Gridiron Glory: A Comprehensive Look at the 1945 College Football Season

Introduction

The 1945 college football season stands as a unique chapter in the sport's history. It was the final year significantly shaped by World War II, a conflict that concluded in September of that year but continued to impact team rosters as many top players remained in military service. This situation particularly benefited service academies like Army and Navy, which were bolstered by these talented individuals. Despite the ongoing challenges, the season delivered memorable performances, intense rivalries, and a return to traditional postseason bowl games.

The Shadow of War: Impact on Rosters and Conferences

The 1945 season was heavily influenced by World War II, with many top players in military service, which benefited service academies like Army and Navy. While no major conference expansions or dissolutions took place, several programs in key leagues like the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference (SEC) concluded wartime hiatuses or scaled back operations to resume fuller varsity competition.

In the Big Ten, several schools that had suspended their 1943 football seasons reintegrated into regular conference play by 1945 as military service obligations eased. Program-specific adjustments highlighted the shift back to civilian-led varsity teams, often incorporating returning service personnel. At Indiana University, the Hoosiers resumed full operations under coach Bo McMillin, with players like Russ Deal discharged from Army service in August 1945 and rejoining within weeks, while others such as Howard Brown and Pete Pihos received military leaves to integrate their wartime experience into the roster.

Among independent programs, minor adjustments involved formalizing schedules to reflect post-war stability, as many schools shed temporary service team affiliations and prioritized consistent intercollegiate matchups against civilian opponents.

Army's Undefeated Dynasty

The season was highlighted by Army's undefeated 9-0 campaign. The Cadets outscored opponents 412-46, including a 48-0 shutout of Notre Dame and a 32-13 victory over Navy. Their dominance culminated in a unanimous Associated Press national championship, earning all 116 first-place votes in the final poll.

Doc Blanchard: "Mr. Inside"

Army halfback Doc Blanchard won the Heisman Trophy. He earned the nickname "Mr. Inside" for his punishing runs alongside teammate Glenn Davis, who was known as "Mr. Outside".

Key Games and Defining Moments

The 1945 college football season kicked off in September with several notable opening games that set the tone for the year, particularly highlighting the return of competition amid post-war transitions. On September 15, the Michigan Wolverines secured a decisive 27-2 victory over the Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets, a strong military team coached by Paul Brown and featuring experienced players from various colleges. This win marked Michigan's strong start under coach Fritz Crisler, though it foreshadowed tougher challenges ahead against service academies.

Entering October, the season gained further momentum with standout performances from emerging powerhouses. Army's Cadets, bolstered by veterans like Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard, dominated Michigan 28-7 on October 13 at Yankee Stadium, extending their undefeated streak and drawing early national attention. Navy also asserted itself with shutouts and close wins, while Notre Dame continued its unbeaten run, contributing to the visibility of service academies as frontrunners.

The Associated Press released its inaugural poll of the season on October 9, ranking Army at No. 1, Navy at No. 2, and Notre Dame at No.

As November arrived, the 1945 college football season reached its most intense phase, with top-ranked teams facing critical tests that would define the national championship landscape. The following week, on November 10, Army delivered one of the season's most decisive blows by routing Notre Dame 48-0 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, a contest attended by over 75,000 fans that showcased the Cadets' explosive offense led by Heisman contenders Felix "Doc" Blanchard and Glenn Davis. This shutout not only avenged prior rivalries but also propelled Army further ahead in the polls, as Notre Dame's defense struggled against the Cadets' multifaceted attack.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

The season's climax unfolded on December 1 in the storied Army-Navy rivalry at Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium, where the top-ranked Cadets defeated the second-ranked Midshipmen 32-13 in front of 102,000 spectators, securing Army's ninth straight victory and a flawless 9-0 record. Navy, now 7-1-1, mounted a competitive effort with a second-quarter touchdown but faltered against Army's ground game, which amassed over 300 rushing yards.

Return to Tradition: Postseason Bowl Games

The 1945 college football season marked the return to a full postseason of bowl games featuring traditional college teams, the first such occurrence since 1942, as World War II had previously limited or altered major bowls with the inclusion of military service teams or outright cancellations. This resurgence highlighted the sport's recovery from wartime disruptions, with eight major bowls contested on January 1, 1946, showcasing conference champions and strong independents. The games provided key opportunities for non-AP poll toppers to gain national prominence, such as Oklahoma A&M's dominant performance, while underscoring regional conference strengths in the Southwest, Southeast, and Pacific Coast.

Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. USC

The premier matchup, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, pitted the #2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC champion, 9-0 regular season) against the USC Trojans (Pacific Coast Conference co-champion, 7-3). Alabama secured a decisive 34-14 victory, with quarterback Harry Gilmer earning MVP honors for his 116 rushing yards and a touchdown pass, plus two rushing scores; the Tide's offense amassed 410 total yards, overwhelming USC's defense in front of 102,000 fans.

Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma A&M vs. St. Mary's

In the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans, the #5 Oklahoma A&M Cowboys (Missouri Valley Conference champion and independent powerhouse, 9-0) faced the St. Mary's Gaels (independent, 6-2), resulting in a 33-13 Aggie triumph. Halfback Bob Fenimore starred with 125 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and a passing score, leading Oklahoma A&M to 410 total yards against a gritty St. Mary's squad featuring young talent like Herman Wedemeyer; the victory before 75,000 spectators bolstered claims for the Cowboys as a national title contender.

Cotton Bowl: Texas vs. Missouri

The Cotton Bowl in Dallas featured Southwest Conference champion Texas (10-0) against Big Six co-champion Missouri (6-3), with the Longhorns prevailing 40-27 in a high-scoring affair watched by 55,000. Texas quarterback Claude Arnold threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while fullback Hubert Scoggins added 102 rushing yards and two scores, extending the Longhorns' unbeaten streak.

Other Bowl Games

Other notable bowls included the Gator Bowl, where Wake Forest (5-3-1, Southern Conference) defeated South Carolina (2-7) 26-14; the Oil Bowl, with Georgia (4-5-1, SEC) topping Tulsa (7-3, MVC) 20-6; the Raisin Bowl, featuring Drake (6-1-2, independent) narrowly beating Fresno State (6-2, independent) 13-12; and the Sun Bowl, where New Mexico (5-5-1, independent) outlasted Denver (5-4-1, Mountain States) 34-24. These contests reflected the competitive depth of mid-major and independent programs in the postwar era.

Bowl Game	Date	Teams	Score	Attendance	Notes
Rose Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	#2 Alabama (SEC) vs. USC (PCC)	Alabama 34-14	102,000	MVP: Harry Gilmer (Alabama); Alabama undefeated.
Sugar Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	#5 Oklahoma A&M (MVC) vs. St. Mary's (Ind.)	Oklahoma A&M 33-13	75,000	Star: Bob Fenimore (Oklahoma A&M, 2 TDs).
Cotton Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	Texas (SWC) vs. Missouri (Big Six)	Texas 40-27	55,000	Texas extends unbeaten streak to 11 games.
Orange Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	Miami (Fla.) (Ind.) vs. Holy Cross (Ind.)	Miami 13-6	38,000	Defensive battle; Miami holds opponents under 100 yards.
Gator Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	Wake Forest (SoCon) vs. South Carolina (SoCon)	Wake Forest 26-14	9,000	Wake Forest's first bowl win.
Oil Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	Georgia (SEC) vs. Tulsa (MVC)	Georgia 20-6	15,000	Georgia avenges regular-season loss.
Raisin Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	Drake (Ind.) vs. Fresno State (Ind.)	Drake 13-12	15,000	Last-second field goal decides thriller.
Sun Bowl	Jan. 1, 1946	New Mexico (Ind.) vs. Denver (Mountain States)	New Mexico 34-24	N/A	N/A

Conference Champions

In the 1945 college football season, major conferences showcased strong competition amid the return of players following World War II, with undefeated or near-perfect records defining several champions. The Big Ten, Southeastern Conference (SEC), Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), Southern Conference, and Southwest Conference (SWC) emerged as particularly influential, producing national contenders and influencing bowl invitations.

Big Ten: Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana captured the Big Ten title with an undefeated conference mark, clinching the championship through victories over rivals like Michigan and Ohio State, while their sole tie came against Northwestern. This performance earned them national recognition but no bowl berth due to conference rules at the time.

SEC: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama dominated the SEC with a perfect conference record, securing the unanimous title via decisive wins over Tennessee, Georgia, and LSU, which propelled them to the Rose Bowl against PCC champion USC. Their undefeated season underscored the conference's strength in producing elite teams.

PCC: USC Trojans

USC claimed the PCC championship with the best conference winning percentage, highlighted by wins over UCLA and California, despite a tougher overall schedule that included non-conference losses; this title qualified them for the Rose Bowl, where they fell to Alabama. Northern division teams like Washington State posted strong intra-division records but did not surpass USC's percentage.

Southern Conference: Duke Blue Devils

Duke secured the Southern Conference crown undefeated in league play, with shutouts and narrow victories over Clemson and North Carolina State affirming their dominance; their strong showing contributed to national rankings but did not lead to a major bowl appearance.

SWC: Texas Longhorns

Texas won the SWC title with a 5-1 conference record, securing the championship with key wins including a 40-27 Cotton Bowl victory over Missouri, finishing 10-1 overall and earning national recognition.

Independent Success: Army and Oklahoma A&M

The 1945 college football season featured several prominent independent teams that achieved notable success, contributing to the national landscape amid postwar roster recoveries.

Army Cadets

Army, operating as an independent, compiled a perfect 9-0 record under head coach Red Blaik, outscoring opponents 412-46 and earning consensus national championship recognition for their dominant performance, including victories over top-ranked foes like Notre Dame (48-0) and Navy (32-13).

Navy Midshipmen

Navy also excelled as an independent with a 7-1-1 mark, coached by Oscar Hagberg, highlighted by shutouts against Villanova (49-0), Duke (21-0), and Penn State (28-0) before their lone loss to Army.

Missouri Valley Conference: Oklahoma A&M Cowboys

Among minor conferences, the Missouri Valley Conference showcased Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) as its standout, going 9-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play to claim the title under coach Jim Lookabaugh; the Cowboys later received retroactive national championship honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) for their undefeated campaign and 33-13 Sugar Bowl victory over St. Mary's. Quarterback Bob Fenimore, a consensus All-American, led the nation in total offense (1,641 yards) and rushing (1,119 yards), powering the team's explosive attack that averaged 31.7 points per game.

Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association: New Mexico Lobos

In the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, schedules were limited due to wartime disruptions, but New Mexico emerged with a strong 6-1-1 overall record (1-0-1 conference) under coach Willis Barnes, securing a Sun Bowl berth with a 34-24 win over Denver before tying Southwestern Louisiana 7-7. Arizona, technically affiliated but playing no conference games, posted a perfect 5-0 mark under coach Mike Casteel, outscoring opponents 161-73 in non-conference action.

These independent and minor conference results added depth to national title discussions, with undefeated squads like Army and Oklahoma A&M vying for top honors alongside major conference powers.

The AP Poll and National Championship

The Associated Press (AP) Poll, which had been ranking college football teams since 1936, resumed weekly releases during the 1945 season after a wartime hiatus in comprehensive polling. The first poll of the year appeared on October 9, 1945, following the second week of games, and continued weekly thereafter through the end of the regular season on December 2. In the final AP Poll, released prior to the bowl games, Army earned unanimous support as the No. 1 team with all 116 first-place votes, capping a dominant 9-0 season. Alabama finished second after an undefeated 9-0 regular season, while Navy placed third despite a late loss to Army.

Other contemporary ranking systems, such as the Litkenhous Ratings, also crowned Army as the national No. 1, aligning closely with the AP Poll in recognizing the service academies' dominance. The AP Poll's methodology in 1945 relied entirely on subjective input from over 100 voters, primarily sports writers and editors from across the country, who ranked their top 10 teams each week. Points were awarded on a 10-to-1 scale (10 for No. 1 down to 1 for No.

National Championship Controversy

The 1945 college football national championship was claimed by Army, which finished the season undefeated at 9-0 and earned unanimous support as the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press (AP) poll, receiving all 116 first-place votes. Army was recognized as the consensus national champion by all nine contemporary major selectors, including the AP, Dickinson System, Dunkel System, Houlgate System, Poling System, Boand System, Williamson System, Helms Athletic Foundation, and the Football Thesaurus.

Alabama also garnered minor contemporary claims to the title, finishing 10-0 after defeating USC 34-14 in the Rose Bowl and ranking No. 2 in the final AP poll. Three selectors-the National Championship Foundation (split with Army), the Sagarin Ratings, and the Billingsley Report-awarded Alabama a share or full title, citing its perfect record and strong Southeastern Conference championship.

Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) posted a 9-0 record, including a 33-13 Sugar Bowl victory over No. 7 St. Mary's, and finished No. 5 in the AP poll, but received no contemporary national championship recognition.

Disputes over the title arose from the absence of a playoff system, with championships determined by subjective polls conducted before postseason bowls and mathematical systems that varied in methodology. Bowls like the Rose and Sugar provided additional context but did not influence final poll standings, leading to debates about whether Alabama's or Oklahoma A&M's bowl performances warranted greater consideration over Army's unbeaten regular season.

Historically, Army's championship remains widely accepted as the consensus outcome, with the NCAA officially recognizing it via the AP poll.

Oklahoma A&M's Undefeated Season and Bob Fenimore

Coached by Jim Lookabaugh, the 1945 Oklahoma A&M roster included seven veterans of World War II. Bob Fenimore was a consensus All-American who led the nation in both rushing and total offense and also ranked in the top 15 nationally in rushing yards, passing yards, scoring and punting. Teammate Neill Armstrong also earned All-America status that year by the Associated Press.

Oklahoma A&M’s (now Oklahoma State) 1945 season ranks as the best in history of the school, as well as one of the best in the history of college football. Fenimore’s play was legendary and the numbers speak for themselves. In OAMC’s undefeated 1945 season, he was the national leader in both total offense (1,641), and rushing (1,119), while ranking seventh in punting (39.0), and 13th in scoring (72). With Fenimore leading the way, the Aggies put together a season that is undoubtedly worthy of a national title.

The Aggies opened the year on the road with contests at Arkansas and then at Denver. In fact, the Aggies played their first five games of the season away from their home field in Stillwater. When they finally did play their first home game, the Aggies were met with the 5-1, highly-ranked Tulsa Hurricane, but again came away with the victory. After going 8-0 in the regular season behind Fenimore’s stellar play, the Aggies earned an invitation to the Sugar Bowl to face a talented group from St. Mary’s.

The 1945 Aggies team finished 9-0, winning by an average of 23.2 points. The squad still holds numerous school records today, including fewest points allowed, lowest average points allowed, fewest first downs allowed, fewest rushing yards allowed and fewest yards allowed per game.

A&M standout Bob Fenimore ran for 1,173 yards (the most among the top eight in 1945 Heisman voting) and 15 touchdowns (second among Heisman finalists), while also throwing for 666 passing yards and nabbing 7 interceptions while playing on defense.

One year after Oklahoma A&M dominated TCU in the Cotton Bowl, the Aggies completed an undefeated season by topping St.

On New Year’s Day, 1946, Oklahoma State (then Oklahoma A&M) scored a 33-13 win over St. Coached by Jim Lookabaugh, Oklahoma A&M was the bigger and more experienced squad, but St. Mary’s countered with a flashy offense rooted in deception that helped to mitigate the Aggie advantage. Both teams had All-Americans, with Bob Fenimore and Neill Armstrong leading Oklahoma A&M and Herman Wedemeyer leading St.

“We may have been the best team in the country that year,” Armstrong said. “We had a couple of All-Americans and a group of veterans who kept us in check. In practice, we scrimmaged every day. As hard as those scrimmages were, it’s a wonder that we had anything left for the games, but those scrimmages toughened us and made us better.

“Our mindset going into the Sugar Bowl and in general was that you better work hard if you’re going to gain anything,” Armstrong added.

As Armstrong referenced, with World War II ending less than a month prior to the start of the season, Oklahoma A&M’s roster included seven war veterans who went head-to-head against a St. Mary’s squad that had an average age of 18 ½.

“We played in the Cotton Bowl the year before and we knew what a big, important bowl game was like,” Armstrong said. “We knew what to expect. Coach Lookabaugh got everyone ready. Even still, it was St.

On the very next possession, Wedemeyer dashed for 24 yards, then lateralled to guard Carl DeSalvo, who took the ball the final 20 yards into the end zone. That play was indicative of the style of offense that St. Mary’s ran.

“(Wedemeyer) was the key man in practically every play, many of which pulled in from three to five players to handle the ball. On one play, for instance, Wedemeyer passed to end Ed Ryan, who lateralled to O’Connor, who lateralled to tackle Al Beasley - all of which was good for 33 yards. Not only did St.

“(Wedemeyer) was good,” Armstrong said.

With just one point separating the two teams coming out of the break, Fenimore made a game-changing play when he returned a punt to the St.

“Fenimore one of best I’ve ever seen,” Armstrong said. “He could run the ball and throw it. We’d take the run to the strong side and then run him back to the weak side. He had all the ability, all the speed and all the moves. Perhaps the most important play of the game came in the fourth quarter, when Wedemeyer slipped while trying to punt and missed the ball completely. Armstrong and Aggie teammate Terry Monroe recovered the miscue at the St.

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