1941 Millikin Big Blue football team

The 1941 Millikin Big Blue football team was an American football team that represented James Millikin University as a member of the Illinois College Conference (ICC) during the 1941 college football season. In their second year under head coach Marshall Wells, the Big Blue compiled a perfect 8–0 record (6–0 in conference games), won the ICC championship, shut out six of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 257 to 9.^[1] They out-gained opponents by 2,400 yards to 140 yards.^[2] The 1941 campaign was one of only five undefeated seasons in Millikin football history, the others being 1919, 1920, 1942, and 1961.^[3]

1941 Millikin Big Blue football
1941 Millikin players including Virgil Wagner (left), Jean Mason, Bill Murray, and Roger Merker (right)
ICC champion
Conference	Illinois College Conference
Record	8–0 (6–0 ICC)
Head coach	Marshall Wells (2nd season)
Captain	Roger Merker
Home stadium	J.M.U. Field
Seasons ← 1940 1942 →

1941 Illinois College Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Millikin $	6	–	0	–	0			8	–	0	–	0
Bradley Tech *	1	–	0	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
North Central (IL)	3	–	1	–	1			5	–	1	–	1
Lake Forest	2	–	1	–	1			5	–	1	–	2
Monmouth (IL)	2	–	1	–	0			5	–	2	–	1
Knox (IL)	1	–	2	–	0			3	–	4	–	1
Augustana (IL)	1	–	4	–	0			2	–	6	–	0
Wheaton (IL)	0	–	2	–	1			3	–	5	–	2
Illinois Wesleyan	0	–	2	–	1			2	–	5	–	2
Illinois College	0	–	3	–	2			3	–	4	–	2
$ – Conference champion * ineligible for league title

Junior left halfback Virgil Wagner gained 1,081 yards on 170 carries (6.5 yards per carry), scored 12 touchdowns, and completed 27 of 54 passes. A triple-threat man, Wagner also handled punting duties, averaging 40.5 yards per punt. He also returned 23 punts for 292 yards (12.7-yard average) and averaged 28.3 yards on kickoff returns.^[4] Wagner received second-team honors on the Associated Press 1941 Little All-America college football team.^[5] Wagner later played for the Montreal Alouettes from 1946 to 1954 and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1980.^[6]

Roger Merker, a native of Belleville, Illinois, who played at end, served as team captain.^[7] Six Millikin players received spots on the United Press all-conference team: Merker at end; Buse and Murray at tackle; Wilson at guard; Wagner at quarterback; and Zachry at halfback.^[8]

The team played its five home games at James Millikin University Field (J.M.U. Field) in Decatur, Illinois.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 27	at Cornell (IA)*	Mount Vernon, IA	W 21–0		[9]
October 4	Monmouth (IL)	J.M.U. Field Decatur, IL	W 13–0		[10]
October 11	Illinois College	J.M.U. Field Decatur, IL	W 33–0		[11]
October 18	Knox (IL)	J.M.U. Field Decatur, IL	W 45–6		[12]
October 25	Illinois Wesleyan	J.M.U. Field Decatur, IL	W 27–0		[13]
November 1	at Eastern Illinois*	Charleston, IL	W 61–0		[14]
November 8	at North Central (IL)	Naperville, IL	W 6–0		[15]
November 16	Lake Forest	J.M.U. Field Decatur, IL	W 51–3	3,000	[16][17]
*Non-conference game Homecoming