# 1946 Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football season

The 1946 Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football season was the season of college football played by the 15 member schools of the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) as part of the 1946 college football season.
The Butler Bulldogs, in their ninth season under head coach Tony Hinkle, won the IIC championship with a 7–1 record (6–0 against IIC opponents). The Bulldogs led the conference in scoring with an average of 21.75 points scored per game. Four Butler players received first-team honors the 1946 All-Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football team: halfback Orville Williams, end Knute Dobkins, tackle Mel Perrone, and center Ott Hurrle.
The Evansville Purple Aces, in their first year under head coach Don Ping, finished in second place with a 7–1–2 record (2–0 against IIC opponents). Tackle Bob Hawkins was the only Evansville player to receive first-team honors on the all-conference team.
The Wabash Little Giants, led by head coach Glen Harmeson, finished in third place with a 7–1 record. Wabash led the conference in scoring defense, shutting out six of eight opponents and giving up an average of only 4.0 points per game. Three Wabash players received first-team all-conference honors: quarterback Frank Roman, fullback J.K. Allerdice, and guard Bill Duchon.

## Conference overview

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Conf. record | Overall record | Points scored | Points against |
| 1 | Butler | Tony Hinkle | 6–0 | 7–1 | 174 | 63 |
| 2 | Evansville | Don Ping | 2–0 | 7–1–2 | 149 | 52 |
| 3 | Wabash | Glen Harmeson | 5–1 | 7–1 | 144 | 32 |
| 4 | Earlham | J. Owen Huntsman | 4–2 | 5–3 | 105 | 57 |
| 5 | Saint Joseph's (IN) | Richard Scharf | 2–1 | 3–4 | 59 | 81 |
| 6 | Hanover | Don Veller | 3–2 | 4–3 | 76 | 74 |
| 7 | Franklin (IN) | Roy Tillotson | 3–3 | 4–4 | 81 | 65 |
| 8 | Ball State | John Magnabosco | 3–3 | 3–4–1 | 101 | 67 |
| 9 | Indiana Central | Ed Bright | 3–4 | 3–4 | 44 | 92 |
| 10 (tie) | Indiana State | Wally Marks | 2–4 | 4–4 | 70 | 59 |
| 10 (tie) | Manchester | Phili H. Kemmerer | 2–4 | 3–5 | 68 | 120 |
| 12 | DePauw | Robert L. Nipper | 1–2 | 1–5–2 | 58 | 195 |
| 13 | Canterbury | Henry G. Miller | 1–4 | 1–7 | 43 | 140 |
| 14 | Rose Poly | Phil Brown | 1–5 | 1–7–1 | 46 | 155 |
| 15 | Valparaiso | Emory Bauer | 0–3 | 1–7 | 50 | 156 |

## Teams
### Butler

The 1946 Butler Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Butler University as a member of the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) during the 1946 college football season. In its ninth season under head coach Tony Hinkle, the team compiled a 7–1 record (6–0 against IIC opponents) and won the IIC championship. The team played its home games at the Butler Bowl in Indianapolis.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 28 | Eastern Illinois* | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 19–12 | 8,000 |
| October 5 | Indiana State | Fairview BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 13–7 | 7,500 |
| October 12 | at Western Michigan* | Waldo StadiumKalamazoo, MI | L 0–19 | 3,500 |
| October 19 | at DePauw | Greencastle, IN | W 41–6 | 5,000 |
| October 26 | Ball State | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 20–6 | > 12,000 |
| November 2 | Wabash | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 25–7 | 9,000 |
| November 9 | Saint Joseph's (IN) | Fairview BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 31–6 | 5,000 |
| November 16 | Valparaiso | Fairview BowlIndianapolis, IN | W 25–0 | 2,500 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Evansville

The 1946 Evansville Purple Aces football team represented Butler University as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach Don Ping, the Purple Aces compiled a 7–1–2 record (2–0 against IIC opponents), finished in second place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 149 to 52.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 18 | Southeast Missouri State* | Evansville, IN | T 0–0 | |
| September 26 | Louisville* | Evansville, IN | L 7–13 | |
| October 5 | at Illinois Wesleyan* | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IL | W 20–6 | |
| October 12 | at Indiana State | Terre Haute, IN | W 14–13 | |
| October 19 | at Marshall* | Fairfield StadiumHuntington, WV | W 7–0 | 6,000 |
| October 26 | Murray State* | Evansville, IN | W 20–0 | |
| November 2 | at Indiana Central | Southport StadiumIndianapolis, IN | W 35–0 | |
| November 9 | Southern Illinois* | Reitz BowlEvansville, IN | W 21–7 | 6,500 |
| November 16 | Arkansas State* | Bosse FieldEvansville, IN | W 6–6 | |
| November 28 | Northern Illinois State* | Reitz BowlEvansville, IN | W 19–7 | 9,000 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Wabash

The 1946 Wabash Little Giants football team represented Wabash College of Crawfordsville, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach Glen Harmeson, the Little Giants compiled a 7–1 record (5–1 against IIC opponents), finished in third place in the IIC, shut out six of eight opponents, led the conference in scoring defense (4.0 points per game), and outscored opponents by a total of 144 to 32.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 28 | at Indiana State | Terre Haute, IN | W 13–0 | |
| October 5 | Franklin | Crawfordsville, IN | W 22–7 | 7,500 |
| October 12 | Ball State | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | W 6–0 | 4,500 |
| October 19 | Rose Poly | Crawfordsville, IN | W 34–0 | |
| October 26 | at Centre* | Danville, KY | W 16–0 | 4,000 |
| November 2 | at Butler | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | L 7–25 | 9,000 |
| November 9 | Lake Forest* | Crawfordsville, IN | W 20–0 | |
| November 16 | DePauw | Crawfordsville, IN | W 26–0 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Earlham

The 1946 Earlham Quakers football team represented Earlham College of Richmond, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach J. Owen Huntsman, the Quakers compiled a 5–3 record (4–2 against IIC opponents), finished in fourth place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 105 to 57.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 4 | at Indiana Central | Southport High School StadiumIndianapolis, IN | L 7–13 | |
| October 12 | at Allegheny* | Meadville, PA | L 0–7 | |
| October 18 | at Wilmington* | Wilmington, OH | W 13–6 | |
| October 26 | Franklin | Whitewater Blvd. FieldRichmond, IN | W 7–0 | 2,500 |
| November 2 | at DePauw | Greencastle, IN | L 6–13 | |
| November 9 | Canterbury | Whitewater Blvd. FieldRichmond, IN | W 27–6 | 1,200 |
| November 16 | Manchester | Richmond, IN | W 19–6 | |
| November 23 | Rose Poly | Richmond, IN | W 26–6 | 3,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Saint Joseph's

The 1946 Saint Joseph's Pumas football team represented Saint Joseph's University as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Richard Scharf, the Pumas compiled a 3–4 record (2–1 against IIC opponents), finished in fifth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 81 to 59.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| October 5 | at Valparaiso | Valparaiso, IN | W 7–0 | |
| October 13 | at Loras* | Dubuque, IA | W 13–0 | 4,000 |
| October 19 | Indiana State | Rensselaer, IN | W 19–0 | |
| October 27 | at St. Ambrose | Municipal StadiumDavenport, IA | L 7–14 | 5,000 |
| November 2 | at Louisville* | Louisville, KY | L 7–13 | 7,500 |
| November 9 | at Butler | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | L 6–31 | 5,000 |
| November 17 | St. Norbert | Rensselaer, IN | L 0–23 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Hanover

The 1946 Hanover Panthers football team represented Hanover College of Hanover, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach Don Veller, the Panthers compiled a 4–3 record (3–2 against IIC opponents), finished in sixth place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 76 to 74.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| October 12 | at Rose Poly | Madison, IN | W 7–0 |
| October 19 | at Franklin | Franklin, IN | W 14–0 |
| October 26 | Manchester | Hanover, IN | W 21–0 |
| November 2 | Centre | | W 27–20 |
| November 9 | Indiana Central | Hanover, IN | L 0–6 |
| November 16 | at Canterbury | Danville, IN | L 0–7 |
| November 23 | at Georgetown | Georgetown, KY | L 7–41 |

### Franklin

The 1946 Franklin Grizzlies football team represented Franklin College of Franklin, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their 16th year under head coach Roy Tillotson, the Grizzlies compiled a 4–4 record (3–3 against IIC opponents), finished in seventh place in the IIC, and outscored opponents by a total of 81 to 65.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 27 | Indiana Central | Franklin High School FieldFranklin, IN | W 18–0 | |
| October 5 | at Wabash | Crawfordsville, IN | L 7–22 | 7,500 |
| October 11 | Defiance | Franklin High School FieldFranklin, IN | L 6–15 | |
| October 19 | Hanover | Franklin, IN | L 0–14 | |
| October 26 | Earlham | Whitewater Blvd. FieldRichmond, IN | L 0–7 | 2,500 |
| November 2 | Wilmington* | Franklin, IN | W 25–0 | |
| November 9 | at Manchester | North Manchester, IN | W 13–7 | |
| November 16 | Rose Poly | | W 12–0 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Ball State

The 1946 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State Teachers College (later renamed Ball State University) in the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (ICC) during the 1946 college football season. In its 11th season under head coach John Magnabosco, the team compiled a 3–4–1 record (3–3 against ICC opponents) and finished in a tie for seventh place out of 15 teams in the conference.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 28 | Canterbury | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | W 27–6 | |
| October 5 | at Bowling Green* | Bowling Green, OH | L 0–14 | |
| October 12 | Wabash | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | L 0–6 | 4,500 |
| October 19 | at Valparaiso | Valparaiso, IN | W 20–6 | 5,000 |
| October 26 | at Butler | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | L 6–20 | > 12,000 |
| November 2 | Manchester | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | W 41–6 | |
| November 9 | Michigan State Normal* | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | T 7–7 | |
| November 16 | at Indiana State | Terre Haute, IN | L 0–3 | |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Indiana Central

The 1946 Indiana Central Greyhounds football team represented Indiana Central College (later renamed the University of Indianapolis) as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Ed Bright, the Greyhounds compiled a 3–4 record (3–4 against IIC opponents), finished in ninth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 92 to 44.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 20 | Canterbury | Southport's Roosevelt StadiumIndianapolis, IN | W 6–0 |
| September 27 | Franklin | SouthportIndianapolis, IN | L 0–18 |
| October 4 | Earlham | Southport High School StadiumIndianapolis, IN | W 13–7 |
| October 12 | Manchester | Southport's Roosevelt StadiumIndianapolis, IN | L 12–19 |
| | Rose Poly | | L 7–13 |
| November 2 | Evansville | Southport StadiumIndianapolis, IN | L 0–35 |
| November 9 | at Hanover | Hanover, IN | W 6–0 |

### Indiana State

The 1946 Indiana State Sycamores football team was an American football team that represented Indiana State University as a member of the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) during the 1946 college football season. In its 14th non-consecutive season under head coach Wally Marks, and its first since the end of World War II, the team compiled a 4–4 record (2–4 against IIC opponents) and outscored all opponents by a total of 70 to 59. The team played its home games in Terre Haute, Indiana.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 21 | Illinois State Normal* | Terre Haute, IN | W 13–0 | |
| September 28 | Wabash | Terre Haute, IN | L 0–13 | |
| October 5 | at Butler | Indianapolis, IN | L 7–13 | 7,500 |
| October 12 | Evansville | Terre Haute, IN | L 13–14 | |
| October 19 | at Saint Joseph's (IN) | Rennselaer, IN | L 0–19 | |
| October 26 | at Canterbury | Danville, IN | W 21–0 | |
| November 9 | Eastern Illinois* | Terre Haute, IN | W 13–0 | |
| November 16 | Ball State | Terre Haute, IN | W 3–0 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Manchester

The 1946 Manchester Spartans football team represented Manchester University of North Manchester, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Phili H. Kemmerer, the Spartans compiled a 3–5 record (2–4 against IIC opponents), finished in a tie for tenth place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 120 to 68.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| | Rose Poly | | W 9–7 |
| | Defiance | | L 0–7 |
| | Indiana Central | | W 19–12 |
| | Bluffton | | W 21–0 |
| | Hanover | | L 0–21 |
| November 2 | at Ball State | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | L 6–41 |
| | Franklin | | L 7–13 |
| | Earlham | | L 6–19 |

### DePauw

The 1946 DePauw Tigers football team represented DePauw University of Greencastle, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. In their first and only season under head coach Robert L. Nipper, the Tigers compiled a 1–5–2 record (1–2 against IIC opponents), finished in 12th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 195 to 58.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 28 | Lawrence* | Greencastle, IN | T 19–19 | |
| October 5 | at Illinois State* | McCormick FieldNormal, IL | L 0–18 | |
| October 19 | Butler | Greencastle, IN | L 6–41 | 5,000 |
| | Rochester* | | L 6–32 | |
| | Ohio Wesleyan* | | L 7–46 | |
| | Earlham | | W 13–6 | |
| November 9 | Oberlin* | Greencastle, IN (Old Gold Day) | T 7–7 | 5,000 |
| November 16 | Wabash | Crawfordsville, IN | L 0–26 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Canterbury

The 1946 Canterbury Purple Warriors football team represented Canterbury College of Danville, Indiana, as a member of the IIC. Led by head coach Henry G. Miller, the Purple Warriors compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against IIC opponents), finished in 13th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 140 to 43.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| | Indiana Central | | L 0–6 |
| September 28 | at Ball State | Ball State FieldMuncie, IN | L 6–27 |
| | Cedarville | | L 6–14 |
| October 18 | at Muskingum | McConagha StadiumNew Concord, OH | L 12–32 |
| October 26 | Indiana State | Danville, IN | L 0–21 |
| | Defiance | | L 6–13 |
| | Earlham | | L 6–27 |
| | Hanover | | W 7–9 |

### Rose Poly

The 1946 Rose Poly Engineers football team represented Rose Polytechnic Institute of Terre Haute, Indiana (now known as Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology) as a member of the IIC. In their 16th non-consecutive season under head coach Phil Brown, the Engineers compiled a 1–7–1 record (1–5 against IIC opponents), finished in 14th place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 155 to 46.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| | Manchester | | L 7–9 | |
| | Rio Grande* | | L 6–28 | |
| October 12 | Hanover | Madison, IN | L 0–7 | |
| October 19 | at Wabash | Crawfordsville, IN | L 0–34 | |
| | Indiana Central | | W 13–7 | |
| | Principia* | | T 0–0 | |
| | Cedarville* | | L 14–32 | |
| November 16 | Franklin | | L 0–12 | |
| November 23 | at Earlham | Richmond, IN | L 6–26 | 3,000 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Valparaiso

The 1946 Valparaiso Crusaders football team represented Valparaiso University as a member of the IIC. In their first season under head coach Emory Bauer, the team compiled a 1–7 record (0–3 against IIC opponents), finished in last place in the IIC, and were outscored by a total of 156 to 50.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| | Niagara | | L 0–31 | |
| October 5 | St. Joseph's | Valparaiso, IN | L 0–7 | |
| October 12 | Concordia* | Valparaiso, IN | L 7–28 | |
| October 19 | Ball State | Valparaiso, IN | L 6–20 | 5,000 |
| October 26 | at Eastern Kentucky* | Richmond, KY | L 7–12 | |
| | Hamline | | W 17–7 | |
| November 8 | at Western Michigan | Waldo StadiumKalamazoo, MI | L 13–26 | 3,500 |
| November 16 | at Butler | Butler BowlIndianapolis, IN | L 0–25 | 2,500 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

## All-conference team

The IIC coaches selected a 1946 All-Indiana Conference football team. Conference champion Butler placed four players on the first team: halfback Orville Williams, end Knute Dobkins, tackle Mel Perrone, and center Ott Hurrle. Wabash followed with three players named to the first team: quarterback Frank Roman, fullback J.K. Allerdice, and guard Bill Duchon. Indiana State, despite finishing 10th in the conference, placed two on the first team: halfback Max Woolsey and guard Dick Guyer.
First team
* Quarterback: Frank Roman, Wabash
* Halfback: Orville Williams, Butler; Max Woolsey, Indiana State
* Fullback: J.K. Allerdice, Wabash
* Ends: Mike Patanelli, Ball State; Knute Dobkins, Butler
* Tackles: Mel Perrone, Butler; Bob Hawkins, Evansville
* Guards: Bill Duchon, Wabash; Dick Guyer, Indiana State
* Center: Ott Hurrle, Butler