1944 Georgia Pre-Flight Skycrackers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1944
| team = Georgia Pre-Flight Skycrackers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 4–5
| head_coach = Ducky Pond
| hc_year = 1st
| captain =
| stadium = Sanford Stadium
| next_year = none
}}
{{1944 military service football records}}
The 1944 Georgia Pre-Flight Skycrackers football team represented the United States Navy pre-flight aviation training school at the University of Georgia during the 1944 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Ducky Pond, the Skycrackers compiled a record of 4–5. The team's roster included Ronnie Cahill, Pat Harder, Elmer Jones, and Ted Scruggs.
In the final Litkenhous Ratings, Georgia Pre-Flight ranked 46th among the nation's college and service teams and ninth out of 28 United States Navy teams with a rating of 89.5.{{cite news |last=Litkenhous |first=E. E. |authorlink=Edward E. Litkenhous |title=Big Ten Circuit Repeats As King of College Leagues |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune/122545021/ |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |location=Salt Lake City Utah |date=December 10, 1944 |page=8B |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Litkenhous |first=E. E. |authorlink=Edward E. Litkenhous |title=Army, Randolph Field One-Two in Final Litkenhouse Ratings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-sun-telegraph/122892812/ |newspaper=Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |date=December 17, 1944 |page=4, section 2 |access-date=April 15, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1944
| poll = AP
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = South Carolina
| site_stadium = Carolina Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbia, SC
| score = 20–14
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Gamecocks Meet Powerful Georgia Pre-Flight 3:30 Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state/122553981/ |newspaper=The State |location=Columbia, South Carolina |date=September 30, 1944 |page=2 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Bloom |first=Moise |title=Carolina Bows to Georgia by 20 to 14 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state/122554104/ |newspaper=The State |location=Columbia, South Carolina |date=October 1, 1944 |page=13B |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 8
| w/l = w
| opponent = Cherry Point Marines
| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium
| site_cityst = Athens, GA
| score = 33–0
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Marines Beaten By Skycrackers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer/122554484/ |newspaper=The News & Observer |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |agency=Associated Press |date=October 9, 1944 |page=7 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 15
| w/l = l
| opponent = Third Air Force
| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium
| site_cityst = Athens, GA
| score = 7–19
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |last=William |first=F. M. |title=Trippi Stars as Gremlins Beat Georgia Navy, 19-7 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/122554772/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |location=Atlanta, Georgia |date=October 16, 1944 |page=7 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news|title=3rd Air Force Gridders Top Georgia Navy|newspaper=The Troy Record|date=October 16, 1944|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17852149/3rd_air_force_gridders_top_georgia_navy/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| time = 2:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = North Carolina Pre-Flight
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Kenan Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Chapel Hill, NC
| score = 0–3
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Busters Face Crackers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun/122554908/ |newspaper=Durham Moring Herald |location=Durham, North Carolina |date=October 21, 1944 |page=6 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Horner |first=Jack |title=Field Goal Brings Cloudbusters 3 To 0 Triumph |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun/122554996/ |newspaper=The Durham Herald-Sun |location=Durham, North Carolina |date=October 22, 1944 |page=1, section IV |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Georgia Tech
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Grant Field
| site_cityst = Atlanta, GA
| score = 7–13
| attend = 15,000
| source = {{cite news |last=Troy |first=Jack |title=Tech's 86-Yard Drive Conquers Strong Georgia Preflight, 13-7 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/122555150/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |location=Atlanta, Georgia |date=October 28, 1944 |page=1 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Troy |first=Jack |title=Tech Barely Wins From Skycrackers (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/122555186/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |location=Atlanta, Georgia |date=October 28, 1944 |page=5 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 5
| time = 2:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = Third Air Force
| site_stadium = American Legion Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlotte, NC
| score = 12–34
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |last=Allen |first=Eddie |title=Gremlins Tackle 'Crackers Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer/122555366/ |newspaper=The Charlotte Observer |location=Charlotte, North Carolina |date=November 5, 1944 |page=9, section 2 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Eddie |title=More On Gremlins (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer/122555437/ |newspaper=The Charlotte Observer |location=Charlotte, North Carolina |date=November 5, 1944 |page=11, section 2 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news|title=Gremlins Trounce Georgia Pre-Flight|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|date=November 6, 1944|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17848239/gremlins_trounce_georgia_preflight/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| w/l = l
| opponent = North Carolina Pre-Flight
| opprank = 16
| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium
| site_cityst = Athens, GA
| score = 18–33
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |last=Hanes |first=O. P. |title=Graham Gets Hot In Athens Battle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer/122555542/ |newspaper=The News & Observer |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |agency=Associated Press |date=November 12, 1944 |page=9 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 19
| w/l = w
| opponent = Daniel Field
| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium
| site_cityst = Athens, GA
| score = 30–0
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Ga. Pre-Flight Rips Daniel Field |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state/122555672/ |newspaper=The State |location=Columbia, South Carolina |agency=Associated Press |date=November 20, 1944 |page=7 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 26
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Daniel Field
| site_stadium = Augusta Municipal Stadium
| site_cityst = Augusta, GA
| score = 52–12
| attend =
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=[Untitled] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times-journal/122555760/ |newspaper=Selma Times-Journal |location=Selma, Alabama |agency=Associated Press |date=November 27, 1944 |page=5 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{World War II service football teams navbox}}