For 29 seasons, Robert Zuppke served as Illinois' head football coach. During his tenure, Illinois' fan attendance at home games skyrocketed from an average of 4,500 to 60,000. Under Zuppke's leadership, the Fighting Illini posted undefeated seasons in 1914, 1915, 1923 and 1927. In 1914, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0 record (6–0 against Western Conference opponents), claimed a national championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 224–22. The team was retroactively selected as the national champion for 1914 by the Billingsley Report and as a co-national champion with Army by Parke H. Davis. End Perry Graves and guard Ralph Chapman were consensus All-Americans. Chapman was the team captain. In 1915, the Illini compiled a 5–0–2 record and finished as co-champions of the Western Conference. Center John W. Watson was the team captain. In 1923, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8–0 record (5–0 against Big Ten Conference opponents) and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 136–20. The team was selected retroactively as the national champion by the Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, Helms Athletic Foundation, and Parke H. Davis, and as a co-national champion by the Berryman QPRS system, National Championship Foundation, and Jeff Sagarin (using the ELO-Chess methodology). Guard Jim McMillen and halfback Red Grange were consensus All-Americans. McMillen was also the team captain.