1946 Cincinnati Bearcats football team

The 1946 Cincinnati Bearcats football team was an American football team that represented the University of Cincinnati in the Mid-America Conference (MAC) during the 1946 college football season. The Bearcats were led by head coach Ray Nolting and compiled a 9–2 record. The Bearcats won the MAC championship and defeated VPI in the Sun Bowl, 18–6.^[1]

1946 Cincinnati Bearcats football
MAC champion Sun Bowl champion
Sun Bowl, W 18–6 vs. VPI
Conference	Mid-America Conference
Record	9–2 (2–0 MAC)
Head coach	Ray Nolting (2nd season)
Captain	Elbie Nickel
Home stadium	Nippert Stadium
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

1946 Mid-America Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Cincinnati $	2	–	0	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
Western Reserve	1	–	1	–	0			4	–	3	–	2
Ohio	0	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Wayne	0	–	1	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
$ – Conference champion

Roger Stephens led the Bearcats and ranked sixth nationally with 774 rushing yards and led the nation with an average of 7.66 yards per carry.^[2]

Cincinnati was ranked at No. 42 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.^[3]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	at Indiana*	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	W 15–6	15,000	^[4]
September 28	Kentucky*	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH	L 7–26	27,000	^[5]
October 5	Marshall*	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH	W 39–14	20,000	^[6]
October 12	at Dayton*	Dayton Stadium Dayton, OH	W 19–0	10,000	^[7]
October 19	Ohio	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH	W 19–0	25,000	^[8]
October 26	at Michigan State*	Macklin Field East Lansing, MI	W 18–7	22,524	^[9]
November 2	at Tulsa*	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	L 0–20	10,000	^[10]
November 9	Xavier*	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH (rivalry)	W 39–0	17,000	^[11]
November 16	Western Reserve	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH	W 34–7	7,500	^[12]
November 28	Miami (OH)*	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH (Victory Bell)	W 13–7	28,000	^[13]
January 1, 1947	vs. VPI*	Kidd Field El Paso, TX (Sun Bowl)	W 18–6	10,000	^[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[15][16]

After the season

Main article: 1947 NFL Draft

The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Bearcats were selected.^[17]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
6	42	Roger Stephens	Back	Chicago Bears
17	149	Elbie Nickel	End	Pittsburgh Steelers
25	232	Fred Redeker	Back	Green Bay Packers
29	272	Dick Langenbeck	Tackle	Philadelphia Eagles

References

1. "Cincinnati Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Cincinnati. 2018. p. 108. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
2. W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 80.
3. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Harold Harrison (September 22, 1946). "Indiana Bows To Cincinnati: Bearcats Get 2 Touchdowns In First Half; Field Goal Gives Queen City Eleven Margin Of 15-6". The Indianapolis Star. pp. 40, 43 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Dick Forbes (September 29, 1946). "UC Bearcats Defeated By Kentucky, 26-7: Visitors Far Too Classy; Wildcats Break Ice In Second Quarter". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Dick Forbes (October 6, 1946). "UC Rebounds With 39-14 Win Over Herd: Visitors Trail From Start; Bearcats Show Well In All Departments; Night Contest Is Witnessed By 20000". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Bill Barton (October 13, 1946). "Second Half Bearcat Drive Overpowers Flyers, 19-0". Dayton Daily News. pp. I-1, II-3 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Dick Forbes (October 20, 1946). "Cincinnati Batters Bearcats of Ohio, 19-0: Lead Taken In Opening Period When Roger Stephens Sprints 43 Yards; Athens Club Halted On One Inch Line -- 25,000 Are At Nippert Stadium". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
9. George S. Alderton (October 27, 1946). "Cincinnati Rally Defeats State, 18 to 7: 22,524 See State Fall To Bearcats; Cincinnati Scores 2 Touchdowns in Last 10 Minutes to Win". Lansing State Journal. pp. 25–25 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Hurricane Rips Cincinnati, 20-0: Tulsa Plows Cincy Under In Mud, 20-0". The Daily Oklahoman. November 3, 1946. pp. 1B, 2B – via Newspapers.com.
11. Dick Forbes (November 10, 1946). "Bearcats Overpower Musketeers, 39-0: Entire String Of UC In Action; Cincinnati Is In Lead From First Period; Nolting's Team Crashes For Three Scores In Second And Two In Fourth". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Dick Forbes (November 17, 1946). "Burly Bearcats Hammer Red Cats, 34-7: Air Play Nets Two Scores; Attack On Ground Also Befuddles Opposition; UC Takes Lead In Opening Minutes On Will Williams's Aerial Toss To Stargel". The Cincinnati Enquirer. pp. 25, 27 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Ben Garlikov (November 29, 1946). "Cincy Passs Beat Miami In Waning Seconds". Dayton Daily News. pp. 38, 39 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Dick Forbes (January 2, 1947). "Cincinnati Wins, 18-6, In Sun Bowl: First Half Of Play Scoreless; Bearcats Outplay VPI In Every Department; Rush Over Two Touchdowns In Third Period -- 10,000 Fans Are Half Frozen". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "1946 Football Schedule". University of Cincinnati Athletics. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
16. "2009 University of Cincinnati Football Media Guide" (PDF). gobearcats.com. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
17. "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.