The 1946 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football season was the season of
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
played by the six member schools of the
Oklahoma Collegiate Conference The Oklahoma Collegiate Conference (OCC), also known as the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference (OCAC), was an College athletics, intercollegiate athletic conference that existed from 1929 to 1974. The conference's members were located in the st ...
(OCC) as part of the
1946 college football season
The 1946 college football season was the 78th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six C ...
.
The
Southeastern Savages won the OCC championship with a 9–3 record (4–1 against conference opponents) and outscored opponents by a total of 193 to 92.
Conference overview
Teams
Southeastern
The 1946 Southeastern Savages football team represented
Southeastern Oklahoma State College of
Durant, Oklahoma
Durant () is a city in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States that serves as the headquarters of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The population was 18,589 in the 2020 census. Durant is the principal city of the Durant Micropolitan Statistical A ...
. In their third, non-consecutive season under head coach
Dave Stephens, the team compiled a 9–3 record, won the OCC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 193 to 92.
Central State
The 1946 Central State Bronchos football team represented Central State University (now known as the
University of Central Oklahoma) of
Edmond, Oklahoma. In their third, non-consecutive season under head coach
Dale E. Hamilton, the Bronchos compiled a 4–4–1 record (3–1–1 against OCC opponents), finished in second place in the OCC, and outscored opponents by a total of 121 to 72.
[1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 207.]
Southwestern Tech
The 1946 Southwestern Tech Bulldogs football team represented Southwestern Institute of Technology (now part of
Southwestern Oklahoma State University) of
Weatherford, Oklahoma. Led by fourth-year head coach Jake Spann, the team compiled a 5–3–1 record (2–2–1 against OCC opponents), finished in third place in the OCC, and outscored opponents by a total of 146 to 80.
East Central
The 1946 East Central Tigers football team represented
East Central University of
Ada, Oklahoma. In their first season under head coach
Frank Crider
Frank Wheadon Crider (March 18, 1907 – February 6, 1962) was an American football player and coach. He was an all-conference halfback and team captain for the 1929 Oklahoma Sooners football team. He was an assistant coach for the Sooners in 19 ...
, the Tigers compiled a 5–5–1 record (2–3 against OCC opponents), tied for fourth place in the OCC, and outscored opponents by a total of 150 to 119.
[
]
Northeastern State
The 1946 Northeastern State Redmen football team represented Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University (NSU) is a public university with its main campus in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The university also has two other campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow as well as online. Northeastern is the oldest institution of high ...
of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Led by third-year head coach D. M. "Doc" Wadley, the Redmen compiled a 4–5 record (2–3 against OCC opponents), tied for fourth place in the OCC, and were outscored by a total of 142 to 127.[
It was Notheastern's first football team since 1942. Elmer Ary and Carlos Clayton, both of whom played for Northeastern prior to the war, were selected as the team's co-captains.
]
Northwestern State
The 1946 Northwestern State Rangers football team represented Northwestern State College (now known as Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) is a public university in Alva, Oklahoma, with satellite campuses in Enid, Oklahoma, Enid and Woodward, Oklahoma, Woodward. It offers both bachelor's and master's degrees.
History
In 1897, a normal ...
) of Alva, Oklahoma. Led by first-year head coach Joe Dollins, the Rangers compiled a 3–4 record (1–4 against OCC opponents), finished in last place in the OCC, and were outscored by a total of 91 to 74.[
Walter D. Newby was the athletic director, and C.L "Dick" Highfill was the assistant coach.
]
All-conference team
The Associated Press (AP), based on votes of the OCC coaches, selected four Southeastern and four Central players as first-team picks on its 1946 all-conference team. The first-team choices were:
* Quarterback: Howard Guyer, Southeastern
* Backs: Bill Thompson, Southwestern; Johnny Dunaway, Central; Durard Givens, Central
* Ends: Gene Jones, Southeastern; Bennie Carlisle, Northeastern
* Tackles: Kenneth Brady, Central; Albert Stover, Southwestern
* Guards: Oscar Ragland, Central; James Harris, Southeastern
* Center: Lloyd "Red" Skelton, Southeastern
References
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