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Big Ten Football: Ranking the 30 best players of all time

By Quinn Douglas

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 25: Cam Thomas #10 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats at Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 25: Cam Thomas #10 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats at Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Harold “Red” Grange Career Statistics, 1923-1925

  • Games Played: 24
  • Carries: 388
  • Rushing Yards: 2,074
  • Rushing Yards per Game: 86.4
  • Yards per Carry: 5.6
  • Completions: 40
  • Pass Attempts: 82
  • Passing Yards: 575
  • Total Touchdowns: 31
  • Notables: 1923-1925 Consensus All-American, 1924 Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner, #77 retired by Illinois

The No. 1 player on this list has continuously been called the “greatest player in college football history”, nearly 93 years since he played his last collegiate game. Harold “Red” Grange dominated college football in every way possible in his career at Illinois. He finished his career with 2,646 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns, not bad for a guy with the nickname “The Galloping Ghost”.

Grange made his mark in Champaign as soon as he saw the field as a sophomore in 1923. His most legendary game came against the Michigan Wolverines in 1924. Grange scored touchdowns of 95, 67, 56 and 44 yards all within the first 12 minutes of the game, he added another touchdown before the end of the game, which Illinois won by a score of 39-14, with grange scoring every point.

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Grange was superstar in every sense of the word, he was a consensus All-American every year he played at Illinois and won the inaugural Chicago Tribune Silver Football in 1924. Grange would go on to play for George Halas’ Chicago Bears following his playing days at Illinois.

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