1946 Missouri Tigers football team

The 1946 Missouri Tigers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Missouri in the Big Six Conference (Big 6) during the 1946 college football season. The team compiled a 5–4–1 record (3–2 against Big 6 opponents), finished in a tie for third place in the Big 6, and was outscored by all opponents by a combined total of 166 to 158.^[1][2]

1946 Missouri Tigers football
Conference	Big Six Conference
Record	5–4–1 (3–2 Big 6)
Head coach	Don Faurot (9th season)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

1946 Big Six Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Kansas +	4	–	1	–	0			7	–	2	–	1
No. 14 Oklahoma +	4	–	1	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Missouri	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	1
Nebraska	3	–	2	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Iowa State	1	–	4	–	0			2	–	6	–	1
Kansas State	0	–	5	–	0			0	–	9	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

After three years of wartime service in the United States Navy, Don Faurot returned as the team's head coach in 1946.^[3] The 1946 season was Faurot's ninth of 19 seasons as head coach of the Missouri football team.

Seven Missouri players received honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press (UP) on the 1946 All-Big Six Conference football team: back Lloyd Brinkman (AP-1, UP-1); end Roland Oakes (AP-1, UP-1); tackle Jim Kekeris (AP-1, UP-1); back Bob Hopkins (AP-2, UP-2); center Ralph Stewart (AP-2, UP-2); end Marshall Shurnas (UP-3); and guard Verlie Abrams (UP-3).^[4][5]

The team's leading scorers were Howard Bonnett and Loyd Brinkman, each with 30 points.^[6]

Missouri was ranked at No. 77 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.^[7]

The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	at Texas*	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	L 0–42	37,000	[8]
September 28	at Ohio State*	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	T 13–13	65,004	[9]
October 4	at Saint Louis*	Walsh Stadium St. Louis, MO	W 19–14	17,951	[10]
October 12	at Kansas State	Memorial Stadium Manhattan, KS	W 26–0	12,000	[11]
October 19	Iowa State	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO (rivalry)	W 33–13	16,000	[12]
October 26	SMU*	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO	L 0–17	> 20,000	[13]
November 2	at Nebraska	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry)	W 21–20	34,000	[14]
November 9	Colorado*	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO	W 21–0	6,000	[15]
November 16	at Oklahoma	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (rivalry)	L 6–27	33,431	[16][17]
November 28	Kansas	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO (rivalry)	L 19–20	29,000	[18]
*Non-conference game

1947 NFL draft

Main article: 1947 NFL draft

The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Tigers were selected.^[19]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
3	14	Jim Kekeris	Tackle	Detroit Lions
26	244	Ralph Stewart	Center	New York Giants

References

1. "1946 Missouri Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
2. "2016 Mizzou Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Missouri. p. 158. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
3. "Coach Don Faurot To Be Here April 23". Joplin Globe. April 16, 1946. p. 8.
4. "Four Sooners, Three Tigers, Three Jayhawks on All-Big 6". Moberly Monitor-Index. November 29, 1946. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Oklahoma Lands Four on All-Big Six First Team; Kansas Places Three Men". Seminole Producer. December 2, 1946. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "2014 Mizzou Football Records Book" (PDF). University of Missouri. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
7. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Wilbur Evans (September 22, 1946). "Steers Turn on Heat To Wallop Missouri Again by 42 to 0: Tigers Taste Fire Before 37,000 Fans". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Don Stull (September 29, 1946). "Missouri Holds Ohio State To Tie: Buckeyes and Tigers Wage 13-13 Draw". Springfield News-Sun. pp. 1D, 4D – via Newspapers.com.
10. Robert Morrison (October 5, 1946). "Breaks Help Tigers Beat Biliikens: Pass Interceptions Lead To Pair of Touchdowns As Missouri Wins 19-14". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 7A.
11. "Tiger Power Spells a 26-0 State Defeat: Cat Offense Lacks Punch; Wildcats Never Threaten in Opening Home Big Six Encounter; Strong Missouri Team Romps To Three Touchdowns in First Half, Then Stalls". The Manhattan Mercury. October 13, 1946. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Bob Broeg (October 20, 1946). "Missouri Trims Iowa State, 33-13, For Second Victory in Big Six: Boots Stewart in Star Role With Interception of Two Cyclone Passes". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. pp. V-1, V-2 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Bob Broeg (October 27, 1946). "Mustangs' Quick Kicks Beat Fumbling Tigers, 17 to 0: Missouri Hopes for Bowl Bid Is Blasted as S.M.U. Uncorks Big Second Period". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
14. Walt Dobbins (November 3, 1946). "Cornhuskers' Comeback Falls Point Short 21-20". The Nebraska State Journal. pp. 1B, 2B – via Newspapers.com.
15. J.P. Hamel (November 10, 1946). "Missouri 21, Colorado 0: Firm Tiger Line; Buffaloes Held to Eleven Yards From Scrimmage and One First Down; 6,000 See Game in Rain". The Kansas City Star. pp. 1B, 4B.
16. "1946 OU Football Season Schedule - SoonerStats - Historical scores, records, and stats for Oklahoma Sooners football, basketball, baseball, and softball".
17. Glenn P. Bradley (November 17, 1946). "Oklahoma Strikes Quickly, Overpowers Missouri, 27-6: Sooners Turn Tiger Errors Into Scores; 33,000 Jam Stadium". The Norman Transcript. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved April 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "A Surge To Top: Kansas, Rated Third in Big Six Before Season, Rises to Title Spot". The Kansas City Star. Associated Press. November 29, 1946. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.