1946 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1946 Nebraska Cornhuskers football Big Six Conference Big 6 3–6 3–2 Bernie Masterson 1st T formation Memorial Stadium The 1946 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Nebraska as a member of the Big Six Conference during the 1946 college football season. In their first year under head coach Bernie Masterson, the Cornhuskers compiled a 3–6 record (3–2 against Big 6 opponents) and were outscored by a total of 161 to 126.1946 Nebraska Cornhuskers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football May 12, 2022 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/nebraska/1946-schedule.html Six Nebraska players received honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press (UP) on the 1946 All-Big Six Conference football team: back Thoma Novak (AP-1, UP-2); back Dick Hutton (AP-2, UP-1); back Sam Vacanti (AP-2, UP-2); tackle Carl Samuelson (AP-2, UP-2); guard Ed Schwartzkopf (AP-2, UP-3); and center Joe Partington (UP-3).Four Sooners, Three Tigers, Three Jayhawks on All-Big 6 Moberly Monitor-Index November 29, 1946 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103651051/four-sooners-three-tigers-three/ Newspapers.comOklahoma Lands Four on All-Big Six First Team; Kansas Places Three Men Seminole Producer December 2, 1946 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103651368/oklahoma-lands-four-on-all-big-six/ Newspapers.com Nebraska was ranked at No. 67 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit Dr. E. E. Litkenhous The Knoxville News-Sentinel December 15, 1946 B4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123020754/rice-rated-fifth-best-tennessee-12th/ Newspapers.com The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before the season After the unexpected departure of head coach George Clark after just one year, Nebraska athletic director and former head coach Adolph J. Lewandowski hired Bernie Masterson, considered well-learned in running the T formation offense popular at the time. Masterson retained only one of Clark's assistant coaches, yet brought back former Nebraska head football coach Glenn Presnell as an assistant with his new staff. After the remarkable turnaround of Nebraska's fortunes in 1945, the Cornhuskers looked to continue their climb up from the depths of the war years. Schedule 1946 AP Central y y y September 28 2:00 p.m. at Minnesota<ncg> Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN (rivalry) L 6–33 51,093 Faunce Leads Gophers in 33 to 6 Victory: Minnesota Air Attack Clicks Minneapolis Sunday Tribune Charles Johnson September 29, 1946 Sports 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101596218/faunce-leads-gophers-in-33-to-6/ Newspapers.com May 10, 2022 October 5 2:00 p.m. Kansas State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) W 31–0 35,553 Huskers 'T' Off With 31–0 Victory: Dick Hutton Tops In Kaggie Defeat Sunday Journal and Star Lincoln, Nebraska Walt Dobbins October 6, 1946 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4743290/1946-nebraska-kansas-state-part-1/ Newspapers.com October 12 2:00 p.m. at Iowa<ncg> Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA (rivalry) L 7–21 30,500 Iowa Drops Huskers, 21–7: Stubborn Foe Carries Fight To Hawkeyes; Smith, Tunnell Star; Hoerner Hurt The Des Moines Register Bert McGrane October 13, 1946 1S, 2S https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101591624/iowa-drops-huskers-21-7-stubborn-foe/ Newspapers.com May 10, 2022 October 19 2:00 p.m. at Kansas Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS (rivalry) W 16–14 33,000 Huskers Cut K. U. String Nebraska Powers Way To 16–14 Victory To Hand Kansas First Loss; Sam Vacanti's Fourth Period Field Goal Settles Issue In Bitter Big Six Battle The Manhattan Mercury October 20, 1946 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101687452/huskers-cut-k-u-string-nebraska/ Newspapers.com October 26 2:00 p.m. Indiana<ncg> Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE L 7–27 36,200 Hoosiers Overpower Huskers, 27 to 7: Big Ben Terrific In Rout The Nebraska State Journal Norris Anderson October 27, 1946 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100874180/hoosiers-overpower-huskers-27-to-7/ Newspapers.com November 2 2:00 p.m. Missouri<hc> Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) L 20–21 34,000 Cornhuskers' Comeback Falls Point Short 21–20 The Nebraska State Journal Walt Dobbins November 3, 1946 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101712163/cornhuskers-comeback-falls-point-short/ Newspapers.com November 16 2:00 p.m. Iowa State Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry) W 33–0 25,749 Huskers Bump I.S. 33–0: Metheny Scores Twice for N.U. Sunday Journal and Star Lincoln, Nebraska Norris Anderson November 17, 1946 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101712875/huskers-bump-is-33-0-metheny-scores/ Newspapers.com November 23 2:00 p.m. at No. 18 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (rivalry) L 6–27 25,000 Sooners Trounce Huskers 27 to 6: Oklahoma Clinches Championship Split; 25,000 See Game The Norman Transcript Glenn P. Bradley November 24, 1946 1, 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100721033/sooners-trounce-huskers-27-to-6/ Newspapers.com April 29, 2022 November 30 4:00 p.m. at No. 4 UCLA<ncg> Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA L 0–18 52,558 Bruins 18 Huskers 0: Bruins Beat Huskers, 18–0, for 10th Win: Crowd of 52,588 Sees Uclans Complete First Perfect Grid Season Los Angeles Times Al Wolf December 1, 1946 I-14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100677136/bruins-18-huskers-0-bruins-beat/ Newspapers.com Roster 18em #46 E Bunker, Willard #62 E Cochrane, Alex #28 FB Collopy, Frank #40 G Deviney, Robert #34 T DiBiase, Michael #14 QB Fischer, Cletus 00 C Gade, Gail #39 T Hall, Gordon #32 E Hazen, Jack #71 E Hopp, Wallace #66 HB Hutton, Richard 00 G Jacupke, Gerald #52 G Leik, Francis #27 G Lipps, Robert #15 HB Long, Roy #53 G Lorenz, Fred #73 E Mandula, Francis 0000 McWilliams, James #36 QB Metheny, Fred #42 HB Moomey, William #11 FB Moore, Gerald #70 FB Myers, James #68 FB Novak, Tom #44 E Nyden, Ed #20 QB Partington, Joe #50 E Pesek, Jack #18 HB Rooney, Patrick #55 E Samuelson, Carl #41 E Schleiger, Robert #17 G Schwartzkopf, Ed #24 T Sedlacek, John #61 T Stiner, Vernon #30 HB Stroud, Harvey #54 C Taylor, James #63 T Tegt, Robert #13 QB Thompson, Richard #57 C Thomson, James #33 QB Vacanti, Sam #37 G Wilkins, Frank http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&Q_SEASON=1946 https://web.archive.org/web/20120302182756/http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&Q_SEASON=1946 dead March 2, 2012 Nebraska Football 1946 Roster 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Athletics Department Coaching staff Name Title First yearin this position Years at Nebraska Alma materBernie MastersonHead coach19461946–1947Ray ProchaskaAssistant coach19461946–1948, 1950–1954NebraskaGlenn Presnell 19461938–1942, 1946NebraskaL. F. "Pop" KleinAssistant coach19451945–1958Gomer Jones 19461946Ohio StateB. Kahler 19461946Gerald Kathol 19461946http://www.huskermax.com/coaches.html Nebraska head coaches 2010-03-01 HuskerMax https://web.archive.org/web/20100308010749/http://huskermax.com/coaches.html 8 March 2010 livehttp://www.huskermax.com/coaches/assistants.html Assistant coaches 2010-03-01 HuskerMaxhttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=268 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 268) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Librarieshttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=269 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 269) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Game summaries Minnesota Nebraska at Minnesota Nebraska 6 Minnesota 33 September 28 Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis 51,096 It was another in a long string of disappointing losses as Nebraska once again was overmatched and outplayed by longtime nemesis Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Cornhuskers managed a single touchdown to avoid the shutout, but found that implementing coach Masterson's schemes would be a work in progress. It was the sixth win in a row in the series for the Golden Gophers, as they extended their mastery over Nebraska to 22–4–2.http://www.huskermax.com/1940s.html The 1940s 2010-03-01 HuskerMaxhttp://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=270 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 270) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Kansas State Kansas State at Nebraska Kansas State 0 Nebraska 31 October 5 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 35,553 Every player on the Nebraska roster saw playing time as the Cornhuskers easily bounced the Wildcats in the Lincoln home opener. Kansas State never found the scoreboard while also failing to prevent Nebraska from putting points up in all four quarters. It was Nebraska's fourth straight win over the Wildcats as they improved to 25–4–2 all time.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=271 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 271) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Iowa Nebraska at Iowa Nebraska 7 0 0 0 Iowa 0 14 0 7 October 12 Iowa Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa 30,500 Iowa brought the Cornhuskers to Iowa City for Nebraska's second non-conference game of the year, and dealt a blow to the Cornhuskers with the help of repeated Nebraska miscues. Although Iowa allowed the first points of the game to be scored by Nebraska, the rest of the day belonged to the Hawkeyes. The Cornhuskers could have made it a game, but fumbles and stalled drives were too much to overcome, and their series lead slipped to 24–11–3.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=272 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 272) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Kansas Nebraska at Kansas Nebraska 0 7 6 3 Kansas 0 0 7 7 October 19 Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, Kansas In front of a Kansas homecoming crowd in Lawrence, the Cornhuskers played a back and forth game against the Jayhawks, but once holding the lead, kept their advantage to the end and locked in their 40th all-time decision over the disappointed home team. A late fourth-quarter touchdown allowed Kansas to narrow the final margin, but could not prevent the Cornhuskers from securing their second series win in a row and improving to 40–10–3 all time.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=273 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 273) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Indiana Indiana at Nebraska Indiana 0 14 0 13 Nebraska 0 0 7 0 October 26 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska Reigning Big 9 champion Indiana arrived in Lincoln to provide Nebraska's second major challenge of the season. By halftime the Cornhuskers had not yet scored and lagged by 14 points, but halved the gap shortly after the break. The Hoosiers were not seriously threatened by the lone Nebraska score as they subsequently rolled off another thirteen points to pull away and improve to 6–3–2 over the Cornhuskers, their sixth straight win in the series. Indiana went on to finish the season 6–3 and ranked 20th by the AP Poll,http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=274 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 274) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Missouri Missouri at Nebraska Missouri 21 Nebraska 20 November 2 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 34,000 Missouri–Nebraska football rivalryMissouri was the target for the 1946 Nebraska homecoming fray, and an impressive contest was held by both squads as they battled up and down the field. Missouri initially succeeded while the Cornhuskers struggled to create progress, but with just seconds left in the first half Missouri allowed a score that denied them the first half shutout. The conversion kick after went wide, and the one missed point would ultimately decide the game. Nebraska was driving late with under five minutes to go but finally went three and out, and the Tigers then ran the clock out to escape with the one point win. Nebraska's hold on the series overall remained strong at 24–13–3.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=275 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 275) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Iowa State Iowa State at Nebraska Iowa State 0 0 0 0 Nebraska 6 13 7 7 November 16 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska 25,749 The Cyclones were dominated by an effective attack by ground and air at Memorial Stadium, and also by several of their own miscues. With points scored in all four quarters by the Cornhuskers, Iowa State simply fell before the onslaught and never overcame the momentum to avoid a shutout defeat. Nebraska's ownership of the series advanced to 31–8–1.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=276 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 276) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries Oklahoma Nebraska at #18 Oklahoma Nebraska 6 #18 Oklahoma 27 November 23 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma Nebraska–Oklahoma football rivalryFor the first time in five years, Nebraska had a chance at the Big 6 championship, as both squads entered their last Big 6 game with 3–1 league records. Oklahoma, however, was highly favored, and ranked #18 upon the arrival of the Cornhuskers in Norman. At first, the Cornhuskers made it a game, keeping up with the Sooners at 6–7, but Oklahoma quickly shut down all further Nebraska efforts and ran away with the game to hand Nebraska their 30th Big 6 league loss of all time. Oklahoma clinched the Big 6 title, went on to finish the season 7–3 overall, and earned a final #14 ranking from the AP Poll.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=277 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 277) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries UCLA Nebraska at #4 UCLA Nebraska 0 #4 UCLA 18 November 30 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles 52,558 This was the first time Nebraska had met UCLA on the field, and the Bruins marked the event by handing down the first shutout loss of the season to the Cornhusker squad. Nebraska made several key defensive plays to slow UCLA's offensive machine, but it was impossible to turn away all attacks and the undefeated Bruins eventually put in eighteen points on the day. UCLA finished 1946 at 10–0, ranked #4, and participated in the 1947 Rose Bowl, losing the decision 45–14 to Illinois.http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1947&page=278 1947 Cornhusker – University of Nebraska Yearbook (Page 278) 2010-03-01 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries After the season Coach Masterson's first season did not measure up to expectations, though some of the disappointments could be attributed to the installation of yet another new coach's schemes, as Masterson was the fifth head coach at Nebraska in just the past ten years. The brief ray of hope for a resurgence under previous coach Clark's one year in 1945 seemed dimmer, but there was still reason to hope. Masterson's first year team moved Nebraska backwards overall, to 312–133–31 (.688), but improved the league record slightly to 116–30–11 (.774). NFL draft 1947 NFL draft The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Cornhusker was selected.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1947/draft.htm 1947 NFL Draft Listing Pro-Football-Reference.com November 29, 2020 Nebraska Cornhuskers Round Pick Player Position NFL Club 10 83 Carl Samuelson Defensive tackle Los Angeles Rams References Nebraska Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football seasons Nebraska Cornhuskers football