1946 Texas Longhorns football team

The 1946 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas in the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1946 college football season. In their tenth and final year under head coach Dana X. Bible, the Longhorns compiled an 8–2 record (4–2 against SWC opponenets) and outscored all opponents by a total of 290 to 68.^[1] Texas was ranked No. 1 in the first AP Poll of the 1946 season, but slid throughout the season and was ranked No. 15 in the final poll.^[2]

1946 Texas Longhorns football
Conference	Southwest Conference
Ranking
AP	No. 15
Record	8–2 (4–2 SWC)
Head coach	Dana X. Bible (10th season)
Home stadium	War Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1945 1947 →

1946 Southwest Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 10 Rice +	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
No. 16 Arkansas +	5	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	2
No. 15 Texas	4	–	2	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Texas A&M	4	–	2	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
SMU	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	1
TCU	2	–	4	–	0			2	–	7	–	1
Baylor	0	–	6	–	0			1	–	8	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The Longhorns ranked 15th nationally in total offense with an average of 328.1 yards per game, and 10th nationally in total defense with 176.0 yards allowed per game.^[3] Led by Bobby Layne, they ranked third nationally in passing offense with 156.9 yards per game.^[4] Layne ranked second nationally in total offense with 1,460 yards (1,122 passing and 336 rushing) and second nationally in passing yardage.^[5]

Five Texas players received honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press (UP) on the 1946 All-Southwest Conference football team: Bobby Layne (AP-1, UP-1); center Dick Harris (AP-1, UP-1); back Jim Canady (AP-2, UP-2); end Hub Bechtol (AP-2, UP-2); and guard Spot Collins (AP-2, UP-2).^[6][7]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	Missouri*		War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	W 42–0	37,000	[8]
September 28	Colorado*		War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	W 76–0	25,000	[9]
October 5	Oklahoma A&M*		War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	W 54–6	45,000	[10]
October 12	vs. Oklahoma*	No. 1	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Red River Shootout)	W 20–13	> 50,000	[11]
October 19	No. 14 Arkansas	No. 3	War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)	W 20–0	40,000	[12]
October 26	at No. 16 Rice	No. 3	Rice Field Houston, TX (rivalry)	L 13–18	30,000	[13]
November 2	SMU	No. 7	War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	W 19–3	34,000	[14]
November 9	at Baylor	No. 6	Waco Stadium Waco, TX	W 22–7	15,000	[15]
November 16	at TCU	No. 6	Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX (rivalry)	L 0–14	21,000	[16]
November 28	Texas A&M	No. 20	War Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)	W 24–7	48,000	[17]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Rankings

See also: 1946 NCAA football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Final
AP	1 (69⅓)	3 (38)	3 (13¼)	7	6	6	17	20	15 (1)

Awards and honors

• Hub Bechtol, End, Consensus All-American^[18]

After the season

Main article: 1947 NFL draft

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

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
1	5	Hub Bechtol	End	Pittsburgh Steelers
2	13	Walt Heap	Back	Boston Yanks
6	45	Harlan Wetz	Tackle	Chicago Bears
8	59	Hank Harris	Guard	Washington Redskins
19	174	Frank Guess	Back	New York Giants
20	184	Tom Landry	Defensive back	New York Giants
20	185	Bill Cromer	Back	Washington Redskins
23	215	Al Lawler	Halfback	Chicago Bears
24	217	Ed Heap	Tackle	Boston Yanks
28	265	Joe Billy Baumgardner	Halfback	Chicago Bears

References

1. Texas Yearly Results, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved June 11, 2009. Archived 2009-06-15.
2. Texas 1946 AP Football Rankings Archived 2012-03-13 at the Wayback Machine, AP Poll Archive, retrieved June 11, 2009.
3. W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 73.
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. 75.
5. W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. pp. 79, 82.
6. "Layne, Harris Only UT Player on AP Selection". The Austin American. December 3, 1946. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Claude Ramsey (December 5, 1946). "Layne, Harris Make UP's All-Conference". Austin American-Statesman. p. 15 – 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. Tex Schramm (September 29, 1946). "Steers Score With Ease To Stampede Colorado, 76 to 0: Longhorns Run Wild in Buffalo Rout; Visitors Take Worst Defeat In History From UT". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Wilbur Evans (October 6, 1946). "Longhorns Blast Cowpokes' Title Hopes: Steers Tear Oklahomans By 54-6 Tally; 45,000 Fans See Biblemen Continue Lopsided Scoring". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Hal Middlesworth (October 13, 1946). "Inspired Sooners Swap Texas Blow for Blow But Are Beaten, 20-13: OU's Offensive Throws Scare Into Longhorns; Cotton Bowl Filled As Layne Leads His Team to Hard Win". The Daily Oklahoman. pp. 1A, 1B. Retrieved April 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Wilbur Evans (October 20, 1946). "Steers Trounce Tough Porkers For 5th Victory: Longhorns Lusterless After Half; Loop Opener Closer Than Score Indicates". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Wilbur Evans (October 27, 1946). "Owls Stage Big Upset as They Wallop Steers: Rice Zooms To New High With Victory". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Morris Williams (November 3, 1946). "Steers Hit Back To Batter Game Mustangs, 19-3: Steers Bounce Back Before 34,000 Fans; Wet Field Fails To Slow Down Texas Aerials". Sunday American-Statesman. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Jinx Tucker (November 10, 1946). "Stumbling Steers Block Punt to Smash Stubborn Bears, 22-7: Layne's Accurate Field Goal Turns Tide in Struggle; Baylor Outfights Texas to Hold Lead Until Late in Third Quarter of Game". Waco Sunday Tribune-Herald. pp. Sports 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Amos Melton (November 17, 1946). "Frogs Smash Texas Hopes, 14-0: TCU Earns Decision as Steers Fade". Fort Worth Star Telegram. pp. II-1, II-4 – via Newspapers.com.
17. Wilbur Evans (November 29, 1946). "Texas Keeps Faith By Defending Ags, 24-7, in Turkey Tilt: A&M Lacing 7th in Row for Bible; Bechtol, Ellsworth, Layne, Baumgardner shine for Steers". The Austin American. pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "2010 NCAA Football Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletics Association.
19. "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.