1946 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 1946 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa in the 1946 Big Nine Conference football season. The team compiled a 5–4 record (3–3 against conference opponents) and finished in fourth place in the Big Nine Conference.[1][2] The team outscored its opponents by a combined total of 129 to 92.[1] The team allowed an average of 200.7 yards per game, the best total defense in Iowa history.[3]
| 1946 Iowa Hawkeyes football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| 1946 record | 5–4 (3–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Bill Kay |
| Home stadium | Iowa Stadium |
| 1946 Big Nine Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Illinois $ | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Michigan | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Indiana | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eddie Anderson returned as a head coach for the Hawkeyes for his fifth season as Iowa's head coach; he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.[4]
The team's statistical leaders included Bob Smith with 503 rushing yards, Emlen Tunnell with 228 passing yards, Dick Hoerner with 72 receiving yards, and Bob Sullivan with 25 points scored.[5] Tackle Bill Kay was selected as the team's most valuable player.[6] Guard Earl Banks and fullback Dick Hoerner were selected as first-team players on the 1946 All-Big Nine Conference football team.[7]
The team played its home games at Iowa Stadium. It drew 197,811 spectators at five home games, an average of 39,562 per game.[8]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 21 | North Dakota Agricultural* | W 39–0 | [9] | |||
| September 28 | Purdue |
| W 16–0 | 36,000 | [10] | |
| October 5 | at Michigan | L 7–14 | 56,515 | |||
| October 12 | Nebraska* |
| W 21–7 | 30,500 | ||
| October 19 | at No. 18 Indiana | W 13–0 | 27,000 | [11] | ||
| October 26 | No. 2 Notre Dame* | No. 17 |
| L 6–41 | 52,311 | |
| November 2 | No. 11 Illinois |
| L 0–7 | 52,000 | [12] | |
| November 9 | at No. 15 Wisconsin | W 21–7 | 45,000 | |||
| November 16 | at Minnesota | L 6–16 | 59,180 | |||
| ||||||
After the season
The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Hawkeyes were selected.[13]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 107 | Bob Sullivan | Halfback | Boston Yanks |
| 23 | 214 | Hal Shoener | End | New York Giants |
| 24 | 219 | Bob Smith | Defensive back | Washington Redskins |
| 31 | 286 | Herb Shoener | End | Washington Redskins |
References
- "1946 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "2012 Media Guide Iowa Football" (PDF). University of Iowa. 2012. pp. 167, 172.
- 2012 Media Guide, p. 195.
- "Eddie Anderson Member Biography". National Football Foundation. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
- 2012 Media Guide, pp. 196-197.
- 2012 Media Guide, p. 152.
- 2012 Media Guide, p. 150.
- 2012 Media Guide, p. 181.
- "Iowa wins, 39–0". The Des Moines Register. September 22, 1946. Retrieved October 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Bert McGrane (September 29, 1946). "Savage Iowa Shocks Purdue, 16-0". The Des Moines Register. pp. 1S, 6S. Retrieved April 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Jack K. Overmeyer (October 20, 1946). "Iowa Defeats Indiana: Hawkeyes Get 2 Touchdowns In 1st Period; Hastily-Plugged End Berth Proves Crimson Undoing". The Indianapolis Star. pp. 41, 45 – via Newspapers.com.
- Bert McGrane (November 3, 1946). "Illini Sink Iowa, 7-0, Lead Big 9: 5 Hawk Bids Fail; Steger's Stab on Illinois' Big Push Drops Iowans From Race". The Des Moines Sunday Register. pp. V-1, V-2 – via Newspapers.com.
- "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.