Wisconsin, under head coach Harry Stuhldreher, compiled an 8–1–1 record, led the conference in scoring defense (6.8 points per game allowed), and was ranked No.
End Dave Schreiner was a consensus first-team All-American and received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the conference.
The Helms Athletic Foundation selected Wisconsin as 1942 national champions following the season's bowl games.
Key PPG = Average of points scored per game[2] PAG = Average of points allowed per game[2] MVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy[3] During the 1942 season, the Big Ten maintained its long-standing ban on postseason games.
[4][5] At the end of the 1942 season, Big Ten players secured five of the 12 consensus first-team picks for the 1942 College Football All-America Team.