| 1956 Big Ten Conference football season | |
|---|---|
| Sport | American football |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Top draft pick | Ron Kramer |
| Champion | Iowa |
| Runners-up | Michigan |
| Season MVP | Ken Ploen |
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Iowa $ | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Michigan | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Minnesota | 4 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Michigan State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Ohio State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 1 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 1 | – | 4 | – | 2 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 0 | – | 4 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 5 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1956 Big Ten Conference football season was the 61st season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1956 college football season.
The 1956 Iowa Hawkeyes football team, under head coach Forest Evashevski, won the Big Ten championship, compiled a 9–1 record, led the Big Ten in scoring defense (8.4 points allowed per game), was ranked No. 3 in the final AP Poll and in the Coaches Poll, and defeated Oregon State, 35–19, in the 1957 Rose Bowl. Quarterback Ken Ploen received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten and was also named the most valuable player in the Rose Bowl.
The 1956 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, compiled a 7–2 record, handed Iowa its only defeat, and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. End Ron Kramer was a consensus first-team All-American and was the first Big Ten player selected, with the fourth overall pick, in the 1957 NFL draft. Guard Dick Hill was selected as the team's most valuable player.
The 1956 Michigan State Spartans football team, under head coach Duffy Daugherty, compiled a 7–2 record, was ranked No. 9 in the final AP Poll, and led the Big Ten in scoring offense with an average of 26.6 points scored per game. James Hinsley was selected as the team's most valuable player.
In the final AP Poll, five Big Ten teams finished in the top 15: Iowa (#1); Michigan (#7); Michigan State (#9); Minnesota (#12); and Ohio State (#15). The conference's individual statistical leaders included Purdue quarterback Len Dawson with 856 passing yards, Purdue halfback Melvin Dillard with 873 rushing yards, and Indiana end Brad Bomba with 407 receiving yards. Ohio State guard Jim Parker won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in college football.