Wikipedia / Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Wikipedia / Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient. In 2022, the Chicago Tribune announced a new partnership with the Union League Club of Chicago, where it is currently housed.
A vote of Big Ten head football coaches determines the winner of the Silver Football. Each coach submits a two-player ballot with a first and second choice, and coaches cannot vote for players on their own team. The first-place vote receives two points and the second-place vote receives one point.
Coaches and media of the Big Ten also make annual selections for additional individual honors.
Recipients
The Silver Football award has been presented annually since 1924.
Year | Player | Team | Position | Notes |
1924 | Illinois | |||
1925 | Northwestern | |||
1926 | Michigan | |||
1927 | Chicago | C | ||
1928 | Indiana | HB | ||
1929 | Iowa | HB | ||
1930 | Ohio State | Ohio State head coach (1947–1950) | ||
1931 | Minnesota | Michigan State head coach (1947–1953) | ||
1932 | Michigan | QB | ||
1933 | Iowa | QB | ||
1934 | Minnesota | HB | ||
1935 | Chicago | HB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1936 | Indiana | HB/QB | All-American in football and basketball | |
1937 | Indiana | FB | ||
1938 | Wisconsin | FB | ||
1939 | Iowa | HB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1940 | Michigan | HB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1941 | Ohio State | QB/FB | ||
1942 | Wisconsin | TE | Killed in action during World War II | |
1943 | Northwestern | QB | Washington Redskins head coach (1966–1968), NFL MVP (1951, 1953, 1955) | |
1944 | Ohio State | HB/QB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1945 | Ohio State | FB | ||
1946 | Illinois | G | Northwestern head coach (1964–1972), Purdue head coach (1973–1976) | |
1947 | Michigan | HB | Michigan head coach (1959–1968) | |
1948 | Northwestern | FB | ||
1949 | Wisconsin | TE | ||
1950 | Ohio State | HB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1951 | Iowa | FB | ||
1952 | Minnesota | HB | ||
1953 | First two-time winner, UPI Player of the Year | |||
1954 | Wisconsin | FB | Heisman Trophy winner, UPI Player of the Year | |
1955 | Ohio State | HB | Heisman Trophy winner, UPI Player of the Year, AP Male Athlete of the Year | |
1956 | Iowa | QB | ||
1957 | Michigan | HB | ||
1958 | Iowa | QB | ||
1959 | Illinois | G | ||
1960 | Minnesota | G/DL | ||
1961 | Minnesota | QB | ||
1962 | Wisconsin | QB | ||
1963 | Illinois | Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year | ||
1964 | Michigan | QB | ||
1965 | Illinois | |||
1966 | Purdue | QB | NFL MVP (1971) | |
1967 | Purdue | RB | ||
1968 | Michigan | RB | ||
1969 | Purdue | QB | ||
1970 | Northwestern | RB | ||
1971 | Michigan State | RB | ||
1972 | Purdue | RB | ||
1973 | Ohio State | RB | ||
1974 | Heisman Trophy winner, UPI Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year | |||
1975 | Ohio State | QB | ||
1976 | Michigan | RB | ||
1977 | Michigan State | |||
1978 | Michigan | QB | ||
1979 | Indiana | QB | ||
1980 | Purdue | QB | ||
1981 | Ohio State | QB | AFL MVP (1990) | |
1982 | Michigan | First wide receiver to win the award | ||
1983 | Illinois | |||
1984 | Ohio State | RB | ||
1985 | Iowa | QB | San Diego State head coach (2006–2008) | |
1986 | Michigan | QB | NFL Coach of the Year (2011), Michigan head coach (2015–2023) | |
1987 | Michigan State | RB | ||
1988 | Indiana | RB | ||
1989 | ||||
1990 | Iowa | RB | ||
1991 | Michigan | WR | Heisman Trophy winner, UPI Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP (XXXI) | |
1992 | Northwestern | WR | ||
1993 | Wisconsin | RB | ||
1994 | Penn State | QB | ||
1995 | Ohio State | RB | Heisman Trophy winner | |
1996 | Ohio State | |||
1997 | Michigan | Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2009) | ||
1998 | Ohio State | QB | ||
1999 | Wisconsin | RB | Heisman Trophy winner, NCAA all-time leading rusher, AP Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year | |
2000 | Purdue | QB | Super Bowl MVP (XLVI), NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011), AP Male Athlete of the Year (2010), Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2010), Walter Payton Man of the Year (2006) | |
2001 | Indiana | QB | ||
2002 | Iowa | QB | AP Player of the Year | |
2003 | Michigan | RB | ||
2004 | Michigan | WR | ||
2005 | Penn State | QB | ||
2006 | Ohio State | QB | Heisman Trophy winner, AP Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year | |
2007 | Illinois | RB | ||
2008 | Iowa | RB | ||
2009 | Penn State | QB | ||
Michigan | DE | |||
2010 | Michigan | QB | ||
2011 | Wisconsin | RB | ||
2012 | Ohio State | QB | ||
2013 | ||||
2014 | Wisconsin | RB | ||
2015 | Ohio State | RB | ||
2016 | Ohio State | QB | ||
Penn State | RB | |||
2017 | Saquon Barkley | Penn State | RB | |
2018 | Ohio State | QB | ||
2019 | Ohio State | DE | Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year (2020), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2020) | |
2020 | Ohio State | QB | ||
2021 | Michigan | DE | ||
2022 | Michigan | RB | ||
2023 | Ohio State | WR | ||
2024 | Oregon | QB | ||
2025 | Indiana | QB | Heisman Trophy winner, Davey O'Brien Award |
Winners by school
School | Winners | First | Most recent |
23 | Wes Fesler, 1930 | Marvin Harrison Jr., 2023 | |
19 | Benny Friedman, 1926 | Blake Corum, 2022 | |
10 | Bill Glassgow, 1929 | Shonn Greene, 2008 | |
9 | Howard Weiss, 1938 | Melvin Gordon, 2014 | |
7 | Red Grange, 1924 | Rashard Mendenhall, 2007 | |
7 | Chuck Bennett, 1928 | Fernando Mendoza, 2025 | |
6 | Biggie Munn, 1931 | Sandy Stephens, 1961 | |
6 | Bob Griese, 1966 | Drew Brees, 2000 | |
5 | Tim Lowry, 1925 | Lee Gissendaner, 1992 | |
5 | Kerry Collins, 1994 | Saquon Barkley, 2017 | |
3 | Eric Allen, 1971 | Lorenzo White, 1987 | |
2 | Ken Rouse, 1927 | Jay Berwanger, 1935 | |
1 | Dillon Gabriel, 2024 | Dillon Gabriel, 2024 | |
0 | None | ||
Winners by position
Offense | Defense | ||||
Position | Total | Last | Position | Total | Last |
40 | Blake Corum, Michigan, 2022 | 6 | Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan, 2021 | ||
36 | Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 2025 | 1 | Charles Woodson, Michigan, 1997 | ||
7 | Orlando Pace, OSU, 1996 | 1 | Dick Butkus, Illinois,1963 | ||
8 | Alan Ameche, Wisconsin, 1954 | ||||
5 | Marvin Harrison Jr., OSU, 2023 | ||||
3 | Red Wilson, Wisconsin, 1949 |
See also
Notes and references