The 1946 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic 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 eight member schools of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), sometimes referred to as the Minnesota College Conference, 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 Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties, in their second season under head coach Lloyd Hollingsworth, won the MIAC championship with a 7–0–1 record (6–0 against MIAC opponents). The Gusties led the conference in scoring offense (23.4 points per game) and defense (6.5 point per game) also dominated the 1946 All-MIAC football team, claiming eight of eleven first-team positions.

Conference overview

Teams

Gustavus Adolphus

The 1946 Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties football team represented

Gustavus Adolphus College Gustavus Adolphus College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota. It was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans led by Eric Norelius and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Gustavus gets its nam ...

St. Peter, Minnesota St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. It is 10 miles north of the Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area. The population was 12,066 at the 2020 census. St. Peter is the county seat of Nicollet County and home ...

. In their second, non-consecutive year under head coach Lloyd Hollingsworth, the Gusties compiled a 7–0–1 record (6–0 against MIAC teams), won the MIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 187 to 52. Gustavus Adolphus players took eight of the eleven first-team spots on the 1946 All-MIAC football team. The Gustavus Adolphus honorees were: back Babe Fiebiger; halfback Bob Collison; fullback Bennie Langsjoen; center Harold Swanson; end William Haldy; tackles Vic Pedersen and Gerald Cady; and guard Keith Skogman.

St. Olaf

The 1946 St. Olaf Oles football team represented

of Northfield, Minnesota. Led by head coach Adrian Christianson, the Oles compiled a 6–2 record (3–1 against MIAC teams), finished in a tie for second place in the MIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 104 to 91.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 216.

St. Thomas

The 1946 St. Thomas Tommies football team represented the University of St. Thomas of

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

. In their first year under head coach

Frank Deig Francis John Deig (September 20, 1909 – October 29, 1960) was an American athlete and sports coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of St. Thomas from 1946 to 1957, the head basketball coach at St. Thomas from 1940 to 1946 ...

, the Tommies compiled a 4–3 record (3–1 against MIAC teams), finished in a tie for second place in the MIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 94 to 70.

Concordia

The 1946 Concordia Cobbers football team represented Concordia College of Moorhead, Minnesota. In their sixth year under head coach

Jake Christiansen Jacobi Melius Alton Christiansen (February 2, 1900 – January 21, 1992) was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Valparaiso University from 1929 to 1940 and at Concordia College (Moorhead ...

, the Cobblers compiled a 3–3–1 record (2–2 against MIAC teams), finished in fourth place in the MIAC, and were outscored by a total of 92 to 91.

Saint John's

The 1946 Saint John's Johnnies football team represented

Saint John's University St John's University may refer to: *St. John's University (New York City) ** St. John's University School of Law **St. John's University (Italy) - Overseas Campus * College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, St. Joseph, Minnesota and C ...

of Collegeville, Minnesota. In their 11th year under head coach

Joe Benda Joseph Francis Benda (March 20, 1905 – June 20, 1950) was an American football, basketball and baseball coach. He served three stints head football coach at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, from 1930 to 1936, 1941 to 194 ...

, the Johnnies compiled a 5–3 record (2–4 against MIAC teams), finished in fifth place in the MIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 131 to 73.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 215.

Saint Mary's

The 1946 Saint Mary's Redmen football team represented Saint Mary's College of Winona, Minnesota. In their eighth year under head coach

Eddie Suech Edward D. Suech (1903 – February 13, 1977) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Saint Mary's College—now known as Saint Mary's University of ...

, the Redmen compiled a 4–3–1 record (1–2–1 against MIAC teams), finished in sixth place in the MIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 91 to 84.

Augsburg

The 1946 Augsburg Auggies football team represented Augsburg University of Minneapolis. In their third year under head coach

Robert S. Carlson Robert Stewart Carlson (6 August 1913 – 9 December 2000) was an American football and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Augsburg College from 1940 to 1941 and again in 1946 and at the Municipal University of Wi ...

, the Auggies compiled a 1–6 record (1–5 against MIAC teams), finished in seventh place in the MIAC, and were outscored by a total of 118 to 26.1947 NCAA Football Guide, p. 162.

Macalester

The 1946 Macalester Scots football team represented Macalester College of Saint Paul, Minnesota. In their third year under head coach

Dwight Stuessy T. Dwight "Slip" Stuessy (June 15, 1906 – February 12, 1957) was an American football and basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served two stints as the head football coach at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from ...

, the Scots compiled a 1–6–1 record (0–4–1 against MIAC teams), finished in eighth place in the MIAC, and were outscored by a total of 124 to 25.

All-conference team

First team * Backs: Jack Salscheider, St. Thomas; Babe Fiebiger, Gustavus Adolphus; Bob Collison, Gustavus Adolphus; Beanie Langsjoen, Gustavus Adolphus * Ends: Ralph Opatz, St. John's; William Haldy, Gustavus Adolphus * Tackles: Vic Pedersen, Gustavus Adolphus; Gerald Cady, Gustavus Adolphus * Guards: Stan Tostengaard, St. Olaf; Keith Skogman Gustavus Adolphus * Center: Harold Swanson, Gustavus Adolphus Second team * Backs: Royal Peterson, St. Olaf; Dave Dillon, Augsburg; Charles Miller, St. John's; Ronald Malcolm, Gustavus Adolphus * Ends: Henry Epstein, St. Mary's; Charles Beck, Concordia * Tackles: Konnie Prem, St. John's; Eldon Lehrke, St. Olaf * Guards: Ronald Henricksen, St. Olaf; Clarence Modin, Concordia * Center: Tony Graham, St. Mary's

References

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