The 1917 campaign began with a 55–0 victory over Kalamazoo, followed by a scoreless tie at Wisconsin, in which Phelan attempted to win the game by kicking a 61-yard field goal; the ball bounced off the crossbar.
The 1917 campaign began with a decisive victory over Kalamazoo, followed by a scoreless tie against Wisconsin, where Phelan attempted a challenging field goal that missed its target.