The 1946 Ohio Athletic Conference football season was the season of

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

played by the 21 member schools of the

Ohio Athletic Conference The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. All member institutions are located in Ohio. Formed in 1902, it is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States ...

(OAC), commonly referred to as the "Ohio Conference", as part of the

1946 college football season The 1946 college football season was the 78th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six ...

. The Otterbein Cardinals, in their first season under head coach George Novotny, won the OAC championship with a 7–1 record (5–0 against OAC opponents). The Cardinals shut out four opponents and gave up an average of only 4.75 points per game. Two Otterbein players (halfback Paul Davis and center Ralph Pickelsimer) were selected as first-team players on the 1946 All-Ohio Conference team. The

Toledo Rockets The Toledo Rockets are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The ...

, led by first-year head coach

Bill Orwig James Wilfred "Bill" Orwig (January 1, 1907 – July 30, 1994) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football and college basketball at the University of Michigan. He later ...

, finished in second place with a 6–2–2 record (4–0 against OAC opponents), including a victory over

Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Elli ...

in the first annual

Glass Bowl The Glass Bowl is a stadium in Toledo, Ohio. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the American football team of the University of Toledo Rockets. It is located on the school's Bancroft campus, just south of the b ...

game. Three of the conference's head coaches, each serving their first year as a college head coach, were later inducted into the

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American college football coach and player. He served as the head football coach at Denison University from 1946 to 1948, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1949 to 195 ...

at Denison, Paul Hoernemann at

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

, and Ed Sherman at Muskingum.

Conference overview

Teams

Otterbein

The 1946 Otterbein Cardinals football team represented

Otterbein University Otterbein University is a private university in Westerville, Ohio, United States. The university was founded in 1847 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and named for United Brethren founder, Philip William Otterbein. It has been as ...

. In their first season under head coach George Novotny, the Cardinals compiled a 7–1 record (5–0 against OAC opponent), won the OAC championship, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 278 to 38. Halfback Paul Davis and center Ralph Pickelsimer were named to the 1946 All-OAC football team.

Toledo

In their first season under head coach

, the Rockets compiled a 6–2–2 record, outscored their opponents by a combined total of 200 to 132, and defeated

, 21–12, in the first postseason Glass Bowl game.

Oberlin

The 1946 Oberlin Yeomen football team represented

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin () is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located about southwest of Cleveland within the Cleveland metropolitan area. The population was 8,555 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin ...

. In their 17th season under head coach Lysle K. Butler, the Cardinals compiled a 4–2–1 record (2–0 against OAC opponents), finished in third place in the OAC, and outscored all opponents by a total of 136 to 46.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 206.

Muskingum

The 1946 Muskingum Fighting Muskies football team represented

Muskingum University Muskingum University is a private university in New Concord, Ohio, United States. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). New Concord is located in far eastern Muskingum County, ...

New Concord, Ohio New Concord () is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,361 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Zanesville micropolitan area. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of t ...

. In their second season under head coach Ed Sherman, the Fighting Muskies compiled a 5–3–1 record (4–0–1 against OAC opponents), finished in fourth place in the OAC, and outscored all opponents by a total of 122 to 115.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 200.

Baldwin–Wallace

The 1946 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football team represented

Baldwin Wallace University Baldwin Wallace University (BW) is a private university in Berea, Ohio, United States. Established in 1845 as Baldwin Institute by Methodist businessman John Baldwin, it merged with nearby German Wallace College in 1913 to become Baldwin-Wallace ...

Berea, Ohio Berea ( ) is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,545 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A western suburb of Cleveland, it is a part of the Greater Cleveland, Cleveland metropolitan area. Berea is home ...

. In their 19th season under head coach Ray E. Watts, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 4–2–2 record (4–1 against OAC opponents), finished in fifth place in the OAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 163 to 73.

Mount Union

The 1946 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team represented the

University of Mount Union The University of Mount Union is a private liberal arts university in Alliance, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1846, the university was affiliated with the Methodist Church until 2019. It had an enrollment of 2,100 students as of 2023. History ...

Alliance, Ohio Alliance is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It was established in 1854 by the merger of three smaller communities and was a manufacturing and railroad hub in t ...

. In their second season under head coach

Pete Pederson Willard Merrill "Pete" Pederson (October 28, 1910 – September 8, 1982) was an American college football and college basketball coach as well as a professional basketball player. Professionally, he played in the National Basketball League (Unite ...

, the Purple Raiders compiled a 7–1–1 record (5–1–1 against OAC opponents), finished in sixth place in the OAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 127 to 51.

Findlay

The 1946 Findlay Oilers football team represented the

University of Findlay The University of Findlay (UF) is a private Christian university in Findlay, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1882 through a joint partnership between the Churches of God General Conference and the city of Findlay. UF has nearly 80 ...

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in Hancock County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. Its population was 40,313 at the 2020 United Sta ...

. Led by head coach Nelson M. Jones, the Oilers compiled a 6–2 record (3–1 against OAC opponents), finished in a tie for seventh place in the OAC, shut out five of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 209 to 25.

Marietta

The 1946 Marietta Pioneers football team represented the

Marietta College Marietta College (MC) is a private liberal arts college in Marietta, Ohio, United States. Its campus encompasses approximately six city blocks next to downtown Marietta and enrolls 1,200 students. History Marietta College began as the Muskin ...

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

. Led by head coach Leonard Barnum, the Pioneers compiled a 3–4 record (3–1 against OAC opponents), finished in a tie for seventh place in the OAC, scored 68 point, and gave up 68 points.

Heidelberg

The 1946 Heidelberg Student Princes football team represented the

Heidelberg University Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest unive ...

Tiffin, Ohio Tiffin is a city in Seneca County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Developed along the Sandusky River, Tiffin is located about southeast of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. The population was 17,953 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

. In their first season under head coach Paul Hoernemann, the Student Princes compiled a 5–2–1 record (5–2–1 against OAC opponents), finished in ninth place in the OAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 100 to 68.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 182.

Kent State

In their first season under head coach

Trevor J. Rees Trevor J. Rees (October 22, 1913 – January 2, 1999) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. Rees was born on October 22, 1913, in Dover, Ohio. He attended Dover High School (Dover, Ohio), Dover High School, ...

, the Golden Flashes compiled a 6–2 record and ranked fourth nationally among small-college teams with an average of 349.1 yards per game in total offense. They also ranked fourth nationally in total defense, giving up an average of only 115.1 yards per game.

Akron

In their first season under head coach

Paul Baldacci Paul Ruppert Baldacci (January 25, 1907 – November 1, 1984) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Akron in Ohio from 1946 to 1947, compiling a record of 7–10. Baldacci was born i ...

, the Zippers compiled a 5–4 record and were outscored by a total of 134 to 122.

Wittenberg

The 1946 Wittenberg Tigers football team represented the

Wittenberg University Wittenberg University (officially Wittenberg College) is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio. It has 1,326 full-time students drawn from 33 states and 9 foreign countries. Wittenberg University is associated with the Evangelical ...

Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...

. Led by head coach H.E. Maurer, the Tigers compiled a 3–5 record (3–4 against OAC opponents), finished in a tie for 11th place in the OAC, and were outscored opponents by a total of 105 to 87.

Ashland

The 1946 Ashland Eagles football team represented

Ashland University Ashland University is a private university in Ashland, Ohio, United States. The university consists of a main campus and several off-campus centers throughout central and northern Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern U ...

Ashland, Ohio Ashland is a city in Ashland County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is approximately 66 miles southwest of Cleveland. The population was 19,225 at the 2020 census. It is the center of the Ashland Micropolitan statistical area, wh ...

. Led by head coach George Donges, the Tigers compiled a 2–5–1 record (2–3–1 against OAC opponents), finished in 13th place in the OAC, and were outscored opponents by a total of 114 to 57.

Wooster

The 1946 Wooster Fighting Scots football team represented the

College of Wooster {{Infobox university , image = College of Wooster seal.png , image_upright = .6 , name = The College of Wooster , former_names = University of Wooster (1866–1915) , motto ...

Wooster, Ohio Wooster ( ) is a city in Wayne County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Ohio, the city lies approximately south-southwest of Cleveland, southwest of Akron and west of Canton. The population was 27,232 at the ...

. Led by head coach John M. Swigart, the Fighting Scots compiled a 2–4–2 record (2–4–2 against OAC opponents), finished in 14th place in the OAC, and were outscored opponents by a total of 115 to 85.

Denison

The 1946 Denison Big Red football team represented

Denison University Denison University is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio, United States. One of the earliest colleges established in the former Northwest Territory, Denison University was founded in 1831. It was first called ...

Granville, Ohio Granville is a Village (United States)#Ohio, village in Licking County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,946 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. The village is located in a rural area of hills, known locally as the Welsh Hills ...

. The Big Red compiled a 2–6 record (2–4 against OAC opponents), finished in 15th place in the OAC, and was outscored by a total of 136 to 89.

, at age 33, was hired as Denison's head coach in March 1946. It was his first collegiate head coaching job. He had been a high school coach before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and served as athletic officer at the Naval Academy in 1942. In the final

Litkenhous Ratings The Litkenhous Difference by Score Ratings system was a mathematical system used to rank football and basketball teams. The Litrating system was developed by Vanderbilt University professor Edward E. Litkenhous (1907 – December 22, 1984) and his ...

released in mid-December, Denison was ranked at No. 142 out of 500 college football teams.

John Carroll

The 1946 John Carroll Blue Streaks football team represented

John Carroll University John Carroll University (JCU) is a Private university, private Jesuit university in University Heights, Ohio, United States. Located in a suburb of Cleveland, it is primarily an undergraduate, liberal arts college, liberal arts institution compo ...

University Heights, Ohio University Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,914 as of the 2020 Census. Located from downtown Cleveland, it is a suburb of the Cleveland metropolitan area. University Heights is closely tied to ne ...

. In their first year under head coach Eugene Oberst, the Blue Streaks compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against OAC opponents), finished in a tie for 16th place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 150 to 70.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 186.

Case

The 1946 Case Rough Riders football team represented Case School of Applied Science (now part of

Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a Private university, private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology. Case ...

). In their 17th year under head coach Ray A. Ride, the Rough Riders compiled a 2–7 record (1–4 against OAC opponents), finished in a tie for 16th place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 190 to 77.

Kenyon

The 1946 Kenyon Lords football team represented

Kenyon College Kenyon College ( ) is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1824 by Episcopal Bishop Philander Chase. It is the oldest private instituti ...

Gambier, Ohio Gambier ( ) is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,213 at the 2020 census. Gambier is the home of Kenyon College. History Gambier was laid out in 1824. The village was named after one of Kenyon College's early ...

. Led by head coach D.C. Henderson, the Lords compiled a 1–7 record (1–5 against OAC opponents), finished in 18th place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 130 to 44.

Capital

The 1946 Capital Crusaders football team represented

Capital University Capital University (Capital, Cap, or CU) is a private university in Bexley, Ohio, United States. Capital was founded as the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio, Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio in 1830 and ...

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. Led by head coach Dale Rose, the Crusaders compiled a 1–6 record (1–6 against OAC opponents), finished in 19th place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 155 to 39.

Ohio Northern

The 1946 Ohio Northern Polar Bears football team represented

Ohio Northern University Ohio Northern University (Ohio Northern or ONU) is a private college in Ada, Ohio, United States. Founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871, ONU offers over 60 programs across five undergraduate and graduate colleges and is affiliated with the Unit ...

Ada, Ohio Ada ( ) is a village in Hardin County, Ohio, United States, located about southwest of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 5,334. It is the home of Ohio Northern University. History Followi ...

. Led by head coach Millard Murphy, the Polar Bears compiled a 3–6 record (0–6 against OAC opponents), finished in 20th place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 130 to 108.

Wilmington

The 1946 Wilmington Quakers football team represented Wilmington College of

Wilmington, Ohio Wilmington is a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 12,664 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Micropolitan statistical area, Wilmington micropolitan area ...

. Led by head coach Harold S. Shelly, the Quakers compiled a 0–5 record (0–2 against OAC opponents), finished in last place in the OAC, and were outscored by a total of 108 to 18.

All-conference team

The

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

selected a 1946 All-Ohio Conference football team consisting of the following players: * Backs: Kenneth Funk, Ashland; Paul Davis, Otterbein; Lee Tressell, Baldwin-Wallace; Vince Marotta Mount Union * Ends: Joe Papp, Akron; McKey Thomas, Baldwin-Wallace * Tackles: Ted Zuchowski, Toledo; Owen Ziebold, Findlay * Guards: Frank Mesek, Kent State; Art Burton, Findlay * Center: Ralph Pickeleseimer, Otterbein

References

{{Ohio Athletic Conference football navbox Ohio Athletic Conference football