1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football 1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.jpg 285 Big Nine Conference Big Nine 5 8–2 6–1 Ray Eliot 5th Alex Agase Mac Wenskunas Memorial Stadium Big Nine championRose Bowl champion Rose Bowl W 45–14 vs. UCLA The 1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Nine Conference during the 1946 Big Nine season. In their fifth year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8–2 record (6–1 in conference games), won the Big Nine championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 217 to 105. They were ranked No. 5 in the final AP poll and concluded the season with a 45–14 victory over No. 4 UCLA in the 1947 Rose Bowl.1946 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1946-schedule.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 27, 2025 Guard Alex Agase was a consensus first-team selection on the 1946 All-America college football team.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 8 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Agase also received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Nine's most valuable player.Alex Agase Is Most Valuable Journal and Courier December 16, 1946 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100861095/alex-agase-is-most-valuable/ Newspapers.com Four Illinois players received honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press (UP) on the 1946 All-Big Nine Conference football team: Agase (AP-1, UP-1); ends Ike Owens (UP-1) and Sam Zatkoff (UP-2); and halfback Jules Rykovich (UP-2).Indiana Places Three on Big Ten All-Stars The Milwaukee Journal (AP story) November 26, 1946 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19461126&id=7x4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ByUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2234,5527982 May 2, 2022 May 6, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160506062926/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19461126&id=7x4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ByUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2234,5527982 deadMichigan Gets Three Places On UP Team Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (UP story) November 30, 1946 13 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19461130&id=C8MwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YGoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2707,5888639 Center Mac Wenskunas was the team captain.Fighting Illini Football Record Book University of Illinois 2015 December 28, 2016 155 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf November 29, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201129040612/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf dead The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Schedule 1946 AP Eastern September 21 1:00 p.m. w y y Pittsburgh Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA 33–7 35,000 Pitt Overpowered Illinois, 33-7: Victors Held To 7-7 Score In First Half; Gave 'Em a Scare! Pittsburgh Sunday Sun-Telegraph Jack Henry September 22, 1946 II-7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100858347/pitt-overpowered-illinois-33-7/ Newspapers.com September 28 l y Notre Dame Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 6–26 75,119 Notre Dame Halts Young, Overpowers Illinois, 26-6: Record 75,119 Watches Irish Dominate Battle Decatur Sunday Herald and Review Bert Bertine September 29, 1946 29, 30 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100858574/notre-dame-halts-young-overpowers/ Newspapers.com October 5 w Purdue Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 43–7 38,519 Illini Rout Purdue, 43-7: Illinois Backs Run Freely in Big Nine Debut Decatur Sunday Herald and Review Bert Bertine October 6, 1946 II-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100688138/illini-rout-purdue-43-7-illinois/ Newspapers.com April 29, 2022 October 12 l y 12 Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN rivalry 7–14 27,000 Indiana Triumphs: 4th-Quarter Tally By Pihos Decides Game; Capacity Throng Of 27,000 Sees Illini Bow, 14-7 The Indianapolis Star Jack K. Overmyer October 13, 1946 41, 43 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100858863/indiana-triumphs-4th-quarter-tally-by/ Newspapers.com October 19 2:00 p.m. y w Wisconsin 20 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 27–21 62,597 Illini Beat Wisconsin, 27-21: 2 Touchdowns in 4th Period Whip Badgers; Wham! 21 Points in First 4 Minutes Chicago Tribune Irving Vaughan October 20, 1946 II-1, II-2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100859080/illini-beat-wisconsin-27-21-2/ Newspapers.com October 26 w y Michigan 8 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 13–9 86,938 Zatkoff Races 53 Yards As Illinois Beats Michigan, 13-9 Chicago Tribune October 27, 1946 Edward Burns 2-1 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1946/10/27/page/63/article/zatkoff-races-53-yards-as-illinois-beats-michigan-13-9Illini Upset Wolverines on Zatkoff's Long Run, 13-9: Sam Travels 47 Yards on Interception; 12 Fumbles Costly to Michigan Drives Detroit Free Press Lyall Smith October 27, 1946 IV-2, IV-3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100859457/illini-upset-wolverines-on-zatkoffs/ Newspapers.com November 2 w y 11 Iowa Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA 7–0 52,000 Illini Sink Iowa, 7-0, Lead Big 9: 5 Hawk Bids Fail; Steger's Stab on Illinois' Big Push Drops Iowans From Race The Des Moines Sunday Register Bert McGrane November 3, 1946 V-1, V-2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100862240/illini-sink-iowa-7-0-lead-big-9-5/ Newspapers.com November 16 w 9 Ohio State 13 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL Illibuck 16–7 61,519 Illinois Defeats Ohio, 16-7; Keeps Lead; Rykovich Goes 98 Yards Over Muddy Field; It's Fifth Victory in Big Nine Chicago Tribune Edward Burns November 17, 1946 II-1, II-7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100862742/illinois-defeats-ohio-16-7-keeps/ Newspapers.com November 23 w y 5 Northwestern Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL 20–0 47,000 Illinois Beats N.U., 20-0; Takes Big 9 Title; Sixth League Victory Opens Door To Bowl Chicago Tribune Charles Bartlett November 24, 1946 II-1, II-6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100863053/illinois-beats-nu-20-0-takes-big-9/ Newspapers.com January 1 w y y 5 UCLA 4 Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl 45–14 93,083 Illinois Wallops Bruins by 45-14: Young, Rykovich Run Wild Behind Fast Illini Line as 93,083 Fans Gasp Los Angeles Times Paul Zimmerman January 2, 1947 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55234928/rose-bowl-page-1/ Newspapers.com Game summaries vs Pittsburgh 1946 Pittsburgh Panthers football team #fff #eee Illinois Fighting Illini;text-align:center; autocollapse Illinois Fighting Illini at Pittsburgh Panthers (0–0) – Game summary September 21 Saturday Fighting Illini 7 0 13 13 Panthers 0 7 0 0 Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA 35,00 Illinois opened its season with a 33–7 victory over Pittsburgh at Pitt Stadium, in front of approximately 35,000 spectators. The game was much closer than the final score indicated, particularly in the first half. Pitt, playing its first game under new head coach Wesley Fesler, jumped back from an early Illinois touchdown to tie the game 7–7 at halftime. Illinois halfback Claude “The Illinois Express” Young opened the scoring with a spectacular 46-yard touchdown run, but freshman Louis Cecconi of Donora, Pennsylvania, answered with a one-yard touchdown plunge for Pitt. The Panthers actually outgained Illinois during much of the first half, despite facing a larger and more experienced team. The Panthers' energetic first-half effort appeared to wear them down, however. Early in the third quarter, Illinois substitute back Art Dufelmeier broke through for a 38-yard touchdown run. Illinois then recovered a Pitt fumble at the Panthers' 20-yard line, and Young scored again shortly afterward. In the fourth quarter, Illinois added two more touchdowns: Tom Steward connected with Paul Patterson on a 27-yard touchdown pass, followed by Chuck Maggioli's 75-yard punt return. Despite the lopsided final score, the statistics showed a relatively competitive game. Illinois held only a 10–9 advantage in first downs and outgained Pitt 226–205 in total offense. Pitt's passing game was more productive, completing 6 of 19 passes for 73 yards, while Illinois completed just 2 of 9 for 33 yards. Young was largely contained by Pitt's defense aside from his two touchdown runs. Statistics ILLPitt First downs 10 9 Plays–yards Rushes–yards 193 132 Passing yards 33 73 Passing: comp Completions–att Attempts–int Interceptions 2-9-2 6-19-4 Time of possession Rankings 1946 college football rankings AP 1 9 12 NR NR 11 10 9 5 5 5 Roster PlayerPositionAlex AgaseOffensive guardPerry MossQuarterbackRuck StegerLes BingamanGuard, TackleSam ZatkoffEndJoe BuscemiBob CunzTackleDon MaechtlePlacekickerDon PittmanChuck GottfriedAl MartignagoLyle ButtonTackleLou LevantiCenterBob PrymuskiGuardTom GallagherAl MastrangeliCenterMerle SchlosserEndBernie KruegerQuarterbackDike EddlemanPunterBill FranksTackleChick MaggioliDefensive back, HalfbackPaul PattersonQuarterbackIke OwensEnd, Defensive endArt Dufelmeier (Captain)HalfbackTom StewartBob HinkleLou AgaseTight end, TackleJim ValckJack PierceBurt SchmidtDenny BassettWalt KersulisEndJohn WrennGuardHerb SiegertGuard, LinebackerBill HeissEnd July 2025 Head coach: Ray Eliot (5th year at Illinois) Line coach: Burt Ingwersen Awards and honors Alex Agase Chicago Tribune Silver Football Consensus All-American (guard) References Illinois Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:Rose Bowl champion seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football Category:Long stubs with short prose