Glory Days: Indiana and Illinois Meet at the Summit, October 1950

There have been 1,245 AP polls since 1936. Some teams are always there; Ohio State has been featured in 80% of all polls. There are the rarities, like the Central Michigan Chippewas, which have made the ranks twice in history. There are now-defunct programs like the Iowa Naval Pre-Flight, appearing 18 times in the AP Top 25 during WWII. And in the vast, muddled middle, there are schools like Indiana and Illinois: 83 appearances for the Hoosiers, 202 for the Illini. The mostly-rival institutions have played each other 73 times since 1899. It’s not as frequent as your classic rivalries like Minnesota-Wisconsin or Ohio State-Michigan, but 73 times ain’t beanbag! And in all of that time, encompassing over half of our country’s history, how many instances have Indiana and Illinois been ranked top 25 in advance of a matchup?

Twice. Twice ever, with today serving as the second time. Which, despite all the numbers above, yeah. That makes sense. Illinois hit its high-water mark in something like 1924, when Red Grange ran the fuck over Michigan in the Memorial Stadium dedication. And Indiana probably hit its peak in 1967 as co-champions of the Big Ten and #4 in the country. But both programs have had a ton of mediocrity, if we’re being kind, in modern history. 

So what we’re seeing when Cigs’ Hoosiers host Bielema’s Illini in Bloomington on Saturday is pretty historic. It’s probably ahistoric, if we’re being honest. These teams just don’t do this sort of thing. A top 25 matchup involving these squads has happened precisely once before this moment, despite the many, many chances; on October 28, 1950, 75 years ago this fall, #12 Illinois hosted #19 Indiana at Memorial Stadium. 

Now, if I were a hack looking for easy clickbait, I’d list off silly things from 1950 to compare to the present, like the gas price, or the speed of an Indy 500 car, or a postage stamp price. You know, dumb shit like that. But dear reader, you are at this strange website and you know better. You’re a discerning customer; you prefer semicolons to listicles. You’re an erudite lady or fellow; you want more than what the rump vestige of what was once SI might provide. So with that, let’s dive into some archives and experience what college sports and life in general in Bloomington and Champaign felt like in October 1950. 

First off, sources. The Daily Illini has digitized all of their issues dating back to January 1874. It’s an immense feat and a delight for very amateur historians like myself. I cannot speak highly enough of it, and am I beyond proud to be an alum of this institution that has completed such a lift. In contrast: the Indiana Daily Student (IDS) is … getting there! But it needs additional support to fill in some large holes in their records. Sadly, we don’t have the IDS for 1950, but we do have the local Bloomington Herald-Times, which will cover the Indiana gap. 

Secondly, context! Illinois won the conference in 1946, in recent enough memory to not convert the Illini fans into what we’ve all become since then. You know, sad sacks. And Indiana won their first ever conference title the year prior in 1945, outright and everything! The years following were dropoffs for both, but in 1950, things were looking good for both teams. 

So what was going on in the week leading up to the matchup? 

In Champaign, the major news headlines of the day centered around the Korean War, rapidly escalating just five years after the finalizing of WWII. Wage and price controls were debated. The United Nations flag flew over the Illini Union in support of the troops in Korea. The players were too young to have fought, but several had served their country between 1945 and present. The fear of another war after such a short intermission was a real concern. 

There were worries about an invasion of Tibet by Communist China, although it was initially viewed as a hoax. France approved of a pan-European army, as long as the Germans weren’t in charge. The Illinois library issued a threat to potential book mutilators, which made the front page. Famed entertainer Al Jolson died in a San Francisco hotel room. The things that make the news now generally made the news in 1950. 

It was Homecoming! And the campus was bustling with the arrival of alums, the enthusiastic voting for Homecoming Queen, and of the impending matchup with Indiana on home turf. Indiana’s QB Lou D’Achille’s passing was expected to be the strength of the Hoosiers, while the Illini running back Johnny Karras had high hopes. Some Indiana fans pretended to be Illinois fans as a ruse to take a special train from Bloomington to Urbana, knowing that if they were forced to recite the Illinois songs, they’d be screwed. 

Both teams were eyeing Pasadena roses and both had legitimate chances to make the trip to the Rose Bowl. In those days, AP rankings mattered less than they do now, but bowl berths were few and far between. Only one squad from the Big Ten was allowed to make the post-season; the winner here would have the inside lane. 

So what happened? Well, Illinois routed Indiana 20-0, with Karras starring for the Illini, despite a sprained ankle later in the game (Hoosiers dirty!). Indiana passed constantly (at least for teams of this era), but got picked off twice by the Illinois defense. And what did it matter in the grand scheme of things? Not a lot, honestly. Illinois, despite beating Michigan and #1 Ohio State, lost to conference foes Wisconsin and Northwestern and ceded a shot at the conference title. Indiana collapsed, going 3-5-1 overall, never able to get the early season magic back that saw them take down Notre Dame. 

So what’s the point? Not much, honestly. This is mostly an excuse to share some antiquated newspaper clips and talk up the 1950 Illini win before the game tonight. But it’s also a reminder that life does continue on, even amidst monumental tumult and chaos. It’s ok to take a moment away from the seriousness and solemnity of everything and just enjoy some football. And a 59 cent Virginia baked ham, if you can afford it.