What Is 1937 Indiana Hoosiers football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1937 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University in the 1937 college football season, finishing with a 2–6 record under head coach Ernie Andres. They played in the Big Ten Conference and won only two games, both against non-conference opponents.

Key Facts

The 1937 Indiana Hoosiers football team had a final record of 2–6 overall.
They competed in the Big Ten Conference and finished with a 0–4 conference record.
Head coach Ernie Andres was in his second season leading the team.
The Hoosiers won games against Butler (14–0) and DePauw (20–0).
Their home games were played at Jordan Field in Bloomington, Indiana.

Overview

The 1937 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 1937 college football season, competing as a member of the Big Ten Conference. Led by head coach Ernie Andres in his second year, the team struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 2–6 overall record and a 0–4 mark in conference play.

The season reflected a challenging period for the Hoosiers program, as they failed to secure a single conference victory. Despite strong defensive performances in some games, the team’s offensive output was limited, and they were outscored significantly over the course of the season.

Record: The Hoosiers finished the 1937 season with a 2–6 overall record and 0–4 in Big Ten play, placing them near the bottom of the conference standings.
Head Coach:Ernie Andres served as head coach, continuing his tenure after taking over the program in 1936, but failed to improve the team’s win total from the previous year.
Home Games: All home games were played at Jordan Field in Bloomington, Indiana, which served as the team’s primary stadium at the time.
Victories: Indiana secured wins only against Butler (14–0) and DePauw (20–0), both of which were non-conference opponents.
Scoring: The team was outscored 108–40 over the eight-game season, averaging just 5.0 points per game while allowing 13.5 per contest.

Season Performance

The 1937 campaign was marked by offensive struggles and defensive lapses, particularly in conference matchups. The Hoosiers faced several strong Big Ten opponents and were unable to keep games competitive, highlighting the gap between Indiana and the league’s upper tier.

Butler Game: Indiana defeated Butler 14–0 in a shutout victory, marking one of only two wins and showcasing a strong defensive effort.
DePauw Game: The Hoosiers beat DePauw 20–0, another shutout win, demonstrating their ability to dominate weaker in-state opponents.
Big Ten Opponents: Indiana lost to Illinois (13–0), Michigan (27–0), Ohio State (20–0), and Wisconsin (20–7), failing to score in three of four conference games.
Offensive Struggles: The team averaged only 5.0 points per game, the lowest among Big Ten teams, and managed just one touchdown in conference play.
Defensive Issues: Despite two shutouts, the Hoosiers allowed 13.5 points per game and were particularly vulnerable to rushing attacks from stronger opponents.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1937 Indiana Hoosiers compared to other Big Ten teams in key statistical categories:

Team	Overall Record	Conference Record	Points For	Points Against
Indiana	2–6	0–4	40	108
Michigan	6–2	4–2	127	48
Ohio State	6–2	4–2	104	40
Illinois	4–3–1	3–2–1	78	54
Wisconsin	5–3	4–2	105	70

Indiana ranked last in both scoring offense and total wins among Big Ten teams in 1937. While teams like Michigan and Ohio State competed for national recognition, the Hoosiers struggled to remain competitive, especially in conference matchups where they were outscored 88–7.

Why It Matters

The 1937 season is a notable chapter in Indiana football history, illustrating the challenges the program faced during the late 1930s. Though not a successful season, it provides context for the evolution of the team and the broader landscape of college football at the time.

Historical Context: The 1937 season occurred during the Great Depression, which affected college athletics funding and attendance across the nation.
Program Development: The struggles of this era underscored the need for long-term investment in Indiana’s football program, which eventually led to later improvements.
Coaching Tenure: Ernie Andres’ tenure ended after the 1938 season, highlighting how poor records impacted coaching stability in that era.
Conference Competition: The dominance of teams like Michigan and Ohio State emphasized the competitive imbalance within the Big Ten at the time.
Legacy of Losing: This season contributed to a string of losing records that defined Indiana football through much of the 1930s and 1940s.
Historical Records: The game logs and statistics from 1937 are preserved in university archives and Big Ten records, serving as reference points for historians.

While the 1937 Indiana Hoosiers did not achieve on-field success, their season remains a factual benchmark in the program’s journey toward future competitiveness and conference relevance.