The 1956 Central Michigan Chippewas football team was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

team that represented Central Michigan College, renamed

Central Michigan University Central Michigan University (CMU) is a public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Established in 1892 as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute, the private normal school became a state institution and renamed Cen ...

in 1959, in the

Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States. At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, was a robust league that clai ...

during the

1956 NCAA College Division football season The 1956 NCAA College Division football season saw the NCAA split member schools into two divisions: larger schools were part of the University Division, later known as NCAA Division I, and smaller schools were placed in the College Division, late ...

. In their sixth season under head coach

Kenneth Kelly Kenneth A. "Wild Bill" Kelly (June 1, 1905 – March 7, 1984) was an American football, basketball, and tennis player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Central Michigan University from 1951 to 1966, compiling a record of 91– ...

, the Chippewas compiled a perfect 9–0 record, won the

(IIAC) championship for the fifth consecutive year, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 313 to 92. The team set multiple school records that still stand, including allowing 797 rushing yards (88.5 yards per game) and allowing only 1,292 net yards.2015 Media Guide, p. 85. The 1956 season was part of the longest winning streak in school history, 15 games running from October 8, 1955, to November 10, 1956. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Herb Kipke with 490 passing yards (36 of 68 passing) and halfback

Jim Podoley James Podoley (September 16, 1933 – January 24, 2010) was an American football halfback and end for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). Born in Mount Morris, Michigan, he played college football at Central Michigan ...

with 655 rushing yards (100 carries) and 211 receiving yards (11 receptions). Podoley set three Central Michigan records in 1956 that still stand. The first and second are his six touchdowns and 36 points scored against Eastern Illinois in his final college game on November 10, 1956, and the third is his season average of 29.0 yards per punt return. In his final home game on November 3, 1956, Podoley ran for a touchdown and passed for another in a 19-0 victory over

Eastern Michigan Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

. Podoley played for Central Michigan from 1953 to 1956, and his jersey (No. 62) is the only number retired in Central Michigan football history. He was inducted into the Central Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. Tackle Oliver Porter received the team's most valuable player award. Five Central Michigan players (Kipke, Podoley, end Tim Burdon, fullback Bob McNamara, and tackle Oliver Porter) received first-team honors on the All-IIAC team.

Schedule

References

Central Michigan Central Michigan, also called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the middle area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Mid Michigan corre ...

Central Michigan Chippewas football seasons College football undefeated seasons Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football champion seasons

Central Michigan Chippewas football The Central Michigan Chippewas are a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University (CMU). CMU has the 30th highest overall winning percentage of programs playing in NCAA Division I. The Chippewas have pla ...

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