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1945 Oklahoma A&M Cowboys football team

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1945 Oklahoma A&M Cowboys football
National champion (AFCA)
MVC champion
Sugar Bowl champion
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Ranking
APNo. 5
Record9–0 (1–0 MVC)
Head coach
Home stadiumLewis Field (capacity: 13,000)
Seasons
← 1944
1946 →
1945 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Oklahoma A&M $ 1 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
No. 17 Tulsa 2 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Wichita 1 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Drake 1 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Saint Louis 0 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1945 Oklahoma A&M Cowboys football team represented Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (later renamed Oklahoma State University–Stillwater) in the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1945 college football season. The team was led by seventh-year head coach Jim Lookabaugh and played its home games at Lewis Field in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys compiled a 9–0 record (1–0 against conference opponents), won the Missouri Valley championship, defeated Saint Mary's in the 1946 Sugar Bowl, were ranked No. 5 in the final AP Poll, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 285 to 76.[1][2] The 1945 season remains the only undefeated season in school history.[3]

On offense, the 1945 team averaged 31.7 points, 286.9 rushing yards, and 133.5 passing yards per game.[4] On defense, the team allowed an average of 8.4 points, 108.6 rushing yards and 79.6 passing yards per game.[5]

Halfback Bob Fenimore led the nation with 1,048 rushing yards.[6] He also led the team with 593 passing yards, 72 points scored, and seven interceptions. Fenimore was selected as a consensus first-team halfback on the 1945 All-America college football team.[7] He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Three Oklahoma A&M players received first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1945: Bob Fenimore, end Neill Armstrong, and lineman J.C. Colhouer.[8]

In 2016, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the organization responsible for the Coaches Poll, awarded Oklahoma A&M its 1945 national championship.[9] The AFCA created a commission to consider applications for national title consideration for years spanning 1922 to 1949.[10] OSU was at the time the only school to apply for the honor for any of the 28 years considered.[11] The AFCA committee stated that the 1945 Army Cadets football team could also be recognized as co-champion for 1945 "if the school decides to submit paperwork to the AFCA for evaluation by the committee."[12]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29at Arkansas*
W 19–14
October 6at Denver*
W 31–720,000 (17,311 paid)[13]
October 12vs. SMU*No. 15
W 26–12
October 20at Utah*No. 15
W 46–6
October 27at TCU*No. 17
W 25–12
November 10No. 19 TulsadaggerNo. 11
W 12–618,000
November 17Texas Tech*No. 8
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 46–6
November 24at Oklahoma*No. 6
W 47–0
January 1, 1946vs. No. 7 Saint Mary's*No. 5
W 33–1375,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

After the season

Main article: 1946 NFL Draft

The 1946 NFL Draft was held on January 14, 1946. The following Cowboys were selected.[15]

Round Pick Player Position NFL Team
8 66 Bert Cole Tackle Green Bay Packers
9 71 Jake Colhouer Guard Chicago Cardinals
32 297 Otis Schellstede Guard Detroit Lions

References

  1. ^ "1945 Oklahoma State Cowboys Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma State Cowboy Football 2016 Guide" (PDF). Oklahoma State University. p. 172. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  3. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 144.
  4. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 138.
  5. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 140.
  6. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1946). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1946. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 34.
  7. ^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 8. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  8. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 154.
  9. ^ Culpepper, Chuck (October 13, 2016). "Oklahoma State just won the 1945 college football national championship". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  10. ^ Fornelli, Tom (October 13, 2016). "Why Oklahoma State has been named college football's 1945 national champion". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. ^ Tramel, Berry (August 23, 2017). "Why is Oklahoma State on an island with the retroactive titles?". News OK. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  12. ^ Marshall, Kendrick (October 18, 2016). "AFCA member explains why OSU awarded 1945 national championship". Tulsa World. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  13. ^ Wally Wallis (October 7, 1945). "Puncher Reserves Sparkle in 31-7 Lacing of Denver". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Gaels Lose, 33-13: Phelan Clan Makes Hit In Defeat". Oakland Tribune. January 2, 1946. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "1946 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
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