# 1929 college football season

The 1929 college football season saw a number of unbeaten and untied teams. Purdue, Tulane, Notre Dame, Western Maryland, and Pittsburgh all finished the regular season with wins over all their opponents. Notre Dame was recognized as national champion by all three of the contemporary major selectors (the Dickinson System, Dunkel System, and Houlgate System). Houlgate would later name USC (10–2) on the basis of post-season play. Eight of nine retrospective selectors later also named Notre Dame and USC as No. 1 teams.
Following the season, Pittsburgh traveled to Pasadena to meet USC in the Rose Bowl, at that time the only postseason college football game, where the Trojans defeated the Panthers, 47–14. Four years later, football historian Parke Davis selected Pittsburgh as the "National Champion Foot Ball Team" for 1929, the only one of 12 major selectors to do so. Pittsburgh claims a 1929 national championship on this basis.
A major change in the rules for 1929 was that a fumbled ball was dead as soon as it struck the ground. Previously, a defending player could run with a recovered fumble, as in the case of Roy Riegels in the 1929 Rose Bowl.

## Conference and program changes
### Conferences

* Three new conferences began play in 1929:
** Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference – an NAIA conference active through the 1995 season
** Big Four Conference – active through the 1932 season; replaced the newly-defunct Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference
** Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference – an NAIA conference active through the 1973 season; replaced the newly-defunct Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference

### Programs

The Duke Blue Devils were independent in 1928 and joined the Southern Conference in 1929.

## September

September 21 In Dallas, Southern Methodist University (SMU) opened its season with a 13–3 win over North Texas State.
September 28 SMU and Howard Payne College played to a 13–13 tie, and TCU rolled over visiting Daniel Baker College, 61–0.
In Los Angeles, USC opened its season against crosstown rival UCLA, rolling over the Bruins 76–0. Pittsburgh beat Waynesburg State, 53–0 California beat Santa Clara 27–6 Pennsylvania beat Franklin & Marshall 14–7
Tulane opened with a win over Northwestern State, 40–6

## October

October 5
SMU and Nebraska played to a 0–0 tie in Nebraska. Notre Dame opened its season with a 14–0 win at Indiana TCU beat Hardin Simmons, 20–0 Illinois beat Kansas 25–0, and Purdue beat Kansas State, 26–14 Pittsburgh won at Duke, 52–7 USC beat Oregon State 21–7 Pennsylvania defeated Swarthmore 20–6 California and St. Mary's played to a 0–0 tie. Tulane beat Texas A&M, 13–10
October 12
In Baltimore, Notre Dame defeated Navy, 14–7. SMU beat Austin College, 16–0 In Shreveport, TCU registered another shutout, beating Centenary College 28–0 Nebraska won at Syracuse, 13–6 USC won at Washington, 48–0, and California beat visiting Washington State, 14–0. Purdue beat Michigan 30–16 and Illinois beat Bradley 45–0 Pittsburgh beat West Virginia 27–7 Pennsylvania beat Virginia Tech, 14–8 Tulane beat Mississippi State, 34–0
October 19
Pittsburgh handed Nebraska its first loss, 12–7; TCU surrendered its first points, but beat Texas A&M, 13–7. Illinois and Iowa played to a 7–7 tie. Purdue beat DePauw 26–7 Tulane beat Lafayette College of Louisiana, 60–0 USC scored big again, with a 64–0 win over Occidental. At 4–0–0, the Trojans had outscored their opponents 209–7. In Chicago, Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 19–0
In Philadelphia, (1–0–1) California and (3–0) Pennsylvania played, with California winning 12–7
October 26 During the weekend between October 24 and October 29, 1929 (see Wall Street Crash of 1929), SMU beat visiting Ole Miss, 52–0 and TCU, with a 131–7 aggregate lead over its opponents, won its fifth straight, a 22–0 win over Texas Tech. In Pittsburgh, the Pitt Panthers beat Allegheny 40–0 and Notre Dame defeated Carnegie Tech 7–0. Illinois beat visiting Michigan 14–0, and Purdue won at Chicago 26–0 The USC offense was held to single digits at Stanford, winning 7–0. California defeated the non-college Olympic Club, 21–19. Pennsylvania beat Lehigh 10–7 and in New Orleans, Tulane beat Georgia Tech, 20–14. Nebraska and Missouri played to a 7–7 tie.

## November

November 2
In Los Angeles, USC (5–0–0) hosted California (4–0–1). California handed the Trojans their first loss, 15–7 In Dallas, unbeaten (3–0–2) SMU and unbeaten and untied Texas (5–0–0) both stayed unbeaten, playing to 0–0 tie. Notre Dame beat visiting Georgia Tech 26–6 In Columbus, Georgia, Tulane beat Georgia, 21–15
TCU beat North Texas State, 25–0 Nebraska beat Kansas, 12–6 Purdue won at Wisconsin 13–0, but Illinois lost at Northwestern, 7–0, Pittsburgh beat Ohio State, 18–2 Pennsylvania defeated Navy, 7–2
November 9
SMU won at Texas A&M 12–7 and TCU beat Rice, 24–0 Illinois beat Army, 17–7 and Purdue beat Ole Miss 27–7 Pittsburgh beat Washington & Jefferson 21–0 Notre Dame defeated Drake University Tulane beat Auburn, 52–0 USC beat visiting Nevada, 66–0 and California beat Montana 53–18
At Philadelphia, (5–1–0) Penn State defeated (5–1–0) Pennsylvania, 19–7
November 16
In Chicago, a record crowd of 123,000 turned out at Soldier Field to watch Notre Dame (6–0–0) and USC (6–1–0). Knute Rockne, who had been hospitalized with an infected leg, guided his team from a cot set behind the Notre Dame bench. In the third quarter, the Irish took a 13–6 lead, on—Savoldi's plunge and Frank Carideo's extra point. On the ensuing kickoff, -- Saunders ran the ball back 95 yards for a touchdown, but the point after failed, and Notre Dame held on to win 13–12.
Nebraska and visiting Oklahoma played to a 13–13 draw; at (2–1–3), the Cornhuskers had tied more games than they had won or lost. SMU beat Baylor, 25–6.
TCU was (7–0–0) and had outscored its opposition 193–7; Texas (5–0–2) had an aggregate 120–0 lead on its opponents, though its last two games had been scoreless ties. When they met at Austin, Texas scored first, but Cy Leland returned the kickoff 90 yards for a TCU score. At halftime, TCU led 13–12 on the only extra point scored that day, and finished 15–12 Illinois defeated Chicago 20–6 and Purdue beat Iowa 7–0 Pittsburgh beat Carnegie Tech, 34–13 Pennsylvania visited Columbia and won 20–0 California beat Washington 7–0
Tulane defeated Sewanee 18–0
November 23 Nebraska won at Kansas State, 10–6 SMU beat Rice, 34–0 TCU beat Baylor, 34–7 Illinois beat Ohio State, 27–0, and Purdue won at Indiana 32–0 to finish its season unbeaten. Notre Dame won at Northwestern 26–6. USC beat visiting Idaho, 72–0 Stanford (7–2–0) and California met in Palo Alto, with Stanford winning 21–6.
November 28, Thanksgiving Day; Pittsburgh beat Penn State 20–7 Pennsylvania beat Cornell 17–7 Nebraska closed its season with a 31–12 win over Iowa State, to finish at 4–1–3.
November 30 In a season-ending matchup of the Southwest Conference's two best teams at Fort Worth, Texas Christian (9–0–0) hosted Southern Methodist (6–0–3). Although SMU took a 7–0 lead in the third quarter, and held the Frogs once at the goal line, TCU reached the one on its next possession, and scored on third down. Hawks Green's kick staved off an upset, tied the Mustangs 7–7, and gave TCU the conference title.
Notre Dame (8–0–0) closed its season at Yankee Stadium in New York, where it faced Army (6–2–1). The Fighting Irish won 7–0. USC beat Washington State, 27–7 Tulane closed its season with a 21–0 win at LSU, to finish unbeaten at 9–0–0
On December 14, USC defeated Carnegie Tech, 45–13.

## 1930 Rose Bowl

USC had been beaten earlier in the year, at Chicago, by Notre Dame. The Trojans and the Fighting Irish were not able to agree on a rematch, and USC was given the right to invite another eastern powerhouse—the unbeaten (9–0–0) Pittsburgh Panthers. Pitt's bid for a claim to the national championship started on the first play of the game, as Toby Uansa ran 68 yards before being tackled at the 11, but the Panthers failed to reach the end zone. Six minutes into the game, Russ Saunders and --- Edelson connected on a 56-yard pass play for USC's first touchdown. By halftime, USC led 26–0. Pitt finally scored in the third quarter to trail 33–7. After seven USC touchdowns, the final score was USC 47, Pitt 14.

## Conference standings
### Major conference standings

1929 Big Six Conference football standings :
| 1929 Big Six Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 7 Nebraska $ 3 –0 –24 –1 –3 Missouri 3 –1 –15 –2 –1 Kansas State 3 –2 –03 –5 –0 Oklahoma 2 –2 –13 –3 –2 Kansas 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 Iowa State 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Dickinson System | 1929 Big Ten Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Purdue $ 5 –0 –08 –0 –0 No. 5 Illinois 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 Minnesota 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Northwestern 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Iowa 2 –2 –24 –2 –2 Ohio State 2 –2 –14 –3 –1 Michigan 1 –3 –15 –3 –1 Indiana 1 –3 –12 –6 –1 Chicago 1 –3 –07 –3 –0 Wisconsin 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Dickinson System | 1929 Pacific Coast Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 USC ^ + 6 –1 –010 –2 –0 Stanford + 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 No. 4 California + 4 –1 –07 –1 –1 Oregon + 4 –1 –07 –3 –0 Washington State 4 –2 –010 –2 –0 UCLA 1 –3 –04 –4 –0 Oregon State 1 –4 –05 –4 –0 Idaho 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 Montana 0 –4 –13 –5 –1 Washington 0 –5 –12 –6 –1 + – Conference co-champions^ – Selected as Rose Bowl representativeRankings from Dickinson System |
| 1929 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Utah $ 6 –0 –07 –0 –0 Colorado 4 –1 –15 –1 –1 Denver 4 –1 –15 –1 –1 Montana State 2 –1 –06 –2 –0 BYU 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Colorado Teachers 3 –2 –04 –3 –0 Colorado College 4 –3 –04 –3 –0 Colorado Agricultural 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Utah State 3 –4 –03 –4 –0 Colorado Mines 1 –5 –02 –5 –0 Western State (CO) 0 –5 –02 –5 –0 Wyoming 0 –7 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Southern Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 Tulane $ 6 –0 –09 –0 –0 Tennessee 6 –0 –19 –0 –1 North Carolina 7 –1 –09 –1 –0 Florida 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Vanderbilt 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Kentucky 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 Georgia 4 –2 –06 –4 –0 VMI 4 –2 –08 –2 –0 Duke 2 –1 –04 –6 –0 LSU 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Alabama 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Clemson 3 –3 –08 –3 –0 VPI 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Georgia Tech 3 –5 –03 –6 –0 South Carolina 2 –5 –06 –5 –0 Virginia 1 –3 –24 –3 –2 Maryland 1 –3 –14 –4 –2 Washington and Lee 1 –4 –13 –5 –1 Ole Miss 0 –4 –21 –6 –2 Mississippi A&M 0 –3 –11 –5 –2 Sewanee 0 –4 –12 –5 –2 NC State 0 –5 –01 –8 –0 Auburn 0 –7 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Dickinson System | 1929 Southwest Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 TCU $ 4 –0 –19 –0 –1 No. 9 SMU 3 –0 –26 –0 –4 Arkansas 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Texas 2 –2 –25 –2 –2 Baylor 2 –2 –17 –3 –1 Texas A&M 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 Rice 0 –5 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Dickinson System |

### Independents

1929 Eastern college football independents records :
| 1929 Eastern college football independents records vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Pittsburgh   –  9 –1 –0 Colgate   –  8 –1 –0 Fordham   –  7 –0 –2 Bucknell   –  8 –2 –0 No. 11 Penn   –  7 –2 –0 Boston College   –  7 –2 –1 Villanova   –  7 –2 –1 Cornell   –  6 –2 –0 Tufts   –  5 –1 –2 Harvard   –  5 –2 –1 Yale   –  5 –2 –1 NYU   –  7 –3 –0 Franklin & Marshall   –  6 –3 –0 Penn State   –  6 –3 –0 Syracuse   –  6 –3 –0 Washington & Jefferson   –  5 –2 –2 Drexel   –  6 –3 –1 Temple   –  6 –3 –1 Carnegie Tech   –  5 –3 –1 Army   –  6 –4 –1 Providence   –  3 –3 –2 Brown   –  5 –5 –0 Columbia   –  4 –5 –0 CCNY   –  2 –4 –2 Princeton   –  2 –4 –1 Boston University   –  3 –6 –0 Vermont   –  2 –7 –0 Rankings from Dickinson System | 1929 Midwestern college football independents records vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Notre Dame   –  9 –0 –0 Detroit   –  7 –1 –1 Haskell   –  8 –2 –0 Loyola (IL)   –  5 –2 –1 Michigan State   –  5 –3 –0 John Carroll   –  5 –3 –1 Marquette   –  4 –3 –1 Butler   –  4 –4 –0 Michigan Tech   –  2 –2 –1 Wabash   –  4 –5 –0 Saint Louis   –  3 –4 –1 DePaul   –  2 –7 –0 Kent State   –  1 –7 –0 Valparaiso   –  1 –7 –0 Ball State   –  0 –7 –0 Rankings from Dickinson System | 1929 Southern college football independents records vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Western Maryland   –  11 –0 –0 Delaware State   –  1 –0 –0 Guilford   –  7 –1 –1 Texas Mines   –  6 –1 –2 Appalachian State   –  4 –1 –3 Navy   –  6 –2 –2 Georgetown   –  5 –2 –2 Middle Tennessee State Teachers   –  6 –3 –1 Beacom College   –  3 –2 –0 South Georgia Teachers   –  4 –3 –2 Wake Forest   –  6 –5 –1 Catholic University   –  5 –4 –0 West Virginia   –  4 –3 –3 Loyola (LA)   –  4 –4 –2 Davidson   –  5 –5 –0 Texas A&I   –  3 –4 –1 East Tennessee State Teachers   –  2 –5 –1 Mississippi State Teachers   –  2 –6 –1 Texas Tech   –  1 –7 –2 Delaware   –  0 –7 –1 George Washington   –  0 –8 –0 |
| 1929 Western college football independents records vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Saint Mary's   –  8 –0 –1 Arizona   –  7 –1 –0 Loyola (CA)   –  6 –3 –0 Santa Clara   –  5 –3 –0 Gonzaga   –  4 –3 –0 Hawaii   –  4 –3 –0 New Mexico A&M   –  3 –2 –3 St. Ignatius (CA)   –  4 –3 –1 Santa Barbara State   –  4 –4 –1 New Mexico   –  2 –4 –2 Regis   –  3 –7 –0 Humboldt State   –  1 –4 –1 Arizona State   –  0 –6 –0 Columbia (OR)   –   – |

### Minor conferences

| Conference | Champion(s) | Record |
| Big Four Conference | Tulsa | 4–0–1 |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association | Virginia State College | 6–0 |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Kansas State Teachers | 5–1 |
| Far Western Conference | Northern Branch | 2–0 |
| Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Iowa Wesleyan | 5–0 |
| Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference | Kansas Wesleyan | 4–0–1 |
| Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Alma | 5–0 |
| Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference | Coe | 4–0 |
| Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Saint Thomas (MN) | 3–1 |
| Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Northeast Missouri State Teachers | 3–0 |
| Nebraska College Athletic Conference | Cotner | 5–0 |
| Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Nebraska State Teachers–Peru | — |
| North Central Intercollegiate Conference | North Dakota | 4–0 |
| Ohio Athletic Conference | Muskingum | 5–0 |
| Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference | Central State Teachers (OK) | 5–0 |
| Pacific Northwest Conference | Willamette | 4–0 |
| South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference | Black Hills Teachers Dakota Wesleyan | 5–0 4–0–1 |
| Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Occidental | 4–0 |
| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Tuskegee | 5–0–0 |
| Southwestern Athletic Conference | Wiley (TX) | 3–0–1 |
| Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference | Howard Payne | 5–0 |
| Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Southwest Texas State Normal | 4–2 |
| Tri-Normal League | State Normal–Ellensburg | 2–0 |
| Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference | Milwaukee State Teachers | 3–0–1 |

### Minor conference standings

1929 Big Four Conference (Oklahoma) football standings :
| 1929 Big Four Conference (Oklahoma) football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Tulsa $ 4 –0 –16 –3 –1 Oklahoma Baptist 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 Oklahoma City 2 –3 –05 –5 –0 Phillips 1 –3 –14 –4 –3 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Buckeye Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Ohio $ 5 –0 –09 –0 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 3 –1 –16 –2 –1 Miami (OH) 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Wittenberg 2 –2 –15 –4 –1 Cincinnati 0 –4 –14 –4 –1 Denison 0 –4 –11 –6 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Emporia Teachers $ 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Washburn 4 –2 –05 –6 –0 College of Emporia 2 –2 –23 –3 –2 Wichita 2 –2 –23 –3 –2 Southwestern (KS) 2 –4 –02 –5 –1 Hays Teachers 2 –4 –02 –5 –0 Pittsburg State 1 –3 –21 –5 –2 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Virginia State $ 7 –0 –08 –1 –0 Virginia Union 5 –1 –07 –1 –0 Lincoln (PA) 4 –2 –16 –2 –1 Hampton 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 3 –4 –06 –4 –0 North Carolina A&T 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 Shaw 1 –3 –04 –4 –0 Howard 0 –1 –10 –7 –2 North Carolina College 0 –6 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Far Western Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Cal Aggies $ 5 –0 –06 –2 –0 Nevada 2 –1 –02 –5 –1 San Jose State 2 –1 –13 –3 –1 Pacific (CA) 1 –3 –13 –4 –1 Chico State 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Fresno State 1 –4 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Knox (IL) + 5 –0 –07 –1 –0 Lombard + 3 –0 –06 –1 –1 Millikin 5 –1 –07 –1 –0 Eastern Illinois 5 –1 –06 –1 –0 Monmouth (IL) 5 –1 –05 –4 –0 Northern Illinois State 4 –1 –16 –1 –1 Illinois Wesleyan 5 –2 –05 –3 –0 Elmhurst 2 –1 –08 –1 –0 Bradley 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Southern Illinois 4 –2 –05 –3 –1 Shurtleff 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 Carthage 2 –2 –14 –3 –1 Eureka 3 –3 –23 –3 –2 Illinois College 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Augustana (IL) 3 –3 –13 –4 –1 North Central * 2 –4 –13 –5 –1 Lake Forest 1 –2 –02 –5 –0 McKendree 1 –4 –04 –6 –0 Wheaton (IL) 1 –4 –12 –6 –1 Illinois State Normal 1 –5 –21 –5 –2 St. Viator 0 –6 –10 –7 –1 Mount Morris 0 –6 –02 –6 –0 Western Illinois † 0 –7 –00 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions * – North Central finished the season 6–0–1 in conference play, but forfeited their share of the title and four wins, over Lake Forest, Augustana, Carthage, and Monmouth, because of an ineligible player. † – Western Illinois finished the season 3–4 in conference play, but forfeited three wins, over Shurtleff, Augustana, and Illinois State, because of an ineligible player. |
| 1929 Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Butler $ 2 –0 –04 –4 –0 Indiana State 5 –0 –15 –2 –1 Central Normal 6 –1 –06 –2 –0 Franklin (IN) 5 –2 –15 –2 –1 Manchester 3 –2 –05 –2 –0 Earlham 3 –2 –13 –4 –1 Rose Poly 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 Indiana Central 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 DePauw 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Wabash 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Hanover 1 –1 –12 –3 –1 Evansville 1 –5 –01 –7 –0 Valparaiso 0 –3 –01 –7 –0 Ball State 0 –4 –00 –8 –0 Oakland City 0 –6 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Iowa Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Iowa Wesleyan $ 5 –0 –08 –0 –0 Buena Vista 3 –1 –16 –1 –2 Columbia (IA) 3 –1 –14 –1 –1 Luther 6 –2 –06 –3 –0 Iowa State Teachers 3 –1 –03 –4 –0 Simpson (IA) 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Morningside 1 –1 –04 –4 –0 Central (IA) 2 –4 –03 –4 –1 St. Ambrose 1 –3 –03 –4 –1 Upper Iowa 1 –3 –11 –5 –1 Parsons 1 –4 –11 –6 –1 Penn (IA) 1 –5 –01 –6 –0 Dubuque 0 –2 –02 –3 –1 Western Union 0 –2 –01 –7 –1 $ – Conference championUpper Iowa's forfeit to Simpson on November 22 was not counted in conference standings. | 1929 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Kansas Wesleyan $ 4 –0 –16 –0 –2 Bethany (KS) 4 –1 –05 –3 –1 Baker 2 –2 –15 –3 –1 McPherson 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 St. Mary's (KS) 1 –2 –22 –5 –2 Ottawa 0 –5 –02 –6 –0 |
| 1929 Metropolitan Collegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Long Island $ 4 –0 –05 –5 –0 Brooklyn City College 3 –1 –03 –4 –1 New York Aggies 2 –2 –03 –2 –1 Cooper Union 1 –3 –01 –7 –0 Wagner College 0 –4 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Michigan Collegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Michigan State Normal + 2 –0 –15 –1 –2 Western State Teachers (MI) + 2 –0 –15 –2 –1 Detroit City College 1 –2 –02 –7 –0 Central State (MI) 0 –3 –02 –3 –2 + – Conference co-champions | 1929 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Alma $ 5 –0 –06 –1 –0 Albion 4 –1 –05 –3 –0 Hillsdale 2 –2 –15 –2 –1 Olivet 1 –3 –13 –4 –1 Hope 1 –4 –01 –5 –0 Kalamazoo 0 –3 –21 –4 –3 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Middle Three Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Lehigh + 1 –1 –04 –3 –2 Rutgers + 1 –1 –05 –4 –0 Lafayette + 1 –1 –03 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Midwest Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Coe $ 4 –0 –05 –3 –0 Lawrence 2 –0 –14 –2 –1 Ripon 2 –0 –13 –3 –1 Knox 2 –1 –07 –1 –0 Carleton 2 –2 –03 –4 –0 Cornell (IA) 2 –3 –02 –6 –0 Monmouth (IL) 0 –2 –05 –4 –0 Hamline 0 –2 –02 –6 –0 Beloit 0 –4 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Saint Mary's (MN) $ 3 –0 –16 –1 –1 St. Olaf 4 –1 –07 –1 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 Gustavus Adolphus 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Augsburg 3 –2 –14 –2 –1 Concordia (MN) 1 –2 –12 –3 –1 Hamline 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 Macalester 1 –4 –11 –4 –1 Saint John's (MN) 0 –4 –00 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Mississippi Valley Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T West Tennessee State Teachers $ 5 –0 –18 –0 –2 Murray State 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Delta State 2 –1 –25 –1 –2 Lambuth 3 –2 –14 –5 –0 Caruthersville Junior 2 –2 –12 –2 –1 Tennessee Junior 3 –4 –04 –4 –0 Bethel (TN) 2 –3 –02 –5 –0 Will Mayfield 1 –2 –03 –4 –0 Sunflower Junior 0 –1 –10 –1 –1 Jonesboro College 0 –5 –00 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Missouri Valley $ 4 –0 –07 –0 –1 Westminster (MO) 5 –1 –16 –2 –1 Central (MO) 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Tarkio 2 –1 –03 –5 –0 Missouri Mines 1 –2 –05 –3 –0 William Jewell 1 –2 –14 –3 –1 Drury 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Central Wesleyan 0 –3 –12 –4 –2 Culver–Stockton 0 –4 –10 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Kirksville $ 2 –0 –15 –3 –1 Springfield (MO) 2 –1 –16 –2 –1 Maryville (MO) 1 –1 –13 –2 –3 Cape Girardeau 1 –1 –03 –3 –1 Warrensburg 0 –3 –10 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Missouri Valley Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Drake $ 3 –0 –15 –3 –1 Grinnell 1 –0 –25 –1 –2 Oklahoma A&M 1 –1 –04 –3 –2 Washington University 0 –1 –13 –4 –1 Creighton 0 –3 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Nebraska College Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Cotner $ 5 –0 –06 –1 –0 Doane 5 –1 –06 –1 –0 Hastings 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Midland 3 –2 –04 –4 –2 Nebraska Wesleyan 2 –3 –03 –5 –1 Nebraska Central 1 –3 –1 ? – ? – ? York (NE) 1 –4 –02 –5 –0 Grand Island 0 –5 –10 –6 –2 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Chadron State + 3 –1 –08 –1 –0 Peru State + 3 –1 –06 –1 –2 Omaha 2 –2 –14 –2 –3 Wayne State 1 –1 –22 –4 –3 Kearney State 0 –3 –12 –7 –1 Dana 0 –1 –01 –5 –1 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1929 New England Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T New Hampshire $ 2 –0 –07 –2 –0 Rhode Island State 1 –1 –05 –2 –1 Connecticut 1 –2 –04 –4 –0 Maine 1 –2 –02 –5 –0 Massachusetts 0 –0 –03 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1929 North Central Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T North Dakota $ 4 –0 –09 –1 –0 South Dakota State 2 –1 –15 –4 –1 North Dakota Agricultural 1 –1 –24 –3 –2 Morningside 1 –3 –04 –4 –0 South Dakota 0 –3 –14 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Northwest Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Willamette $ 5 –0 –06 –2 –0 Whitman 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 College of Idaho 3 –2 –04 –4 –0 Pacific (OR) 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 Puget Sound 1 –4 –03 –5 –1 Linfield 0 –5 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Northwest Ohio League football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Bowling Green + 3 –0 –14 –2 –1 Toledo + 3 –0 –14 –2 –1 Defiance 2 –2 –03 –4 –1 Findlay 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Bluffton 0 –4 –00 –6 –1 + – Conference co-champions | 1929 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Muskingum $ 5 –0 –06 –2 –0 Heidelberg 2 –0 –04 –3 –0 Dayton 1 –0 –04 –5 –0 Akron 7 –1 –09 –1 –0 Baldwin–Wallace 4 –1 –16 –1 –1 Wooster 5 –2 –15 –2 –1 Mount Union 4 –2 –15 –3 –1 Oberlin 3 –2 –04 –4 –0 Western Reserve 3 –2 –03 –6 –0 Marietta 2 –2 –03 –5 –0 Kenyon 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Otterbein 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Case 1 –6 –02 –7 –0 Hiram 1 –6 –01 –7 –0 Ohio Northern 0 –4 –12 –6 –1 St. Xavier 0 –2 –06 –4 –0 Capital 0 –5 –00 –5 –2 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Central State (OK) $ 5 –0 –06 –1 –2 East Central 4 –1 –05 –3 –0 NW Oklahoma State 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 SE Oklahoma State 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 SW Oklahoma State 1 –4 –02 –8 –1 Northeastern State 0 –5 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Smoky Mountain Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Emory and Henry $ 3 –0 –07 –2 –1 Milligan 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 Maryville (TN) 2 –1 –15 –3 –1 King 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Tusculum 0 –2 –12 –3 –3 Carson–Newman 0 –3 –11 –6 –2 $ – Conference champion | 1929 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Spearfish + 4 –0 –05 –2 –0 Dakota Wesleyan + 4 –0 –15 –2 –1 Yankton 3 –1 –15 –2 –1 Augustana (SD) 3 –1 –04 –4 –0 South Dakota Mines 3 –2 –03 –4 –0 Northern Normal 2 –2 –14 –3 –1 Sioux Falls 2 –2 –12 –3 –2 Eastern Normal 1 –6 –02 –6 –0 Huron 0 –4 –00 –8 –1 Southern Normal 0 –4 –20 –6 –2 + – Conference co-championsSpearfish and South Dakota Mines played twice. The second game was not counted in the conference stnadings. | 1929 Southern California Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Occidental $ 4 –0 –06 –2 –0 Pomona 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Whittier 3 –2 –14 –4 –1 Redlands 2 –2 –13 –4 –1 Caltech 3 –3 –03 –6 –0 San Diego State 1 –5 –03 –5 –0 La Verne 0 –5 –00 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Chattanooga $ 7 –0 –08 –2 –0 Spring Hill 4 –0 –07 –1 –0 Centre 4 –0 –15 –3 –1 The Citadel 4 –0 –15 –4 –1 Louisiana College 3 –0 –16 –2 –1 Centenary 1 –0 –06 –3 –1 Louisiana Normal 1 –0 –24 –3 –2 Furman 4 –1 –15 –4 –1 Stetson 3 –1 –05 –1 –0 Millsaps 3 –1 –26 –1 –3 Southwestern (TN) 2 –1 –05 –3 –0 Transylvania 2 –1 –26 –4 –3 Miami (FL) 3 –2 –03 –2 –0 Erskine 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Birmingham–Southern 4 –3 –04 –4 –0 Western Kentucky State Normal 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Howard (AL) 3 –3 –25 –4 –2 Presbyterian 3 –3 –04 –4 –1 Georgetown (KY) 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Wofford 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Oglethorpe 1 –2 –05 –4 –1 Kentucky Wesleyan 1 –3 –05 –4 –0 Louisiana Tech 1 –3 –23 –4 –3 Louisville 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Florida Southern 1 –3 –02 –5 –0 Mercer 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Mississippi College 1 –4 –13 –6 –1 SW Louisiana 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Union (TN) 0 –5 –11 –5 –1 Newberry 0 –5 –00 –7 –1 Rollins 0 –5 –00 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Wiley $   –   –   $ – Conference champion | 1929 Texas Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Howard Payne $ 5 –0 –08 –0 –2 St. Edward's 4 –1 –05 –4 –2 Austin 3 –2 –03 –6 –0 Simmons (TX) 1 –3 –15 –4 –1 Trinity (TX) 1 –3 –13 –5 –1 Southwestern (TX) 0 –5 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1929 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Southwest Texas State $ 4 –0 –26 –1 –2 North Texas State Teachers 2 –0 –24 –3 –2 McMurry 3 –1 –14 –1 –3 Abilene Christian 2 –1 –16 –1 –1 Sam Houston State 2 –1 –16 –3 –1 West Texas State 2 –2 –06 –3 –1 Stephen F. Austin 1 –3 –11 –7 –2 Sul Ross 0 –1 –11 –3 –3 East Texas State 0 –3 –10 –6 –1 Daniel Baker 0 –4 –03 –6 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1929 Tri-State Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Duquesne $ 3 –0 –09 –0 –1 Thiel 2 –1 –02 –5 –2 Waynesburg 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Westminster (PA) 2 –2 –03 –4 –0 Geneva 1 –3 –02 –6 –1 Bethany (WV) 0 –2 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1929 West Virginia Athletic Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T New River State $ 5 –0 –06 –1 –1 West Liberty State 4 –0 –08 –1 –0 Glenville State 5 –1 –16 –2 –1 Marshall 4 –1 –05 –3 –1 Potomac State 4 –1 –06 –2 –0 West Virginia Wesleyan 4 –1 –04 –6 –0 Broaddus 6 –3 –06 –4 –0 Salem 2 –5 –02 –6 –0 Bethany (WV) 1 –3 –01 –7 –0 Morehead State 1 –3 –04 –4 –0 Fairmont State 1 –4 –01 –7 –0 Alderson 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Shepherd 0 –4 –02 –6 –0 Morris Harvey 0 –8 –00 –12 –0 Davis & Elkins * 3 –0 –010 –1 –1 Concord * 0 –2 –01 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion * – Did not qualify for conference standings Ties did not count in conference standings. |
| 1929 Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference football standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L TW L T Milwaukee State $ 3 –0 –17 –0 –1 Superior State 3 –1 –05 –3 –0 Whitewater State 2 –1 –14 –2 –1 Eau Claire State 2 –1 –13 –1 –1 [[{{{school}}}|Oshkosh State]] 3 –2 –03 –4 –0 [[{{{school}}}|River Falls State]] 3 –2 –04 –3 –0 [[{{{school}}}|Platteville State]] 2 –2 –03 –3 –0 [[{{{school}}}|La Crosse State]] 1 –3 –02 –5 –0 [[{{{school}}}|Stout Institute]] 0 –3 –10 –5 –1 [[{{{school}}}|Stevens Point State]] 0 –4 –00 –6 –0 $ – Conference championSuperior State forfeited to Eau Claire State and Whitewater State forfeited to Platteville State. |

## Dickinson System

The AP sportswriters' poll would not begin continuously until 1936. (although, the first time was a one instance publishing in 1934) Frank G. Dickinson, an economics professor at the University of Illinois, had invented the Dickinson System to rank colleges based upon their records and the strength of their opposition.
The system was originally designed to rank teams in the Big Nine (later the Big Ten) conference. Chicago clothing manufacturer Jack Rissman then persuaded Dickinson to rank the nation's teams under the system, and awarded the Rissman Trophy to the winning university.
The system awarded 30 points for a win over a "strong team", and 20 for a win over a "weak team". Losses were awarded points (15 for loss to a strong team, 10 for loss to a weak team). Ties were treated as half a win and half a loss (22.5 for a tie with a strong team, 15 for a tie with a weak team). An average was then derived by dividing the points by games played.

### Final Dickinson rankings

Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, both with nine wins and no losses or ties (9–0) were ranked first and second by Dickinson, with the Irish getting the higher rating based on their opposition. As Grantland Rice noted in his column, "There is no questioning the fact that among the unbeaten teams who were not even tied, Notre Dame fought its way through the hardest field. But when it comes to saying that Notre Dame could beat Pittsburgh or that Notre Dame could beat Purdue or that Pittsburgh could beat Purdue -- that is something else again,"
Dickinson rankings, end of 1929 season :
| Rank | Team | Record | Rating |
| 1 | Notre Dame | 9–0 | 25.00 |
| 2 | Purdue | 8–0 | 23.60 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh | 9–0 | 22.00 |
| 4 | California | 7–1–1 | 20.00 |
| 5 | Illinois | 6–1–1 | 18.70 |
| 6 | USC | 9–2 | 17.75 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 4–1–3 | 16.82 |
| 8 | TCU | 9–0–1 | 16.51 |
| 9 | SMU | 6–0–4 | 16.31 |
| 10 | Tulane | 9–0 | 16.22 |
| 11 | Penn | 7–2 | 15.00 |

## Awards and honors
### All-Americans

The consensus All-America team included:
| Position | Name | Height | Weight (lbs.) | Class | Hometown | Team |
| QB | Frank Carideo | 5'7" | 175 | Jr. | Mount Vernon, New York | Notre Dame |
| HB | Chris Cagle | 5'10" | 174 | Sr. | De Ridder, Louisiana | Army |
| HB | Gene McEver | 5'10" | 185 | Jr. | Bristol, Virginia | Tennessee |
| FB | Ralph Welch | 6'1" | 200 | Sr. | Sherman, Texas | Purdue |
| E | Joe Donchess | 6'0" | 175 | Sr. | Kingston, Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh |
| T | Bronko Nagurski | 6'2" | 217 | Sr. | International Falls, Minnesota | Minnesota |
| G | Jack Cannon | 5'11" | 193 | Sr. | Columbus, Ohio | Notre Dame |
| C | Ben Ticknor | 6'2" | 193 | Jr. | Canton, Massachusetts | Harvard |
| G | Ray Montgomery | 6'1" | 188 | Sr. | Wheeling, West Virginia | Pittsburgh |
| T | Elmer Sleight | 6'2" | 193 | Sr. | Sisseton, South Dakota | Purdue |
| E | Wes Fesler | 6'0" | 185 | Jr. | Youngstown, Ohio | Ohio State |

### Statistical leaders

* Player scoring most points: Gene McEver, Tennessee, 130
* Receptions leader: Wear Schoonover, Arkansas, 33