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1923 Marquette Golden Avalanche football team

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1923 Marquette Golden Avalanche football
ConferenceIndependent
Record8–0
Head coach
Seasons
← 1922
1924 →
1923 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Marquette     8 0 0
Michigan Mines     2 0 0
Notre Dame     9 1 0
Western State Normal     6 1 1
Haskell     11 2 1
Butler     7 2 0
Central Michigan     5 1 2
Baldwin–Wallace     5 2 1
Cincinnati     6 3 0
Loyola (IL)     6 3 0
Saint Louis     5 3 1
Detroit     4 3 2
Wabash     4 3 2
John Carroll     4 4 1
Valparaiso     2 2 1
Dayton     4 5 0
Michigan Agricultural     3 5 0
Fairmount     2 4 2
Kent State     0 5 0

The 1923 Marquette Golden Avalanche football team was an American football team that represented Marquette University as an independent during the 1923 college football season. In its second season under head coach Frank Murray, the team compiled an 8–0 record, shut out six of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 162 to 12.[1] It was Marquette's second consecutive undefeated season. During the combined 1922 and 1923 seasons, Marquette had a 16-0-1 record and shutout 13 of 16 opponents, giving up only 15 points.

Quarterback Red Dunn was the team's leader. He later played eight years in the National Football League and led the Chicago Cardinals and Green Bay Packers to NFL championships in 1925, 1929, 1930, and 1931.[2]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 6Saint Mary's (MN)Milwaukee, WIW 33–0[3]
October 13RiponMilwaukee, WIW 31–0[4]
October 20Carroll (WI)Milwaukee, WIW 16–0
October 271:00 p.m.at Boston CollegeW 7–6[5][6][7]
November 3at DetroitW 18–612,000[8]
November 10North DakotaMilwaukee, WIW 24–0[9]
November 17South Dakota StateMilwaukee, WIW 13–0
November 29VermontMilwaukee, WIW 20–0[10]

Game summaries

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Marquette

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On October 6, Marquette opened its season with a 33–0 victory over Saint Mary's College of Winona, Minnesota. Marquette started only four of its regulars. Quarterback and team captain Red Dunn scored 20 points on three touchdowns and two kicks for points after touchdown.[3]

Ripon

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On October 13, Marquette defeated Ripon College of Ripon, Wisconsin, by a 31–0 score in a game played on Marquette's field in Milwaukee. The Marquette defense was described as "a stone wall", preventing Ripon from making a single first down. Marquette backs Red Dunn and Leichtfuss made extensive gains. Dunn scored a touchdown and kicked four extra points. Additional touchdowns were scored by Duford, Skemp, and Dilwig. Ripon had previously played to scoreless ties in both 1921 and 1922.[4]

Carroll

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On October 20, Marquette shut out the team from Carroll College of Waukesha, Wisconsin, by a 16–0 score in a game played on Marquette's field in Milwaukee.

Boston College

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On October 27, Marquette defeated Boston College, 7–6, at Braves Field in Boston. Quarterback Red Dunn sustained a break in his left arm at the elbow early in the game. He then returned to the game in the second half with his arm in a cast and led Marquette to victory. Both teams scored a touchdown. Marquette's touchdown came after Kennedy recovered a fumble on the three-yard line. Leichtfuss scored the touchdown, and Dunn kicked the extra point that proved to be the difference in the game. It was the first time a team from Wisconsin won a football game in the East.[6][7]

Detroit

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On November 3, Marquette defeated the University of Detroit Titans, 18–6, before 12,000 spectators in Detroit. Marquette scored "by every method known to football", including a touchdown pass in the first quarter, a field goal in the second quarter, a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, and a safety in the fourth quarter. Detroit's points were scored shortly before halftime on an 85-yard run by halfback Bill Brett. Marquette star Red Dunn remained on the bench for the game due to the broken arm sustained in the Boston College game. [8]

References

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  1. ^ "Marquette (WI) Yearly Results (1920-1924)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  2. ^ "Red Dunn". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Marquette Scores Easy Win Over St. Mary's". The Duluth News Tribune. October 7, 1923. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Marquette Downs Ripon by Big Score: Breaks Two Year Line of Scoreless Ties, Winning 31-0". The Detroit Free Press. October 14, 1923. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "B. C. Expects Hard Game With Marquette". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. October 27, 1923. p. 8. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ a b "Plays Most of Game With Broken Arm". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. October 29, 1923. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Marquette Man Wins Grid Game, Arm Is Broken". La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press. October 28, 1923. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Sam Greene (November 4, 1923). "Marquette Outplays U. of D. Eleven and Triumphs, 18-6: 85-Yard Sprint by Britt Gives Detroit Score". Detroit Free Press. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "North Dakota Buried Under 24 to 0 Score: Marquette U Scores Easy Victory Over Flickertails--Skemp Stars". The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. November 11, 1923. p. Sports 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Hilltops win over Vermont". The Journal Times. November 30, 1923. Retrieved June 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.