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 Nine Conference
Record	5–4 (3–3 Big Nine)
Head coach	Eddie Anderson (5th season)
MVP	Bill Kay
Home stadium	Iowa Stadium
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

1946 Big Nine Conference football standings
v t e	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
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

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

^[1][2]

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	North Dakota Agricultural*		Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA	W 39–0		^[9]
September 28	Purdue		Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA	W 16–0	36,000	^[10]
October 5	at Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI	L 7–14	52,400	^[11]
October 12	Nebraska*		Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA (rivalry)	W 21–7	30,500	^[12]
October 19	at No. 18 Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	W 13–0	27,000	^[13]
October 26	No. 2 Notre Dame*	No. 17	Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA	L 6–41	52,311	^[14]
November 2	No. 11 Illinois		Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA	L 0–7	52,000	^[15]
November 9	at No. 15 Wisconsin		Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI (rivalry)	W 21–7	45,000	^[16]
November 16	at Minnesota		Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)	L 6–16	59,180	^[17]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

After the season

Main article: 1947 NFL Draft

The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Hawkeyes were selected.^[18]

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

1. "1946 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
2. (PDF). University of Iowa. 2012. pp. 167, 172. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
3. 2012 Media Guide, p. 195.
4. "Eddie Anderson Member Biography". National Football Foundation. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
5. 2012 Media Guide, pp. 196-197.
6. 2012 Media Guide, p. 152.
7. 2012 Media Guide, p. 150.
8. 2012 Media Guide, p. 181.
9. "Iowa wins, 39–0". The Des Moines Register. September 22, 1946. Retrieved October 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. 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.
11. Lyall Smith (October 6, 1946). "U-M Stalls Off Iowa, 14-7 on Two Early Touchdowns: Both Scored by Chappuis in First Half; Hawkeyes Threaten Repeatedly at End". Detroit Free Press. pp. IV-1, IV-2. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Bert McGrane (October 13, 1946). "Iowa Drops Huskers, 21-7: Stubborn Foe Carries Fight To Hawkeyes; Smith, Tunnell Star; Hoerner Hurt". The Des Moines Register. pp. 1S, 2S. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. 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. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Bert McGrane (October 27, 1946). "Notre Dame Punishes Iowa, 41-6: Lujack Fires Irish Blasts With Passes; Fumbles Foil Few Hawk Chances". The Des Moines Register. pp. 1S, 2S. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
15. 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. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Henry J. McCormick (November 10, 1946). "Drab Badgers Absorb 21-7 Thumping: Iowa More Powerful, More Alert as Best Team Won Big 9 Tilt". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. 33–34. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
17. Charles Johnson (November 17, 1946). "Minnesota Upsets Iowa 16 to 6: Brilliant Bye Blasts Hawks". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1, 2. Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.