1946 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

The 1946 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan College of Education, later renamed Central Michigan University, as an independent during the 1946 college football season. In their 10th and final season under head coach Ron Finch, the Chippewas compiled a 6–2 record, shut out three opponents (Bowling Green, Northern Michigan, and Great Lakes NTS), and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 240 to 67.^[1][2] The team played its home games at Alumni Field in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.^[3]

1946 Central Michigan Chippewas football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–2
Head coach	Ron Finch (10th season)
Home stadium	Alumni Field
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

1946 Midwestern non-major college football independents records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
St. Norbert			–					8	–	0	–	0
Youngstown			–					7	–	1	–	0
Bradley			–					7	–	2	–	0
Central Michigan			–					6	–	2	–	0
Defiance			–					6	–	2	–	0
Western Michigan			–					5	–	2	–	1
Miami (OH)			–					7	–	3	–	0
Dayton			–					6	–	3	–	0
Carroll (WI)			–					4	–	2	–	1
Bowling Green			–					5	–	3	–	0
Ohio Wesleyan			–					5	–	4	–	1
Michigan Tech			–					3	–	2	–	0
Northern Michigan			–					3	–	2	–	1
Michigan State Normal			–					3	–	4	–	1
Xavier			–					3	–	7	–	0
Detroit Tech			–					1	–	6	–	1
Valparaiso			–					1	–	7	–	0
Sterling			–					1	–	8	–	0
Haskell			–					0	–	7	–	0

Ron Finch was the team's head coach. Lawrence "Doc" Sweeney was the line coach, and Lyle Bennett was the assistant coach in charge of the ends, kickers, and the "B" team.^[4]

Central Michigan was ranked at No. 90 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.^[5]

Coach Finch retired as the school's head football coach in January 1947 to devote his efforts to his position as the head of the college's physical education department.^[6][7] In 10 years as the school's head football coach, Finch compiled a 54–18–1 record.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 20	Ohio Wesleyan	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	L 0–13		^[8]
September 27	Bowling Green	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	W 7–0
October 5	at Eastern Kentucky	Richmond, KY	W 20–7		^[9]
October 12	at Northern Michigan	Marquette, MI	W 60–0		^[10]
October 18	at Michigan State Normal	Walter O. Briggs Field Ypsilanti, MI (rivalry)	W 26–13		^[11]
October 26	Northern Illinois	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	W 58–7		^[12]
November 2	at Western Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI (rivalry)	L 21–27	12,500	^[13]
November 9	Great Lakes Navy	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI (Oil Bowl)	W 41–0		^[14]^[15]

References

1. (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 109. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
2. . College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
3. "Chippewa Football Book, Central Michigan vs. Ohio Wesleyan" (PDF). Central Michigan College. September 20, 1946. p. 1.
4. "Chippewa Football Book, Central Michigan vs. Ohio Wesleyan" (PDF). Central Michigan College. September 20, 1946. p. 5.
5. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Bennett Named Chip Grid Coach". Detroit Free Press. January 23, 1947. p. 12.
7. "Bennett Promoted at Central State". The Escanaba Daily Press. January 23, 1947. p. 10.
8. "Chip Eleven Bows, 13-0: Fumbles Costly as Ohio Wesleyan Wins". September 21, 1946. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Central Michigan Tops Eastern, 20-7, In Maroon Homecoming At Richmond". The Lexington Herald. October 6, 1946. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Northern Michigan Loses To Central". The Escanaba Daily Press. Associatedate=October 13, 1946. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Central Michigan Defeats Normal, 26-13". The Enquirer and News. Battle Creek, Michigan. October 19, 1946. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Huskies Fall To Michigan". The DeKalb Daily Chronicle. October 28, 1946. p. 7. Retrieved December 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Western Michigan Nips Central, 27-21". The Lansing State Journal. November 3, 1946. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Central Michigan Wins in Oil Bowl". Lansing State Journal. November 10, 1946. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Chips Crush Great Lakes: Bluejackets Beaten, 41-0, in 'Oil Bowl'". Detroit Free Press. November 10, 1946. p. IV-3 – via Newspapers.com.