1946 Michigan State Spartans football team

1946 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–5
Head coach
MVPGeorge Guerre
CaptainKenneth E. Balge, Robert B. McCurry
Home stadiumMacklin Field
Seasons
← 1945
1947 →
1946 Midwestern major college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame   –   8 – 0 – 1
Detroit   –   6 – 4 – 0
Michigan State   –   5 – 5 – 0
Marquette   –   4 – 5 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1946 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1946 college football season. In their 13th and final season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 5–5 record and were outscored by a total of 202 to 181.[1][2] The 1946 Spartans lost their annual rivalry game with Michigan by a 55 to 7 score.[3] In intersectional play, the Spartans beat Penn State (19–16), Maryland (26–14), and Washington State (26–20), but lost to Boston College (34–20), Mississippi State (6–0), and Kentucky (39–14).[2]

George Guerre led Michigan State, ranked 13th nationally with 633 rushing yards, and averaged 7.03 rushing yards per carry.[4]

Michigan State was ranked at No. 51 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.[5]

In mid-December 1946, Michigan State hired Clarence Munn to replace Bachman as head coach.[6]

  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 154. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "1946 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  3. ^ Charles Bartlett (November 10, 1946). "State Loses To Wolverine Eleven, 55 to 7". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.
  4. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 80.
  5. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Munn Accepts Post as Football Coach at Michigan State". The Escanaba (Mich.) Daily Press. December 15, 1946. p. 11.