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Big Ten History Vault
Big Ten 1959 season
Final Big Ten standings, 1959
| # | Team | CONF | W-L | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Wisconsin Badgersz | 5-2 | 7-3 | .700 | 165 | 149 |
| 2 |  Michigan State Spartans | 4-2 | 5-4 | .556 | 149 | 118 |
| 3 |  Purdue Boilermakers | 4-2 | 5-2 | .667 | 109 | 81 |
| 4 |  Illinois Fighting Illini | 4-2 | 5-3 | .611 | 111 | 93 |
| 5 |  Northwestern Wildcats | 4-3 | 6-3 | .667 | 174 | 134 |
| 6 |  Iowa Hawkeyes | 3-3 | 5-4 | .556 | 233 | 100 |
| 7 |  Michigan Wolverines | 3-4 | 4-5 | .444 | 122 | 161 |
| 8 |  Indiana Hoosiers | 2-4 | 4-4 | .500 | 142 | 105 |
| 9 |  Ohio State Buckeyes | 2-4 | 3-5 | .389 | 83 | 114 |
| 10 |  Minnesota Golden Gophers | 1-6 | 2-7 | .222 | 98 | 159 |
Source: CollegeFootballData. CONF is the Big Ten record, which orders the table. z = Big Ten champion.
How 1959 fits the bigger picture
1959 is one season in the Big Ten story. See every Big Ten winner in Big Ten champions by year, how the national titles split in Big Ten national championships by team, and the current race on the live standings.
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How the Big Ten finished in 1959: the champion, the final table and the records that decided it.
Quick answer
Wisconsin won the Big Ten in 1959, finishing 5-2 in conference play (7-3 overall). The full final standings for all 10 teams are below.
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Big Ten 1959: the season in one place
Wisconsin won the Big Ten in 1959, finishing 5-2 in conference play (7-3 overall). The final table, ordered by conference record, read 1. Wisconsin 5-2 (7-3), 2. Michigan State 4-2 (5-4), 3. Purdue 4-2 (5-2), 4. Illinois 4-2 (5-3), 5. Northwestern 4-3 (6-3), 6. Iowa 3-3 (5-4), 7. Michigan 3-4 (4-5), 8. Indiana 2-4 (4-4), 9. Ohio State 2-4 (3-5), 10. Minnesota 1-6 (2-7). This Big Ten 1959 archive sits alongside the History Vault and the live standings, so you can compare any season with the current race.
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Frequently asked questions
Who won the Big Ten in 1959?
Wisconsin won the Big Ten in 1959, finishing 5-2 in conference play (7-3 overall).
What were the final Big Ten standings in 1959?
1. Wisconsin 5-2 (7-3), 2. Michigan State 4-2 (5-4), 3. Purdue 4-2 (5-2), 4. Illinois 4-2 (5-3), 5. Northwestern 4-3 (6-3), 6. Iowa 3-3 (5-4), 7. Michigan 3-4 (4-5), 8. Indiana 2-4 (4-4), 9. Ohio State 2-4 (3-5), 10. Minnesota 1-6 (2-7). Conference record first, overall record in brackets.
How is the Big Ten decided?
The table is ordered by conference record, with head-to-head the first tiebreaker. The top two teams meet in the Big Ten Championship Game for the title.