1946 Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season

The 1946 Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the four member schools of the Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) as part of the 1946 college football season. The 1946 season was the first since 1942 in which the four conference teams competed for the MIAC championship.^[1]

Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Sport	Football
Number of teams	4
Champion	Bates
Football seasons
← 1945 1947 →

The Bates Bobcats won the MIAC championship with a 7–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 101 to 30.

Conference overview

Conf. rank	Team	Head coach	Conf. record	Overall record	Points scored	Points against
1	Bates	Ducky Pond	3–0	8–0	101	31
2	Maine	George E. Allen	2–1	2–5	81	95
3	Bowdoin	George D. Shay	1–2	2–4	47	47
4	Colby	Daniel G. Lewis	0–3	1–6	37	77

Teams

Bates

1946 Bates Bobcats football
MIAC champion
Glass Bowl, L 12–21 vs. Toledo
Conference	Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	7–1 (3–0 MIAC)
Head coach	Ducky Pond (2nd season)
Home stadium	Garcelon Field
Seasons ← 1944 1947 →

The 1946 Bates Bobcats football team represented Bates College of Lewiston, Maine. In their second, non-consecutive season under head coach Ducky Pond, and after a one-year hiatus in the football program, the Bobcats compiled a perfect 7–0 record during the regular season (3–0 against MIAC opponents), won the MIAC championship, lost to Toledo in the Glass Bowl, shut out five of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 101 to 31.^[2]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 28	Massachusetts State	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME	W 6–0		^[3]
October 5	at Trinity (CT)	Hartford, CT	W 25–0
October 12	atTufts	Garcelon Field Medford, MA	W 19–6		^[4]
October 19	Northeastern	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME	W 20–0		^[5]
October 26	at Maine	Alumni Field Orono, ME	W 7–4	7,500	^[6]
November 2	Bowdoin	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME	W 6–0		^[7]
November 11	Colby	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME (Armistice Day)	W 6–0		^[8]
December 7	at Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH (Glass Bowl)	L 12–21	12,000	^[9]

Maine

Main article: 1946 Maine Black Bears football team

1946 Maine Black Bears football
Conference	Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Yankee Conference
Record	2–5 (2–1 MIAC, 0–3 Yankee)
Head coach	George E. Allen (2nd season)
Captain	Richard Burrill
Home stadium	Alumni Field
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

The 1946 Maine Black Bears football team represented the University of Maine of Orono, Maine. In its second season under head coach George E. Allen, the team compiled a 2–5 record (2–1 against MIAC opponents, 0–3 against Yankee Conference opponents) and finished in second place in the MIAC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 28	Rhode Island State	Alumni Field Orono, ME	L 13–14	4,000	^[10]
October 5	at Northeastern*	Huntington Field Boston, MA	L 7–13	4,000	^[11]
October 12	New Hampshire	Alumni Field Orono, ME (rivalry)	L 0–27		^[12]^[13]
October 19	at Connecticut	Gardner Dow Field Storrs, CT	L 20–21	7,300	^[14]
October 26	Bates	Alumni Field Orono, ME	L 4–7	7,500	^[6]
November 2	Colby	Alumni Field Orono, ME	W 14–6		^[15]^[16]
November 9	at Bowdoin	Brunswick, ME	W 23–7		^[17]^[18]
*Non-conference game

Bowdoin

1946 Bowdoin Polar Bears football
Conference	Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	2–4 (1–2 MIAC)
Head coach	George D. Shay
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

The 1946 Bowdoin Polar Bears football team represented Bates College of Brunswick, Maine. Led by head coach George D. Shay, the Polar Bears compiled a 2–4 record (1–2 against MIAC opponents), finished third in the MIAC, scored 47 points, and allowed 47 points.^[19]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 5	at Massachusetts State	Alumni Field Amherst, MA	L 8–11		^[20]
	Amherst		L 0–7
	Williams		W 26–0
October 26	Colby	Seaverns Field Waterville, ME	W 6–0	3,800	^[21]
November 2	Bates	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME	L 0–6		^[7]
November 9	Maine	Brunswick, ME	L 7–23		^[17]^[18]

Colby

1946 Colby Mules football
Conference	Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	1–6 (0–3 MIAC)
Head coach	Daniel G. Lewis
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

The 1946 Colby Mules football team represented Bates College of Waterville, Maine. Led by head coach Daniel G. Lewis, the Polar Bears compiled a 1–6 record (0–3 against MIAC opponents), finished third in the MIAC, and were outscored by a total of 77 to 37.^[22]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 29	Hew Hampshire	Seaverns Field Waterville, ME	L 0–13	1,000	^[23]
October 5	Vermont	Seaverns Field Waterville, ME	W 13–7	2,000	^[24]
October 12	at Coast Guard	New London, CT	L 12–18		^[25]
October 19	Amherst	Amherst, MA	L 6–13		^[26]
October 26	Bowdoin	Seavern's Field Waterville, ME	L 0–6	3,800	^[21]
November 2	Maine	Alumni Field Orono, ME	L 6–14		^[15]^[16]
November 11	at Bates	Garcelon Field Lewiston, ME	L 0–6		^[8]

References

1. Bud Cornish (October 20, 1946). "Maine Colleges Start Pursuit Of State Title Next Week: Bates Made Favorite To Land Series Title; Bobcats' Record Best To Date But Classic Has Provided Startling Upsets". Portland Sunday Telegram and Sunday Press Herald. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
2. . College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
3. "Bates Tops Mass State 6-0 In Season Opener". The Lewiston Daily Sun. September 30, 1946. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Well Balanced Bates Club Put Jumbo Back in Museum". Lewiston Evening Journal. October 14, 1946. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Bates in Air to Win 4th In Row -- Team Ready for UM". Lewiston Evening Journal. October 21, 1946. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Bates Beats Maine, 7-4, Card Injured". The Scrantonian. October 27, 1946. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
7. John McKernan (November 4, 1946). "Bates Sure Of Tie For Grid Title, Maine And Bowdoin To Battle For Second Place: Pale Blue Drops Colby, Coulombe Stars In Snow". The Bangor Daily News. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
8. John McKernan (November 12, 1946). "Bates Beats Colby 6-0 In Mud For State Title: Art Blanchard Score Gives Bobcats Perfect Grid Season". The Bangor Daily News. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Toledo Victor In Glass Bowl: Ohioans Defeat Gates, 21 to 12". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 8, 1946. p. 36 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "R. I. State Aerials Sink Maine Elevens by 14-13". The Boston Globe. September 29, 1946. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Bob Holbrook (October 6, 1946). "Northeastern Ekes Out 13-7 Verdict". The Boston Globe. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Maine, New Hampshire Meet At Orono Today: Granite Staters Favored To Defeat Black Bears". The Bangor Daily News. October 12, 1946. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
13. John McKernan (October 14, 1946). "New Hampshire Triumphs: Maine Scans Horizon For Football Victory: Tough Slate Ahead As Pale Blue Absorbs Third Beating". The Bangor Daily News. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Connecticut Edges Maine". The Hartford Courant. October 20, 1945. p. IV-1 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Bates Sure Of Tie For Grid Title, Maine and Bowdoin To Battle For Second Place: Pale Blue Drops Colby, Coulombe Stars In Snow". The Bangor Daily News. November 4, 1946. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Maine Tops Colby By 14-6 Margin". November 4, 1946. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Maine Vs. Bowdoin Duel On At Brunswick Today: Traditional Rivals Will Battle For Second Place In Series Race". The Bangor Daily News. November 9, 1946. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
18. John McKernan (November 11, 1946). "Maine, Series Runnerup, Has Hope For Title Tie: Pale Blue Beats Bowdoin 23-7; Awaits Colby Vs. Bates Today". The Bangor Daily News. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
19. 1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 163.
20. "Bates, Colby Triumph; Bowdoin Drops Opener". The Bangor Daily News. October 7, 1946. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Bates And Bowdoin Cop State Series Tilts: Maine Nosed Out, 7-4; Pass Beats Colby, 6-0". Portland Sunday Telegram and Sunday Press Herald. October 27, 1946. pp. 1A, 1B – via Newspapers.com.
22. 1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 170.
23. "Freshman Back Leads New Hampshire to Win". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. UP. September 29, 1946. p. 38. Retrieved November 29, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
24. "Vt. colleges lose games - Colby 13, UVM 7". Rutland Daily Herald. October 7, 1946. Retrieved June 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
25. Roger Dove (October 13, 1946). "Coast Guard Beats Colby By 18 To 12: Undefeated Cadet Pile Up Points in First Two Periods". The Hartford Courant. pp. IV-1, IV-2 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "To Defend: Amherst, Winner Of Last Two Games, Faces Wesleyan; Beat Colby, 13-6". Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. October 21, 1946. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.