0
Minnesota 3 –2 –15 –3 –1
Indiana 4 –3 –07 –3 –0
No. 15 Illinois 3 –3 –05 –4 –1
Wisconsin 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Northwestern 0 –5 –11 –7 –1
Iowa 0 –6 –01 –7 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

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
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30at Northwestern
W 7–6
October 7Marquette*
W 21–227,000[10]
October 14No. 8 Ohio StatedaggerNo. 19
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 7–2040,000
October 21at No. 1 Notre Dame*
L 13–2836,086
October 28No. 16 Great Lakes Navy*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 12–4024,000[11]
November 4at Purdue
L 0–3516,000
November 11Iowa
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
W 26-7
November 18at No. 5 Michigan
L 0–1420,885
November 25Minnesota
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
L 26–2830,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1][2]

See also

References
  1. "1944 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. March 13, 2017.
  2. "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.
  3. "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.
  4. Flaherty, Tom (November 13, 1994). "Never A Star, No. 83 Left Mark At Wisconsin". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  5. "Shafer's Jersey Number to be Retired". University of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  6. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 181.
  7. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 185.
  8. Hal Sayles (November 30, 1944). "Speaking of Sports". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 7.
  9. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 258.
  10. Hank Casserly (October 8, 1944). "Badgers Manhandle Marquette 21-2". The Capital Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Great Lakes Washes Over Badgers, 40-12". The Eau Claire Leader. October 29, 1944. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
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